Markers - Page 34 of 53

Cardboard Clip Sculpture

Steps:

First, draw several straight lines or large shapes onto the cardboard using a marker.
Challenge your child to use both hands to tear the cardboard along the drawn lines. Encourage strong pulling and pressing action for maximum heavy work input.
Place the paper clips into the plastic container next to the workspace.
Take two torn cardboard pieces. Hold them together firmly with your non-dominant (helper) hand to keep them steady.
Use your dominant hand to squeeze open a paper clip using a neat pincer grasp (thumb and index finger).
Clip the paper clip onto the edges of the two cardboard pieces to connect them securely. Continue adding pieces to build a chain or a free-standing sculpture.

Safety Tip:
Constant adult supervision is required. Ensure that the child handles torn cardboard edges carefully, as they can sometimes be sharp. Collect and store all small paper clips immediately after the activity.

Putty Pat Painters

Steps:

Adult Prep: Secure a large piece of cardboard target vertically onto a stable wall or door using masking tape.
Use markers to draw a simple target shape, like a large circle, on the cardboard at your child’s chest height.
Help your child press a large lump of Theraputty or stiff playdough firmly onto the flat side of the sponge.
Encourage your child to use their helper hand to stabilize the cardboard target on the wall.
Challenge them to use a strong, controlled ‘pat’ motion to press the putty-covered sponge onto the marked target zone.
Repeat this firm pressing and patting action until the entire marked area is covered in colorful, sticky putty patches.

Safety Tip:
Theraputty and playdough are choking hazards if ingested. Constant, direct adult supervision is required. Ensure the vertical cardboard target is secured tightly so it cannot fall or shift during the strong patting action.

Ripped Line Art

Steps:

Secure the cardboard vertically to a wall or door at your child’s chest height.
Use a marker to draw several long, curvy, or zigzag lines onto the cardboard surface.
Give your child a piece of construction paper. Encourage them to use both hands to tear the paper into small, jagged pieces. This takes strong finger effort!
Drop the torn pieces into the plastic container nearby.
Now, use the glue bottle to draw a thick, wavy line of glue directly next to one of the marker lines.
Challenge your child to pick up the torn paper pieces using a neat pincer grasp. Press each piece firmly onto the wet glue line, filling the entire path.
Repeat this process, covering all the drawn lines with colorful ripped paper pieces.

Safety Tip:
Constant adult supervision is required. Ensure that small pieces of torn paper are not put into the mouth, nose, or ears, as they pose a choking hazard for children under five. Ensure the vertical board is stable and secured well.

Squeeze and Slot Cups

Steps:

Adult Prep: Take a sturdy cardboard box and secure the lid shut with masking tape. Use scissors to cut one very narrow, tight slot (about 3 inches long) into the top center of the box.
Give your child the paper cups. Challenge them to use both hands to squeeze and crumple each cup as flat and stiff as possible. Encourage them to press hard to feel the crunch!
Pick up one flat, crumpled cup. Ask your child to hold the prepared box firmly with their helper hand to keep it steady on the table.
Challenge your child to aim the stiff edge of the cup into the narrow slot. They must use a strong, controlled push to send the crushed cup completely inside the box.
Repeat this crushing and slotting process until all the paper cups have been successfully posted inside the resistant box.

Safety Tip:
Constant adult supervision is required. Ensure that the cardboard box is stable and cannot tip over when the child applies pushing force. Adults must handle the scissors when cutting the resistant slot.

Stick Drop Loader

Steps:

Ask an adult to cut a small, sturdy rectangle from the cardboard. Use scissors to cut 4 to 6 very tight, narrow slits (about 1 inch long) across the cardboard surface.
Place the cardboard target vertically against a wall or laid flat on the table. Place the pom-poms and craft sticks nearby.
Challenge your child to pick up one pom-pom using only their thumb and pointer finger (pincer grasp).
Carefully hold the pom-pom and push one end of the craft stick into it until the pom-pom is firmly loaded onto the tip of the stick. This is tricky!
Hold the cardboard steady with the helper hand. Use the dominant hand to aim and push the loaded craft stick straight through the resistant slot.
The goal is to feel the push and send the loaded stick completely inside the target. Repeat until all the slots are full.

Safety Tip:
Craft sticks are small and pom-poms are choking hazards. Constant, direct adult supervision is required throughout this activity.