Dr Ross Head, from The Cerebra Innovation Centre (CIC) recently came across a novel little product at the OT show in the NEC that we wanted to share with you. It might help to bring a little fun to the dinner table!
“CleverstiX are like a pair of chopsticks, but they are joined together at the top, with innovative finger loops to enable them to be used by children. Not only are they a fun way to eat, the scientific benefit is immense. Due to the fact they require the user to open and close (there is no spring involved) the fine motor control used is a great way to train muscles, as well as hand-eye coordination.
They come in really fun colours and the finger loops are adjustable so they will suit many different sizes of user. They are a Korean invention and there are over 5 million Korean children using them. CleverstiX have been praised by the National Handwriting Association and endorsed by the Science Museum as a great way to increase dexterity and fine motor control.
I took them home to test with my children. It just so happened that it was my night to cook and for some reason we decided on Burritos. Not very Korean, I know, but my kids loved the CleverstiX and ate the whole lot! They now make a regular appearance on the table, and are a great way to keep the children entertained whilst eating. They were such a simple concept but the children were able to pick up any and all of the pieces of exploded burrito! They have wide and quite “grippy” tips to hold the food, and worked just as well with noodles and fruit etc.
Have a look at the website for more information: http://www.cleverstix.com/. They are available in lots of places and online with more details on the website”.
-Dr Ross Head, CIC
