The Sticky Tape Hand Claps
- Play time:
- 5 to 10 minutes
- Setup:
- 2 minutes
- Where:
- Anywhere
Why it helps
This fun activity helps your little one explore textures while using both hands together. By wearing sticky gloves, they learn to coordinate their movements to pick up and release items. It is a great way to build early hand skills and body awareness.
Steps
- Place a pile of soft cotton balls and colorful feathers on a piece of construction paper.
- Wrap a loop of masking tape around your child's palms with the sticky side facing out.
- Encourage your child to clap their hands onto the cotton balls and feathers to make them stick.
- Show them how to use one hand to peel the treasures off the other hand.
- Drop the rescued items into a small basket and start the game again!
Safety tip: CHOKING HAZARD: This activity uses masking tape and small materials. Always supervise your toddler closely. Ensure they do not put the tape or feathers in their mouth.
Make it easier
- Put the tape on one hand only, so the other hand stays free for peeling.
- Press the sticky hand down onto the items instead of clapping, so the target is easier to hit.
- Start with cotton balls only, which are big, light, and peel off easily.
Make it harder
- Ask your child to peel off only the feathers first, then the cotton balls.
- Add small paper scraps, which take more fingertip work to peel off.
- Clap once, count how many items stuck, then try a softer or harder clap and compare.
What to watch for
- Watch whether your child peels items off with the fingertips or wipes them off with the whole other hand.
- Notice whether both hands meet in the middle of the body for each clap, or one hand does most of the work.
- If tape on the skin bothers your child, stick the tape on a paper plate or the back of a spoon to press onto the items instead.
Where this helps in daily life
Using one hand to pull things off the other is the same teamwork kids use to take off mittens, peel a sticker off a finger, and wipe their hands with a napkin.
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.
