The Pool Noodle Penny Bank
- Play time:
- 10 to 15 minutes
- Setup:
- 5 minutes
- Where:
- Table
Why it helps
This activity is a great way to practice in-hand manipulation. This means moving objects inside one hand using only your fingers. Kids use this skill when handling money or adjusting a pencil. Pushing coins into the foam builds finger strength and distal finger control. This helps with handwriting precision and endurance. By adding point values, we also turn a simple exercise into a fun game. This helps your child practice planning and executive functioning.
Steps
- An adult uses a knife to cut several narrow slits into a pool noodle.
- Use your markers to write point values like 5, 10, or 25 next to each slot.
- Give your child five coins from a plastic container to hold in their palm at once.
- Ask your child to move one coin to their fingertips without using their other hand.
- Challenge them to push the coin firmly into a slot on the pool noodle.
- Repeat this until all the coins are safely inside the noodle bank!
Safety tip: Coins are a choking hazard. Keep them away from younger siblings. Always supervise your child during play.
Make it easier
- Start with one or two coins in the palm instead of five.
- Use quarters, which are bigger and easier to move than pennies or dimes.
- Make the slits a little wider so coins slide in with less pushing.
Make it harder
- Hold all five coins and push them in one at a time without setting any down.
- Add up the points as the coins go in and aim for a target number.
- Play a whole round with the non-dominant hand.
What to watch for
- Notice whether your child moves the coin to the fingertips with one hand only, or uses the other hand or the table to help.
- Watch whether your child pushes the coin in with the thumb or the pointer finger, and how much force it takes.
- If coins keep dropping from the palm, let your child hold fewer, and treat the drops as part of the game.
Where this helps in daily life
Holding several things and moving one to the fingertips is the skill kids use to pick one crayon from a handful, hand out cards in a game, and put tokens on a board.
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 Distal Finger Control, 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.
