You may have noticed that I like to use spinners to expand the therapy value of some of my games and teach concept vocabulary. I have some of them as part of my downloads in the vocabulary section. The spinners in my previous downloads are black and white and not very colorful. I decided to update them with pictures and color to make them more friendly for my non-readers. You can access them on TPT for FREE. Just click the button.
The spinners are made from the clear plastic lids you find on products such as whipped cream or oatmeal containers. A pony bead, paper fastener and spinner from heavy cardboard or plastic are added. The lids are clear so that the paper form can be placed underneath and still be seen. The paper can be replaced from one activity to the next and the same spinner stays intact. Look below to see my showcase of spinners and the games I use with them.
Left and Right Spinner.
This spinner is used when playing Blockhead or some other block stacking game. It targets the concepts of left and right. The spinner has the directions of Left or Right with a handprint for cuing. Students take turns spinning the spinner and use the hand that is indicated to pick up a block and stack to make a tower. Point out to the students that when their hands are flattened on the table their left hand will form an L shape with the pointer and thumb. This is another cue they can use to distinguish their left hand from their right hand. I have used this as a table or center activity with table groups of 6 students in a Kindergarten class.
Size and Shape Spinner:
You need bean bags or soft balls that can be tossed, plastic pails and boxes of various sizes and shapes, and spinners with the vocabulary words printed on it. Have the students make a big circle with the containers placed in the center. Instruct the children on how to toss the ball or bean bag safely so no one gets injured.
The spinners travel around the circle. Students spin the spinner and toss the bean bag or ball as required trying to get the bean bag in the appropriate container that matches the word on the spinner.
For the Amount Spinner, I use a game I made up called “Don’t Fall Through the Ice ” 
Use the amount spinner, one 2 lb plastic coffee container. A rubber band that fits around the mouth of the container, tissue paper, marbles, cup to place marbles in water, spinner with vocabulary words. Instructions: Put one sheet of tissue paper across the opening of the 2 lb container. Fasten it down by stretching the rubber band around the top of the opening. You may need an extra set of hands to accomplish this. It should look like a drum. Put marbles in the cup and fill with water. Children take turns spinning the spinner and taking the number of wet marbles indicated.
The students place the marbles on top of the tissue paper top. The wet marbles will weaken the tissue paper and eventually fall through. The wetter the marbles the faster they will fall th rough. If you are using this activity with table groups they can count the marbles and compare who has the most or least marbles.
Don’t Spill the Beans is an other game that can be used with the spinner.
The conversation spinner can be used with any board game that uses a typical number spinner. It works well with games such as Snakes and Slides or Chutes and Ladders. Students try to follow the prompts on the spinner and give an example.
