Crumpled Leaf Twig Tree
Purpose
This activity helps your child develop the small muscles in their hands. Squeezing clothespins is great for building the strength needed for scissors and pencils. Crumpling paper into tiny balls works on finger dexterity and coordination. By reaching into the branches, they also practice stabilizing their shoulder and arm. It is a wonderful way to turn a nature find into a tactile art project!
Activity Steps
Steps:
- Stand your branch inside the container using a large lump of playdough.
- Encourage your child to tear strips of tissue paper with both hands.
- Ask them to crumple the paper into small balls using only their fingertips.
- Have your child pick up a clothespin and squeeze it open.
- They must trap a tissue paper leaf inside the clothespin.
- Challenge them to clip the leaf onto a twig on the branch.
- Continue until the branch is full of colorful tissue paper leaves!
Safety Tip:
Adult supervision is required. Small pieces of tissue paper and playdough can be a choking hazard. Watch for sharp twigs on the branches.
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