Lid Lacing Challenge
- Play time:
- 15 to 20 minutes
- Setup:
- 5 minutes
- Where:
- Table
Why it helps
This fun two-part activity strengthens the small muscles in the hand and improves precision. Poking holes builds finger strength, while lacing the yarn improves visual motor skills needed for managing buttons and zippers.
Steps
- Take the lid off the plastic container. Lay a foam sheet over the open top and tape it down around the sides so it is tight like a drum.
- Use a marker to draw a zigzag line of dots on the foam, about an inch apart. These are the targets.
- Show your child how to hold a golf tee with the thumb and pointer finger and push it straight down through each dot, while the other hand steadies the container.
- When every dot has a hole, peel off the tape and lift the foam off the container.
- Wrap a little masking tape around one end of the yarn to make a stiff tip, and tape the other end to the back of the foam.
- Ask your child to lace the yarn up and down through the holes, following the dots in order.
- Pull the yarn back out and lace it again in a new order, or poke a new pattern on another foam sheet. Store the tees and yarn in the container with the lid on.
Safety tip: Golf tees have pointed ends, so stay close and keep them away from faces. Put the yarn away after play so it cannot wrap around a neck.
Make it easier
- Poke the holes yourself and let your child focus on the lacing.
- Draw a short line of four or five dots instead of a full zigzag.
- Lace with a long shoelace, which has a hard tip that finds the holes more easily.
Make it harder
- Draw a simple shape, like a star or a letter, and lace around the outline.
- Lace in and out of every hole, then lace back the other way to make a crisscross pattern.
- Push the tees with the non-dominant hand.
What to watch for
- Notice whether your child lines up the tee with the dot before pushing, or pushes first and adjusts after.
- Watch how your child pulls the yarn through. Pulling the whole length through each hole before moving on keeps it from tangling.
- If lacing gets tangled and frustrating, cut the yarn shorter so there is less to pull through.
Where this helps in daily life
Lacing in and out of holes uses the same eye-hand control kids need for lacing shoes, sewing on a button, and threading a belt through belt loops.
Need personalized support?
While these activities are great for home practice, nothing replaces the guidance of a licensed therapist. If you are in Irvine, CA or the Orange County area and have concerns about your child's Bilateral Hand Use, we invite you to connect with us.
Contact Tumble N' Dots Therapy →These activities are for home practice and don't replace the guidance of a licensed therapist.
