Check out this video demo...
This toy is another one of my absolute favorites. It's available on Target.com and Amazon.com as well. It comes with two plush animals that are not overly realistic, so I use six different animals (one for each door) of my own. I have a bear, dog, cat, bird, turtle, and shark (fun kid favorite). It also comes with a set of six color-coded keys to match the doors. I don't use any of the other "vet" tools that come with it.
I use this, again, with preschoolers and students with limited language (sign or spoken). Like the wind-up toys, it is great in a pinch for an initial evaluation when you need a language sample or to engage a student not interested in standardized testing materials.
I typically hold the keys so that they are visible but out of reach of the child. The keys come on a plastic ring that is screwed together. You'll want to permanently remove the screw so that you can readily take on/off just one key at a time. When the child reaches for the keys or points at them, I sign and say, "You want the key?" Again, I don't expect them to initially copy my models. When the child indicates "yes" in some way, I say and sign, "Which one?" or "What color?" During an evaluation this is a great way to assess color knowledge, both receptive and expressive. If the child points to a desired door I again model through speech and sign the color they indicated and then give them that key. This is a great time to see if the child understands matching things of like color. Even though this toy is marketed for children ages 18+ months of age, many of the children I've worked with will have difficulty opening the doors. This is a great opportunity to work on requesting "help". During the process of opening the doors I use and model language like, "turn-turn-turn" (key), "open", "open blue", "take it out". Once the child has the animal I label it. Typically the child will explore it and play with it briefly. I usually shake the keys to get their attention back and hope they want "more". I always take the key back out of reach and have them slide the animal off to the side if they'll let me. I then model requesting by saying and signing any combination of key, more, want, I, and please, depending on if the child is showing they at a 0-1, 2-, 3-, or 3+ word/sign level. We repeat this routine until all six doors have been opened. If I still have their attention and enough time, we also have a routine for putting them all back "in" and saying "bye-bye" to each one. This is a great time to try receptive direction following, especially when evaluating or doing an auditory listening task (behind the acoustic hoop) and adding sign support as needed. You can give directions with one or two critical elements (ex. Put the dog in. Bye-bye bird. Put the bear in green.). This is a routine-building toy, so each time you repeat but build and expand, upping the communication ante whenever possible.
One of the best parts of this toy is you can change what you put inside the doors. So, if I am working on word initial /b/ I can put all B-objects in (ex. ball, backpack, button, bug, bear, bird, etc.). If it's December and I am teaching about holidays I put in related objects (ex. bell, candy cane, Santa, reindeer, ornament, etc.). Changing the objects also keeps the child engaged and excited with anticipation.
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