Cardboard - Page 5 of 18

Balloon Barrier Stick Push

Steps:

Adult Prep: Cut a sturdy rectangle from the cardboard. Carefully cut one small hole (just big enough for a pom-pom) in the center.
Adult Prep: Cut the knot end off the balloon. Stretch the remaining balloon piece tightly over the hole, creating a taut, resistant membrane. Secure the balloon edges underneath the cardboard using masking tape.
Place the pom-poms and craft sticks in the container. Ask your child to pick up one pom-pom using a neat pincer grasp (thumb and pointer finger).
Load the pom-pom onto the tip of the craft stick by pushing the stick gently through the center of the pom-pom.
The child holds the cardboard base firmly steady with their helper hand. This provides stability for the working hand.
Aim the pom-pom toward the center of the taut balloon barrier. Use a strong, controlled push to drive the stick and pom-pom through the resistant membrane.
Repeat this push-and-poke action until all the prepared pom-poms have successfully popped through the barrier.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Pom-poms are small objects and pose a significant choking hazard for children who still place items in their mouths. Adults must handle the scissors for preparation.

Foil Freight Slot Push

Steps:

Adult Prep: Use scissors to cut a 1-inch vertical slit down the center of the paper roll. Secure the roll upright onto a piece of cardboard using masking tape.
Give your child small squares of aluminum foil. Encourage them to use both hands to tear the foil into smaller pieces for heavy work input.
Challenge your child to squeeze and crumple each foil piece tightly into a small, dense ‘cargo ball.’ Squeezing hard builds hand strength.
Hold the paper roll chute firmly steady with your helper hand. This provides proximal stability for the working hand.
Pick up one dense foil ball using a neat pincer grasp (thumb and pointer finger). Aim the ball at the narrow slit.
Use a controlled push to feed the foil cargo completely through the slot. Drop it into the container below. Repeat until all cargo is delivered.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Small, dense foil balls pose a potential choking hazard for children under five. Ensure the foil is crumpled tightly to avoid sharp edges.

Tear & Thread Cardboard Chain

Steps:

Adult Prep: Secure a piece of construction paper onto a stable piece of cardboard. Use the hole puncher to create 8 to 10 holes evenly around the edges of the board.
Give your child strips of sturdy cardboard. Encourage them to use both hands to tear the strips and crumple the pieces into tight, dense balls. Drop the finished balls into the container.
Pick up one colorful pipe cleaner. Help your child push the stiff pipe cleaner straight through the center of one dense cardboard ball. This creates a ‘loaded pin’.
Challenge your child to hold the cardboard frame steady with their helper hand. Thread the loaded pin through one punched hole in the frame. Pull the pipe cleaner through.
Weave the pin back through the next open hole, linking the crumpled cardboard ball to the frame. Repeat this process until all the crumpled pieces create a colorful chain around the border.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Small pieces of torn cardboard and cut pipe cleaners are small objects and pose a significant choking hazard for children who still place items in their mouths.

Foam Corduroy Road Push

Steps:

Adult Prep: Cut the Foam Sheet into several small strips (about 1 inch wide and 3 inches long). Roll each strip tightly into a narrow tube and secure the seam with masking tape.
Use masking tape to secure these foam tubes vertically onto the piece of sturdy cardboard. Arrange them close together to look like a ‘corduroy road’.
Cut the pipe cleaners into short, stiff 3-inch segments. Place these ‘cords’ in the plastic container.
Challenge your child to hold the cardboard base firmly steady with their helper hand. This provides stability for the pushing hand.
Use a strong pincer grasp (thumb and pointer finger) to pick up one pipe cleaner cord.
Aim the cord at the top opening of a foam tube. Push the pipe cleaner straight down until it travels completely through the resistant foam tube. Repeat until all the tubes are filled!

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Adults must handle the scissors for preparation. The short pipe cleaner pieces are small materials and pose a significant choking hazard for children who still place objects in their mouths.

Felt Punch Mosaic Art

Steps:

Secure the felt sheet firmly onto the cardboard using masking tape on all edges. This creates a stable punching surface.
Show your child how to hold the hole puncher. Challenge them to squeeze the puncher hard to create many small, round felt pieces (confetti).
Transfer the punched felt confetti into a small container.
Use the glue bottle to draw a simple design or shape onto the construction paper.
Use the tweezers to pick up the tiny felt circles. Encourage a strong, controlled pincer grasp (thumb and pointer finger).
Carefully transfer and press the felt pieces onto the wet glue design until the shape is completely filled.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. The small felt pieces and cardboard punch-outs are very small objects and pose a significant choking hazard for children who still place items in their mouths.