Paper Cup - Page 3 of 10

The Beaded Cup Wind Chime

Steps:

Use your markers and stickers to decorate the outside of your paper cup with bright colors.
Help your child hold the cup steady while they use the hole puncher to make four holes around the rim.
Cut four pieces of string, each about six inches long, using your scissors.
Show your child how to thread one string through a hole and tie a simple knot to secure it.
Ask your child to pick up a bead and slide it onto one of the hanging strings.
Continue adding beads until the strings are full, then tie a knot at the bottom of each one.

Safety Tip:
Beads are a significant choking hazard. Always supervise your child closely during this activity and keep small parts away from younger siblings.

The Cardboard Castle Squeezer

Steps:

Find a large, flat piece of sturdy cardboard to be your castle base.
Draw four or five narrow rectangles on the cardboard using your markers.
Ask an adult to help you cut out these rectangular slots using scissors.
Ensure each slot is slightly narrower than the width of a paper cup.
Give your child several paper cups and encourage them to decorate the cups.
Show them how to use both hands to squeeze a cup until it is flat.
Challenge your child to push the flattened cup through a narrow slot.
Once through, the cup will pop open slightly to stay inside the castle!
Repeat this until all the castle towers are securely in place.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise children when using scissors. Ensure the cardboard has smooth edges to prevent scratches during the pushing movement.

The Foil Pan Color Pond

Steps:

Fill three paper cups halfway with cool water and add two drops of different food coloring to each.
Place the empty aluminium foil pan onto a flat table or a waterproof surface.
Ask your child to hold the eyedropper using their thumb and pointer finger.
Challenge them to suck up the colored water from a cup and carefully move it over to the pan.
Have your child use their other hand to hold the edge of the pan to keep it still.
Encourage them to release small drops into the pan to create colorful patterns or ‘ponds.’
Try to mix colors together in the pan to see what new colors appear!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during water play. Ensure that food coloring is handled carefully to prevent staining of clothes or household surfaces.

The Paper Cup Secret Sounds

Steps:

Line up six empty paper cups on a table.
Put a small handful of rice into two cups.
Fill two more cups with dry beans and the last two with oats.
Place an index card over the top of each cup and secure it tightly with masking tape.
Use markers to draw a small secret symbol on the bottom of each cup to mark the pairs.
Mix the cups up and ask your child to shake them one by one.
Challenge your child to find the two cups that make the exact same sound!

Safety Tip:
Supervise your child closely when using rice or beans to prevent them from putting items in their mouth.

The Paper Plate Balancing Act

Steps:

Place a paper plate on top of your child’s head.
Encourage them to stand still and find their balance.
Carefully set one paper cup on the center of the plate.
Ask your child to walk slowly across the room.
Challenge them to reach a target like a couch or chair.
Once they are steady, add a second cup to the stack!
See how many cups they can balance before the stack wobbles off.

Safety Tip:
Ensure the walking path is clear of toys or rugs that could cause a trip.