Baking Cup Hidden Bubble Pops

Ages:: Preschoolers (3 to 5), Toddlers (1 to 3)
Play time:: 5 to 10 minutes
Setup:: 10 minutes
Where:: Table

Why it helps

This activity is a fantastic way to help your child develop finger isolation and control. By reaching into the small cups, your child practices precision while getting a fun sensory pop as a reward. This builds the strength needed for buttons and zippers later on.

Steps

Glue five baking cups onto a flat piece of cardboard.
Cut five small circles of bubble wrap to fit inside the cups.
Place a small dab of glue at the bottom of each cup.
Press the bubble wrap circles firmly into the glue.
Ask your child to use only their pointer finger to pop the bubbles.
Challenge them to use their other hand to hold the cardboard steady.

Safety tip: Always supervise your child to ensure they do not put small pieces of bubble wrap in their mouth.

Make it easier

Use bubble wrap with big bubbles, which pop with much less pressure.
Let your child pop a flat sheet of bubble wrap first to get the feel before moving to the cups.
Let your child switch to the thumb when the pointer finger gets tired.

Make it harder

Call out a number from one to five and have your child pop exactly that many bubbles.
Use bubble wrap with small bubbles, which takes a firmer, more exact press.
Pop one bubble with each finger in turn, from pointer finger to pinky.

What to watch for

Notice whether the other fingers curl into a fist or stay loose while the pointer finger presses.
Watch whether your child presses straight down with the fingertip or flattens the whole finger.
If the popping sound bothers your child, offer ear muffs or press small balls of playdough flat in the cups instead.