Rainbow Ribbon Wall Weave
- Play time:
- 15 to 20 minutes
- Setup:
- 10 minutes
- Where:
- Wall or easel
Why it helps
This activity is perfect for building the shoulder strength needed for drawing. Weaving requires the child to reach up and use both hands together. It teaches them how to plan their movements. Following the over and under pattern boosts visual thinking. It also makes the hands much more coordinated. Plus, it creates a beautiful piece of wall art!
Steps
- Draw five long vertical lines on a piece of cardboard, stopping about an inch from the top and bottom edges.
- Before play, poke the scissors tip through one end of each line and cut along it to make a slit. Thin cardboard, like a cereal box, is easiest to cut.
- Tape only the top edge of the cardboard to a wall at your child's shoulder height, so the bottom hangs loose and little hands can reach behind it.
- Give your child a colorful ribbon.
- Show your child how to push the ribbon end through the first slit from the front.
- Help your child weave across the board, going over one cardboard strip and under the next, reaching behind the board to pull the ribbon through.
- Repeat with all the different colors, adding each new ribbon below the last one.
Safety tip: An adult does all the cutting. Check that the tape holds the board firmly, and keep long ribbons away from necks.
Make it easier
- Wrap a little tape around the ribbon tip so it stays stiff, like the end of a shoelace.
- Cut just three slits so each ribbon only goes over and under twice.
- Take turns: you push the ribbon in, and your child finds it and pulls it out of the next slit.
Make it harder
- Start each new ribbon the opposite way, under where the last one went over, to make a checkerboard.
- Cut more slits that are closer together for a tighter weave.
- Call out a color order and weave the ribbons in that order from top to bottom.
What to watch for
- Notice whether your child keeps track of over, then under, or loses the pattern partway across. Saying it out loud together can help.
- Watch how the arms hold up at shoulder height. If they drop or shake, take a short rest or lower the board.
- Notice which hand pushes the ribbon in and which one reaches to pull it out, and whether they trade jobs.
Where this helps in daily life
Following an over-and-under pattern with both hands is the same planning kids use to lace shoes, braid hair, and weave a paper mat at school.
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.
