Penny Pencil Pushes

Ages:: School age (6+)
Play time:: 10 to 15 minutes
Setup:: 2 minutes
Where:: Table

Why it helps

This activity helps your child get their hands ready for writing. By using a pencil to push a coin, they practice holding the pencil steady. This builds the small muscles in the fingers and hand. It also helps with eye-hand coordination as they follow a path. Moving the coin slowly helps them learn to control how much force they use. This is a fun way to warm up before homework or drawing.

Steps

Before play, clear a flat surface on a dining table.
Tape a piece of paper flat onto the table so it does not slide while your child works.
Use a crayon to draw a long, curvy line from one side of the paper to the other.
Draw a small circle at the end of the line to serve as a finish line.
Place a coin at the beginning of the curvy path.
Ask your child to hold their pencil with the same grip they use for writing school work.
They will use the eraser end of the pencil to push the coin slowly along the line.
Encourage them to keep the coin touching the line until it reaches the goal.

Safety tip: Supervise your child with coins to ensure they do not put them in their mouth. Keep extra coins in a container when they are not being used.

Make it easier

Use a wider line for the path
Make the line straight instead of curvy

Make it harder

Draw a zigzag line with sharp turns
Use a smaller coin like a dime to make it a bigger challenge

What to watch for

Notice if your child switches to their whole hand instead of using a pencil grip
See if they prefer to push the coin fast or slow
If they find the line too long, they might want to start closer to the goal