MY MATH SLEEPING BAG This toy is much like a sleeping bag that is designed for 4 year old children. The bag zips up just like a sleeping bag and also has a small bag (like a pillowcase) stitched at the open end that is designed to hold the cloth flash cards which act as stuffing like in a pillow. It also comes with a carrying bag and it can be rolled up and stored in the bag. When this bag is unzipped, it folds out completely to form a blanket. The lining of the bag comes in a variety of color and is made of a soft cloth that is comfortable enough for sleeping and napping. The outside of the bag has ten, one-foot by one-foot squares stitched into it with the numbers zero through nine stitched into each square. The numbers are stitched into each individual square in a variety of bright colors. The numbers also have different textures such as velvet or vinyl. The flash cards are six-inch by six-inch. The flash cards are made of the same material as the blanket and have basic addition and subtraction problems stitched into them on one side and the solution stitched on the other side with the solution equal to a number between zero and nine. The problems on the flash cards are stitched using the same colors and textures that are used on the blanket. For example, 4 + 5, if the 4 on the blanket is blue vinyl, then the 4 on the flash card will be same and the 5 will also be the same color and texture as the 5 on the blanket. The solution to 4+5 is 9, so the 9 is stitched on the back of the flash card and will be the same color and texture as the 9 on the blanket. When this bag is unzipped and laid on the floor it becomes a large blanket. The child takes the flash cards out of the smaller bag/pillow and lays them on the floor beside the blanket, the child then begins finding the solutions to the problems and placing it on the blanket in the squares on the blanket that has the same number as the solution . Some of the solutions on the blanket will have more flash cards that match them than others. They may also just match the numbers on the back of the flash cards. If the child is unable to get the correct answer of the problem by just adding or subtracting, then they are able to turn the flash cards over to get the correct answer and they can match that number to the one on the blanket. Although this blanket doesn’t have any flashing lights or sounds to catch the child’s attention, it does double as a sleeping bag. The blanket zips just like a sleeping bag and has a smaller bag stitched on the open end that is used to store the flash cards and doubles as a pillow. The flash cards are soft material so they can be used as stuffing in the smaller bag at the top. This smaller bag has Velcro so the flash cards won’t fall out. Even after the child has “mastered” the adding and subtracting, this blanket can still be used for its alternative purpose, sleeping bag or even just a blanket. This toy would probably be better suited for a preschool or daycare center. It could be purchased in quantity by these facilities and used as a learning tool as well as being useful for “nap time”. Each individual child would have their own and the toy be sent home at the end of each week for the parent to launder and at the end of that school year, the child would be able to keep it. This toy is age appropriate because it teaches the child basic adding and subtracting problems while allowing the child to also learn to match a variety of colors and textures. The child will learn with this toy and can also use it for sleepovers and to take naps. This sleeping bag also allows the child three different ways to get the solution to one problem. It allows them to find the solution by adding or subtracting the numbers of the flash cards or by matching color and/or textures. This blanket/sleeping bag teaches a child that there is not always just one way to get to the correct answer. This toy is intended to stimulate the cognitive and social development. The child’s cognitive development is stimulated by teaching basic adding and subtracting. It also teaches them that even though some numbers are different, they can still be added or subtracted to another number and get the same solution. For example, 4+5=9 and 6+3=9; Even though 4 and 5 are different from 6 and 3, when added together, they equal the same number. They also develop a small amount of reasoning abilities. For example, if 4+5=9, then that must mean that 9-5=4. Although reasoning abilities take a little longer to develop, this toy could eventually help a child develop reasoning skills. This toy stimulates the child’s social development because it allows the child to interact with an adult and even with other children or siblings. This toy doesn’t have any sounds to let the child know if they got the right answer, so a parent/guardian or teacher must interact with the child. Social development is also stimulated by allowing the child to use this blanket/sleeping bag when staying the night at someone else’s home. I’ve found that if a child can carry their own blanket, pillow, or stuffed animal when staying the night at someone else’s house, they tend to be more comfortable and are less likely to be “homesick” or have separation anxiety. To prevent injury, parents should keep the storage bag out of children’s reach due to a suffocation hazard. An adult should check all stitching regularly due to possible choking hazards.

This is not as much a toy design as it is a learning tool but as a child approaches Kindergarten age, this toy/tool would be very useful for parents and/or preschool teachers to help the child with learning what they need to know before they can register for Kindergarten.