Balloon Tap and Cup Sort
- Play time:
- 5 to 10 minutes
- Setup:
- 2 minutes
- Where:
- Anywhere
Why it helps
This fun game teaches your child to use both hands for different tasks at the same time. While one hand taps a balloon to keep it up, the other hand works on moving cups. This builds executive functioning skills, which helps them learn to focus on two things at once. It also strengthens coordination and quick thinking as they watch the floating balloon.
Steps
- Blow up a balloon and tie it tightly.
- Place a basket on the carpet filled with five paper cups.
- Set a second empty basket a short distance away.
- Ask your child to tap the balloon into the air with their right hand.
- While it is in the air, they must use their left hand to move one cup.
- See how many cups they can move before the balloon hits the floor!
Safety tip: Adult supervision is required because balloons and their broken pieces are a serious choking hazard for young children.
Make it easier
- Let your child tap the balloon, catch it, move a cup, and then start again.
- Put the two baskets right next to each other so each cup move is quick.
- You keep the balloon up while your child moves the cups, then switch jobs.
Make it harder
- Switch hands so the left hand taps and the right hand moves the cups.
- Stack the cups into a tower in the second basket instead of dropping them in.
- Mark the cups with colors and call out which one to move next.
What to watch for
- Notice where your child's eyes go. Glancing up at the balloon, down at the cups, and back again is the attention shifting this game builds.
- Watch whether each hand sticks to its own job or both hands reach for the balloon when it starts to fall.
- If keeping track of two things feels frustrating, pause the balloon and practice each job alone before putting them together.
Where this helps in daily life
Keeping track of two things at once is part of everyday tasks like holding a door open while carrying a bag, stirring while holding a bowl, and listening to directions while getting dressed.
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.
