Squeeze and Slot Cups
Purpose
This activity is a fun way to provide heavy work input to the small muscles of the hand. Squeezing paper cups flat requires strong effort. This input is called proprioception. It helps fingers feel strong and ready for fine motor tasks like writing or cutting. Once the cup is flat, your child must use controlled pincer grip to aim and push the stiff cup into a narrow slot. This challenges fine motor precision and bilateral hand use.
Activity Steps
Steps:
- Adult Prep: Take a sturdy cardboard box and secure the lid shut with masking tape. Use scissors to cut one very narrow, tight slot (about 3 inches long) into the top center of the box.
- Give your child the paper cups. Challenge them to use both hands to squeeze and crumple each cup as flat and stiff as possible. Encourage them to press hard to feel the crunch!
- Pick up one flat, crumpled cup. Ask your child to hold the prepared box firmly with their helper hand to keep it steady on the table.
- Challenge your child to aim the stiff edge of the cup into the narrow slot. They must use a strong, controlled push to send the crushed cup completely inside the box.
- Repeat this crushing and slotting process until all the paper cups have been successfully posted inside the resistant box.
Safety Tip:
Constant adult supervision is required. Ensure that the cardboard box is stable and cannot tip over when the child applies pushing force. Adults must handle the scissors when cutting the resistant slot.
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