Paper Plate - Page 3 of 10

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.

The Balancing Plate Bead Challenge

Steps:

Place the paper cup upside down on a flat table.
Use a small piece of masking tape to secure the cup to the table.
Carefully set the paper plate on top of the upside-down cup.
Give your child a small bowl of beads and a spoon.
Ask them to scoop one bead and place it on the plate.
Challenge them to add more beads without the plate falling off the cup!

Safety Tip:
Beads are a choking hazard. Always supervise your child. Keep all small materials away from younger siblings.

The Tilted Straw Maze

Steps:

Use markers to draw a start and finish line on a paper plate.
Cut colorful straws into several small pieces using your scissors.
Glue the straw pieces onto the plate to build maze walls.
Leave enough space between the straws for a marble to roll.
Place a marble at the start line once the glue is dry.
Hold the plate with both hands and tilt it to move the marble.
Try to reach the finish line without the marble falling off!

Safety Tip:
Marbles are a significant choking hazard. Always supervise children during play and keep all small materials away from younger siblings.

The Sticky Landing Fan

Steps:

Place three long strips of masking tape on the floor, sticky side up.
Set a colorful feather on the floor about two feet away from the tape.
Give your child a paper plate to hold with both hands.
Show them how to wave the plate up and down to create wind.
Help them fan the feather toward the sticky tape landing pad.
Watch as the feather flies through the air and sticks to the tape!
Ask your child to use their fingers to peel the feather off and start again.

Safety Tip:
Choking Hazard. Always supervise your child to ensure they do not put feathers or masking tape in their mouth.

The Paper Plate Steering Wheel

Steps:

Draw a colorful dashboard and buttons on your paper plate with markers.
Apply a large dab of glue to the center of the plate’s back.
Press the cap of an empty plastic bottle firmly into the glue.
Allow the glue to dry completely so the wheel stays attached to the handle.
Place several blocks in a zigzag line on the floor to make a path.
Ask your child to hold the bottle and ‘drive’ through the block maze!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play to ensure they use the materials safely and do not put small blocks in their mouth.