Faced with a large catalogue, a family may have very specific questions: which material to choose, what activity it offers or whether it will fit what their child enjoys. To begin, describing that interest is more useful than looking for a universal list of toys.
This guide offers a decision process: observe, choose an activity, compare the features and prepare a first activity. At the end, you will find Henbea products that connect these questions with specific materials.
Start with their interests
Think of a situation you already know: do they enjoy drawing paths, arranging objects, inventing characters or dressing figures? Note down one activity they enjoy and another you would like to try. This is a way to compare the catalogue with examples from everyday life.
Autismo España's Guía de ocio inclusivo (inclusive leisure guide, 2024 edition, printed page 20) discusses taking individual preferences, interests and needs into account. That principle guides the choice; the guide does not recommend these commercial products.
Define an activity before comparing products
“We want a material for playing at the table” still leaves many options open. You can make it more specific:
- Choose a shape and look for another that matches.
- Follow a path with a finger and then with a marker.
- Pass a cord through a figure.
- Create a face and decide which character it represents.
Each example calls for a different material. You can choose just one activity to start with, then compare the options that allow you to do it. Price and the number of pieces are easier to assess when you know how you expect to use them.
Check what is included and what you need to add
Check the contents of the set, the published dimensions and whether it requires other items. Tracing may need a stable surface; threading means checking the figure and cords; creating a composition means deciding how to present the pieces.
The stated age and safety warnings are product information. Read them alongside the manual and check the version you are going to use. If you have a question about a piece's size or a difference between documents, resolve it before adding the material to the activity.
Compare options by their use
For matching figures or drawing outlines, see Montessori Shapes. For choosing tracing paths, see the Prewriting Kit. If you are looking for threading activities, compare Shapes for Threading and Dressing Dolls: one activity centres on geometric shapes; the other on dressing characters. For face compositions, see Pim & Ton.
These products are explained, with their sources, in the selection of toys and educational materials. Open the product pages to check the current information, and compare the instructions with the activity you have in mind.
Prepare an activity that is easy to explain
For example, if you have chosen shape matching, prepare the pieces you will use and show a match. Then offer the opportunity to choose another. You can keep the rest of the set stored away and bring it back when you decide to change the activity.
For a character activity, present a face and one piece that can change it. A question such as “what shall we call this character?” opens up a different kind of play from following a model card. Choose the version that fits the interest you want to share.
These examples are suggestions for organising an activity. The person supporting it can adjust materials and steps to the setting; the product's safety instructions remain the reference for its use.
Answer these questions before deciding
- What activity do we want to do with this material?
- Which of the child's interests connects with it?
- What is included, and what needs to be prepared separately?
- Have we reviewed the instructions, age and warnings?
- How will we offer support and the opportunity to choose?
- Do we have somewhere to use and store it?
These answers give you a clear basis for comparing two products. To continue, visit the Henbea selection or the threading ideas. If you are preparing materials for a centre, also see the classroom guide.
