Line Up Clips
Purpose
This fun activity works several essential fine motor skills important for buttoning clothes and holding a pencil later on. When your child pinches the clothespin, they strengthen the tiny muscles in their hands and practice the pincer grasp. Clipping the craft stick onto the string requires strong eye-hand coordination and motor planning. Holding the string steady with one hand while the other hand performs the work also builds crucial bilateral coordination and proximal stability, which means stabilizing the core and shoulder for controlled hand movements.
Activity Steps
Steps:
- Use markers to color several craft sticks different bright colors.
- Secure a long piece of string tautly between two chairs or tape it firmly to a wall at your child’s chest height. This is your clothesline.
- Challenge your child to use a strong pincer grip to clip one clothespin onto the center of each colorful craft stick.
- Have your child hold the string steady with their helper hand to provide a stable base.
- Using their dominant hand, encourage them to clip the stick-and-clip unit onto the clothesline, lining up the colorful sticks in a specific order.
Safety Tip:
Clothespins can be small and pose a choking hazard for children under five. Always supervise this activity closely and ensure all pieces are collected after playtime.
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