Using a ball ramp to work on fine motor and visual perception

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I have a little girl that I work with who needs to work on her fine motor precision and visual perception.  The perfect toy for her to play with and work on these is a marble ramp, but she puts things in her mouth, and I am afraid that one time I might not be faster than she is to keep the marbles out of her mouth.  Marbles are an awesome fine motor tool, but not for a child who mouths everything.  I searched for a similar toy that would work on similar skills, but with larger tools that are not a choking hazard.

I tried a couple of car ramps, the first one I did not love, but the second one is great.  I am using a toy story 3 car ramp Spiral Speedway , and use the cars sometimes, but these Foam Practice Golf Balls are the perfect size. Sometimes they roll off the ramp sides, but I think that a line of hot glue in the places where the sides need to be higher will solve the problem of the balls going over the sides. This toy has become one of my new favorites in early intervention. The cars are hard for this child to get in the right place so that the wheels are under it, and it will go down the ramp.  It is something we will work towards, and the balls are easier to get in the right place. Sometimes she still gets the balls in the wrong place.

Materials:

• Car ramp
• Practice golf balls

Skills:

• Fine motor
• Visual perceptual
• Upper extremity strengthening