Pipe Cleaner Hair Salon
- Play time:
- 15 to 20 minutes
- Setup:
- 5 minutes
- Where:
- Table
Why it helps
This activity focuses on using the small muscles in the hands to control objects. Your child will use their thumb and pointer finger to pick up pipe cleaners and beads. This strengthens the hand for future tasks like writing. Aiming the pipe cleaner into a small hole requires precision and hand-eye coordination. Drawing faces also lets them express their ideas while working on their fine motor skills.
Steps
- Before play, turn an egg carton upside down on a table.
- Adult: Use a pencil to poke a hole into the top of each cup.
- Invite your child to use crayons to draw a face on the side of each cup.
- Ask your child to pick a pipe cleaner and push it through a hole.
- Encourage your child to slide beads from a bowl onto the pipe cleaner.
- Show your child how to bend the pipe cleaner tip to hold the beads.
- Repeat this to give every face some colorful hair.
Safety tip: Supervise your child closely with small beads to prevent choking. Ensure the cut ends of the pipe cleaners are not sharp by bending them over before play.
Make it easier
- Use shorter pipe cleaners so they are easier to guide.
- Skip the beads and focus just on poking the pipe cleaners through the holes.
Make it harder
- Ask your child to create a specific pattern with the bead colors.
- Encourage your child to twist two different colored pipe cleaners together.
What to watch for
- Notice if your child prefers to use one hand or both to steady the carton.
- See how they hold the crayon while they draw faces.
- Notice if they enjoy the texture of the pipe cleaners or find them scratchy.
Where this helps in daily life
These skills help your child learn to manage small buttons on a shirt. They also build the hand strength needed to hold a fork or spoon while eating.
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.
