Wet Sponge Target Post

Ages:: Preschoolers (3 to 5)
Play time:: 10 to 15 minutes
Setup:: 5 minutes
Where:: Table

Why it helps

Wringing out the wet sponge and pushing pom-poms through tight slits give the hands and arms strong pressure feedback, which helps children learn how much force a task needs. Holding the sponge and container steady with the helper hand gives both hands a job. Pinching each pom-pom and aiming the stick at a small slit builds fingertip control and eye-hand coordination.

Steps

Before play, use scissors to cut 3 or 4 small X slits all the way through a soft sponge, spaced apart. Skip sponges with a hard scrub layer.
Invite your child to soak the sponge in water and squeeze it out hard until it is just damp.
Lay the damp sponge over an open container with an opening a little smaller than the sponge, so the slits sit over the opening.
Ask your child to hold the sponge and container steady with the helper hand.
Invite your child to pinch a pom-pom and set it on top of an X slit.
Show your child how to push the pom-pom down through the slit with the end of a craft stick until it drops into the container.
Keep posting until all the pom-poms are inside. Tip them out and play again.

Safety tip: Pom-poms are small enough to choke on, so stay close and count them before and after play. Keep the scissors with you, since they are only for cutting the slits.

Make it easier

Cut the X slits a little longer so the pom-poms push through with less force.
Start with just two slits and a few pom-poms for a short round.
Push the pom-poms with a thick marker, which is easier to hold than a craft stick.

Make it harder

Name a color before each turn and post only that color.
Use pom-poms a little bigger than the slits so every push takes more effort.
Push each pom-pom through with the eraser end of a pencil, which has a smaller tip to aim.

What to watch for

Notice whether your child pushes straight down or at an angle, and which way gets the pom-pom through more easily.
Watch the helper hand. Pressing the sponge down onto the container keeps it from sliding while the other hand pushes.
If the damp sponge feels unpleasant, let it dry first. A dry sponge works for this game too.

Where this helps in daily life

Pushing down with steady force while the other hand holds things still is the same work kids do to press a cookie cutter into dough, pack sand into a bucket, and press a lid shut.

These activities are for home practice and don't replace the guidance of a licensed therapist.