A Simple Science Activity for Home or School: Making and Tossing Beanbags

This activity provides children with practice in sorting, classifying, estimating, measuring, decision making, creative thinking, and spatial relations. The three-part activity should be conducted over time and repeated. Each can be an independent lesson.

1. Exploring the beans

• For a child who is visually impaired, keep material readily accessible by working on a tray. Place three types of beans in three large containers. Choose beans that can be easily identified and differentiated by touch, such as whole dried peas (round and lumpy), lima beans (large, smooth, oval, and flat), and lentils (small, round, smooth, and flat). Take a child’s need for contrast into consideration, and select beans of varying colors.
• Exploration: Draw attention to the differences in the sound various beans make. The material (aluminum, plastic, cardboard) of the container will affect the sound, as well as the size and shape of the bean. Encourage exploration by asking open-ended questions such as: “What can you tell me about the beans?” or “How are the beans the same? How are they different?”
• Give children time to explore and “play” before they begin to sort. Mix some of each type of bean together and ask children to separate them into three piles.
• Sorting: Ask the children to sort the beans into two categories. List the attributes they choose, such as shape, size, texture, sound, color, and other things such as “beans we cook at home.” Follow up with: “That’s interesting. Can you tell me how you sorted your beans?” Don’t limit the options. Listen to the children’s reasoning.
• Estimating: This important skill is often particularly difficult for children who are visually impaired to comprehend. When “playing,” take a few beans in the palm of your hand and ask children to guess how many beans there are – let children touch quickly without actually counting. Try it again using different sizes. Young children often think that the “bigger” beans are “more” beans. Be sure to count the beans to see how close the estimates are. Egg cartons can be used to help in counting.
• Fill a measuring spoon, scoop, or a small measuring cup, with one type of bean and ask children to estimate how many beans there are. Check accuracy by counting them. Put five or ten beans in each “cup,” then count the number of egg cups you filled.
• Ask children to estimate how many measures (a handful can be a measure, too!) it will take to make a beanbag. Count each measure as you put it into the sock.

2. Creating a sock beanbag

• Fill the foot or use enough beans so the beanbag fits comfortably in the child’s hand. Children should check periodically to see if the sock is “full” enough for the beanbag. You can make the sock easier to fill by: placing a paper cup with the bottom cut out inside the sock; inserting a large funnel for pouring; or placing the sock inside a measuring cup and folding the top of the sock over the top of the cup. Tie a knot or wrap a rubber band around it to secure the beans inside. Fold extra material over the beans or cut off the excess.

3. Making a target and playing a tossing game

• Making a target: Targets can be made from a variety of materials; cardboard boxes with large and small – or different shaped – holes cut out work well. If you want to enhance auditory feedback, place an aluminum tray under the carton.
• Stimulate discussion about the target by asking: “What do you think will happen if the target is large?” “Will the game be different if the target is smaller? Why?”
• Place targets flat on the floor so children can check whether or not they have hit the target and where the beanbag landed. If the holes are cut out of the top of the carton, children can reach through to learn where the beanbag landed.
• Tossing the beanbag: Children can toss it from directly above the target, maximizing success. As skills improve with practice, move children farther away. Auditory cues can help the child aim. Encourage everyone (not only the child who is tossing) to check where it landed. If it doesn’t land on the target, talk about what should be done: “Do you need to throw more gently? Harder?” “Does the size of the beanbag make a difference? Why?” And let children experiment throwing underhand and overhand. 

By Ellen Rubin, MS – EnVision Vol.4 No.4