Games for ABA programing- Ned's Head

I am going to try to blog weekly about my favorite games and how they can be used for ABA programing.

What's in Ned Head?



The POOF-Slinky 0X2460 Ideal What's In Ned's Head is an icky game that will make children giggle, while grossing them out at the same time. Ned has a big 15-inch plush head filled with various items that include an old gym sock, stinky cheese, icky tooth, Ned's lab rat and much more. Each player is dealt a card with a picture of an object that is in Ned's Head. All players then reach into Ned's Head to feel around for the object pictured on their card. Who knows what you'll feel in his large noggin. When a player thinks that he has found the silly thing on their card, they may pull it out to look and see. If it's a match to the picture on the card, they win the game. If (2) or more players pull out the correct match to their card, the player who found the correct silly thing first is the winner. Ideal's What's In Ned's Head was winner of Family Fun's Toy Of The Year in 2003 and continues to be an icky, sticky, hairy, scary, gross-out game that children love. Mild soap can be used to clean Ned's Head and his silly objects. This game is designed for 2-4-players and includes a 15-inch plush Ned's Head, (15) silly objects, (24) game cards and instructions. Loved by children and trusted by parents for over 100-years, the Ideal brand provides a wide variety of games, activity kits, magic sets and classic toys that parents and grandparents remember from their own childhood years. The POOF-Slinky 0X2460 Ideal What's In Ned's Head is recommended for children 4-years of age and older. POOF-Slinky is the manufacturer of the world famous Slinky and the top selling POOF foam sport balls in North America, both manufactured in Plymouth, MI and Hollidaysburg, PA. Ideal and Scientific Explorer are other well-known brands, rounding out the POOF-Slinky family. With roots in the toy industry for over 100-years, POOF-Slinky brands continue to grow and broaden. New generations of kids, their parents and grandparents have proven that classic toys never go out of style!


I have used this game for everything from a labeling program.  Child selects a card and then labels the item.  They when they dig in the head, they must also label the item they pull out.  Cards can be face up or down.

I have also used it for Feature, Function and Class.  Either I give them a feature (stinky, slimy) or a class (clothing, animal) and they have a select a item from that.  Usually cards are face up.

You can also use it to extend the mean length of utterance.  When they pull a item from Ned's head, they have to give a 4-6 word sentence.  The best way to this do this is have a sentence strip with dots, point or have the child point to each dot as they say their sentence.  Eventually fade out the sentence strip.  You can also use sentence starters.  I have_______ is its a animal.  It feels like a _______ and I know that is a part of my mouth. This is a _______ and it is slimy and gross.

Of course if it s a child's favorite game, it is great for Manding (requesting).  Place it out of reach but visible to the child.

You can also have the child describe the item without looking at it.  This is another way to see if they can use adjectives.  You can try and guess the item.  Or vice versa.

If the items are too hard, make your own.  Put in the child's favorite candy, toys, small article of clothing, etc.  When you start playing i would suggest reducing the number of items in the head 3-5 items is best.