Basket - OTPlan

The Balloon Tongs Catch

Steps:

Blow up a bright balloon and tie it securely.
Place an empty basket on the floor across the room.
Give your child a pair of sturdy tongs to hold.
Toss the balloon gently into the air for them.
Challenge your child to squeeze and catch the balloon using only the tongs.
Have them carry the balloon carefully and drop it into the basket.
If the balloon drops, they must start over from the beginning.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Discard any popped balloon pieces immediately to prevent a choking hazard.

Laundry Basket Sailboat

Steps:

Place a large laundry basket on a smooth floor like wood or tile.
Have your child sit inside the basket with their legs tucked in comfortably.
Give them a long pool noodle to hold with both hands like an oar.
Show them how to push the noodle against the floor to move the basket.
Encourage them to alternate pushing on the left and then the right side.
Use masking tape to mark a start and finish line for the race.

Safety Tip:
Supervise your child to keep the basket from tipping. Make sure the floor is clear of toys that could trip them up.

Sticky Stocking Treasure Walk

Steps:

Place several colorful pom-poms on a smooth floor area.
Take a long strip of masking tape.
Wrap it loosely around your toddler’s stocking-covered foot with the sticky side facing out.
Help your child stand up and hold your hands for balance.
Encourage them to step directly onto a pom-pom so it sticks to their foot.
Have them lift their foot to see the treasure they caught.
Ask them to use their hands to pull the pom-pom off and put it in a basket.
Switch to the other foot to keep both legs working hard!

Safety Tip:
CHOKING HAZARD: Pom-poms and tape are small parts. Always supervise your toddler closely and ensure they do not put these items in their mouth.

Buggy Rope Slide

Steps:

Securely tape one end of the rope to the top of a stable doorway.
Let the other end of the rope hang down to the floor.
Use markers to draw small, silly bugs on the index cards.
Help your child slide a paper clip onto the edge of each card.
Place all the bug cards into a basket near the rope.
Ask your child to clip one bug onto the very bottom of the rope.
Challenge them to use both hands to slide the bug card all the way to the top!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play to ensure the rope is used safely and does not become tangled.

Paper Plate Target Disc

Steps:

Use your scissors to cut three circles from a single paper plate. These are your flying discs.
Decorate each disc with bright markers to make them easy to see.
Place your laundry basket in the middle of a clear floor area.
Use masking tape to mark a start line a few feet away from the basket.
Have your child stand behind the line and hold a disc with one hand.
Show them how to hold the cardboard base steady with their other hand to act as a launch pad.
Ask them to use their index finger to flick the paper disc toward the basket.
Challenge them to get all three discs inside the basket in a row!
Move the start line further back once they become an expert launcher.

Safety Tip:
Always ensure the play area is clear of breakable items before launching your paper discs. Adult supervision is recommended to manage the use of scissors.