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Resistance of the elastics. Stimulus processing happiness!

Author: Els Rengenhart

Occupational therapist and SI specialist

At the request of Tanja from Toys42hands I tried out the Inny Bin Insert Cube from Fat Brain Toys. It is not an insert cube in the usual sense but a skeleton of a cube with eight elastic bands that form the surfaces of the cube. Six blocks in six different shapes and colours are included. The shapes can be pushed into the cube between the elastic bands. It always fits but the elastic bands do give resistance; the elastic bands have to be pushed aside. That is easier in a surface with four elastic bands than in the two surfaces where the eight elastic bands cross each other. The cube is suitable for children from 10 months to about 3 years. The cube is 14 cm long, high and wide.

What makes this insert cube so much fun?

Tucking in and taking out. From about 10 months, children love tucking things in and taking them out again. They can continue doing this endlessly.

  1. The blocks are visible in the cube. The child can still see the blocks put in the cube, but they do not fall out by themselves . This makes it extra challenging to keep putting them in and taking them out. It is also fun to look at the cube when you move the cube with the blocks in it.
  2. Play longer due to the resistance of the elastics . Both when putting the blocks in and taking them out, the elastics have to be pushed aside. In this way, the elastics provide resistance to the child's movements. This resistance provides extra muscle and movement sensation - also called proprioceptive information. The child therefore feels well what he is doing, which means he will play with the cube for longer. This extra information from his muscles and movements ensures that he can more easily focus his attention on the game with the cube.
  3. Easy to hold . The cube is easy to pick up and carry around by the white frame. The cube can also be picked up and held by the elastic bands. The size of the cube encourages you to use two hands when playing with the cube, although the blocks can also be pushed through the elastic bands with one hand.
  4. Makes sound. By moving the cube with the blocks in it, the blocks make sound by rolling against each other. This is an extra incentive to move the cube in your hands.

The insert cube looks nice, is sturdy and made of durable material. The cube undoubtedly guarantees hours of fun. Especially suitable for young children from 10 months. But also for some older children and adults with sensory processing, mental or other problems the insert cube can be very suitable.