Shape Sorting Task Boxes

These task boxes and shapes were made to assist students in practicing motor and organizational skills. The boxes consist of a container to store the shapes, as well as a labeled box and an openable box with holes to sort the shapes in. When done, the student can place the shapes back into the storage box. Doing this activity daily can help build independence and consistency.

Machines

1. Laser cutter
2. 3D printer
3. Vinyl cutting machine (such as Silhouette Cameo)

Materials

1. 1-2 acrylic sheets of any color, 1/8 in.
2. The amount needed may vary based on your sheet size. We used 2 sheets, 12x19 in.
3. 1-3 colors of vinyl sticker
4. E6000 glue
5. Sandpaper

Use either the provided .stl or .gcode file as a basis to print out shapes. While the edges of the shapes are already smooth, you may want to use sandpaper for further polishing, depending on print quality.

Use the provided .ai files to cut your acrylic sheets.

After you've cut your acrylic, assemble the boxes by carefully applying E6000 to the relevant edges of each acrylic piece. It's recommended to fit the pieces together without glue first, to get a sense of how they will align.

The hole box has two parts, the base and the lid. The bottom side of the lid should be fit in between the 2 small holes at the top of the base, allowing it to pivot for opening/closing.

Once assembled, sandpaper can be used to smoothen the edges of the boxes. Sand each corner for around 5-10 seconds or until the corner feels smooth enough.

Prepare your stickers for cutting, using the provided .studio3 file. Once cut, place your stickers on the outside of each division of the sorting box (as seen in the above image). You can also use the acrylic shapes that were cut from the hole box, by gluing them onto the outside and placing stickers on top.