The Wobbly Ribbon Tunnel Run
- Play time:
- 10 to 15 minutes
- Setup:
- 10 minutes
- Where:
- Anywhere
Why it helps
This fun game helps your child learn to use both hands together. By tilting the board, they practice controlling their movements. It is great for improving focus and planning how to reach a goal.
Steps
- Cut five strips of thin cardboard, like a cereal box, about one inch wide and eight inches long.
- Tape two short pieces of ribbon to the middle of each strip. Trim them so they will hang only halfway down inside the tunnel.
- Bend each strip into an arch, with the ribbons hanging inside, and tape both ends to a large flat piece of cardboard. Make a winding row of tunnels.
- Check that the ping pong ball fits through each tunnel, then set it at the start, at one end of the board.
- Ask your child to hold the board with both hands, one on each side.
- Have them tilt the board slowly to roll the ball through each tunnel and watch the ribbon curtains wobble as it passes.
- If the ball rolls off, set it back at the last tunnel and keep going.
Safety tip: Ping pong balls are a choking risk for babies, so keep them away from younger siblings. An adult should cut the cardboard strips and check for sharp corners.
Make it easier
- Start with two or three tunnels in a straight line.
- Tape strips of cardboard along the edges as walls so the ball cannot roll off.
- Use a bigger ball, like a tennis ball, with taller tunnels.
Make it harder
- Number the tunnels and roll the ball through them in order, then back again.
- Add tape holes to avoid, and start over if the ball rolls across one.
- Time each run and try to beat it.
What to watch for
- Notice whether your child makes small, slow tilts or big tips that send the ball flying.
- Watch whether both hands share the tilting or one hand does most of the work.
- If the ball rolling off the board gets frustrating, play inside a shallow box lid so the sides catch it.
Where this helps in daily life
Small, careful tilts with both hands are the same control kids use to pour from a small pitcher, tip a dustpan into the trash, and hold a full bowl level.
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 Eye-Hand Coordination, 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.
