The Paper Plate Pulley

Ages:: Preschoolers (3 to 5), School age (6+)
Play time:: 10 to 15 minutes
Setup:: 10 minutes
Where:: Anywhere

Why it helps

This activity helps your child learn to use both hands together. It builds strength in the shoulders as they pull the string. They also practice planning steps to make a simple machine work. This is great for building focus and teaching how to control their own strength.

Steps

Set two sturdy chairs about two feet apart, facing the same way, and lay a broom handle across the tops of their backs. Tape each end down with masking tape so it cannot roll.
Use the hole puncher to punch two holes across from each other, just under the rim of a paper cup.
Thread one end of a long string in one hole and out the other, then tie the end back onto the string to make a handle loop.
Loop the other end of the string over the broom handle so it hangs down where your child can reach it.
Put a small handful of beans in the cup for cargo. Set a paper plate on the floor under the cup as the landing pad.
Ask your child to pull the loose end of the string, one hand after the other, to lift the cup up to the broom handle.
Then have them let the string back up a little at a time so the cup lands softly on the plate without spilling.

Safety tip: Use sturdy chairs, keep the bean load small, and stay close, since beans are a choking hazard. Take the string down after play so it cannot wrap around a neck.

Make it easier

Start with an empty cup or just a few beans so the load is light.
Tie a loop at the pulling end of the string so your child can hook their fingers through it.
Let your child pull with both hands, one above the other, like climbing a rope.

Make it harder

Add beans a spoonful at a time and talk about how the pull feels heavier.
Stop the cup at a tape mark halfway up and hold it there for a count of five.
Lift the cup to the top and land it on the plate three times in a row without a crash.

What to watch for

Notice how your child lowers the cup. Letting the string slide slowly through the hands takes more control than pulling it up.
Watch whether the hands take turns as they pull, with one hand reaching up while the other holds the string.
Notice whether your child pulls with straight arms from the shoulders or bends at the elbows. Both work, and they use different muscles.

Where this helps in daily life

Pulling a rope down and letting it out slowly uses the same arm strength and control kids use to raise and lower window blinds, lift a heavy backpack, and climb a rope or ladder at the playground.

These activities are for home practice and don't replace the guidance of a licensed therapist.