Egg Carton - OTPlan

Paper Crease Tunnels

Steps:

Adult Step: Use scissors to cut 8-10 narrow slits across the top surface of the egg carton. The slits should be tight, offering resistance.
Draw several long, 1-inch wide strips onto the construction paper using a marker. Encourage your child to use their helper hand to cut carefully along the lines.
Take one paper strip. Fold it in half lengthwise and press the crease very firmly. This makes a tight V-shape or ‘tunnel.’
Hold the egg carton steady with the non-dominant hand. Use the dominant hand to aim the folded paper tunnel at a narrow slot.
Challenge your child to push the stiff paper all the way through the slot. Continue until the entire egg carton is full of paper tunnels!

Safety Tip:
Maintain constant adult supervision, especially during the preparation phase involving scissors. Although the paper pieces are large, ensure small torn scraps are collected immediately and kept away from the mouth.

Cotton Ball Rescue Clip

Steps:

Set up the activity by placing the empty egg carton on one side of the table and the bowl of cotton balls on the other.
Give the child one or two clothespins. Explain that the clothespin is a “rescue tool” used to pick up the cotton balls without using fingers.
Encourage the child to squeeze the clothespin open, grasp one cotton ball, and carefully transfer it into a cup of the egg carton. Try to fill every cup!

Safety Tip:
Ensure the child maintains good posture while sitting at the table. If they get frustrated with the resistance of the clothespins, try using larger, easier-to-squeeze kitchen tongs first before transitioning back to the smaller clothespins.

Q-Tip Push & Pop

Prep the Carton: Flip an empty egg carton upside down. Using a pen or a pencil, poke a small hole in the top of each egg cup.

Demonstrate: Show your child how to take a Q-tip, line it up with one of the holes, and push it through until it drops in.

Let them Play: Give your child a handful of Q-tips and let them get to work!

The “Pop”: Once they’ve pushed them all in, lift the carton up to reveal all the Q-tips underneath, the “pop!”, and let them start all over again.

Safety Tip: Since this activity involves small items (Q-tips) and a young age group, constant adult supervision is required to prevent them from being put in the mouth or ears, which could pose a choking hazard or injury risk.

Egg Cup Dot Art

Steps:

Prepare the palette by cutting the lid off an egg carton. Place a small dab of glue or paint inside the bottom of each egg cup.
Give the child one piece of construction paper and several Q-tips. Encourage them to hold the Q-tip using their thumb and pointer finger (pincer grasp).
Challenge the child to dip the Q-tip into one cup to collect the paint or glue.
The goal is to carefully transfer the Q-tip to the construction paper to make precise dots or follow a pre-drawn line.
Encourage the child to switch colors and fill the entire paper with dots. They must stabilize the paper with their helper hand.

Safety Tip:
Due to the small size of the Q-tips and glue/paint, close adult supervision is required. Ensure the child understands the materials are not for eating or placing near the face.

Easter Eggs Match

Cut the construction paper or regular piece of white paper into 6 or more rectangles/cards.

On each card, draw an oval (egg shape) with a line in the middle, to represent the top part of the egg and the bottom part.

Using crayons and marker that match the color of the Easter eggs you are using, color the eggs on the cards, using one color at the top part and a different color at the bottom part.

Present the cards and the “cracked” easter eggs to the child and instruct the child to put the eggs together by matching the colors as shown on the cards.

If using an egg carton, you can ask the child to arrange the matched eggs in the same order the cards are laid on the table.