Pipe Cleaners - OTPlan

The Pipe Cleaner Mirror Match

Steps:

Tape a large sheet of butcher paper to the table.
Use a marker to draw a straight line down the middle of the paper.
Take one pipe cleaner and bend it into a simple shape like a zigzag.
Tape your shape onto the left side of the center line.
Give your child a second pipe cleaner of the same length.
Ask them to bend their pipe cleaner to match your shape exactly.
Have them tape their finished shape on the right side of the line.

Safety Tip:
Supervise your child to ensure the metal ends of the pipe cleaners are handled carefully to avoid pokes.

The Pipe Cleaner Bottle Hook

Steps:

Place an empty plastic bottle on a stable table.
Have your child use their pinching fingers to drop ten colorful beads into the bottle.
Give them a pipe cleaner and help them bend the tip into a small hook.
Ask your child to hold the bottle steady with their non-dominant helper hand.
Challenge them to lower the hook into the bottle and catch a bead.
Carefully pull the hooked bead all the way out through the narrow opening!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Small beads are a choking hazard and should be kept away from mouths.

Felt Petal Patch Builder

Steps:

Have your child choose two or three colorful sheets of felt to make their garden flowers.
Show your child how to use child-safe scissors to cut the felt into small, three-inch squares.
Ask them to fold each felt square in half.
Snip the corners to create rounded petal shapes.
Encourage your child to squeeze the hole puncher to click a hole in the center of each felt piece.
Roll a large, heavy ball of playdough using both hands.
Press it flat onto a paper plate to make a steady base.
Pick up a pipe cleaner.
Slide the felt petals onto it one by one using pinching fingers.
Push the bottom end of the pipe cleaner deep into the playdough base to plant their finished flower!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child closely during scissor play. Collect any small felt scraps or playdough bits immediately to prevent choking.

The Rainbow Tissue Windmill

Steps:

Use your scissors to cut two straws into four-inch lengths.
Lay the straws across each other to form a perfect X shape.
Place a small piece of masking tape in the center to hold them.
Cut four small squares of colorful tissue paper using your scissors.
Tape one tissue square to the very end of each straw arm.
Use the pencil tip to poke a hole through the center tape.
Push a pipe cleaner through the hole you made.
Slide one bead onto the pipe cleaner on each side of the straws.
Wrap one end of the pipe cleaner around a pencil to make a handle.
Twist the other end into a small loop to keep everything in place.

Safety Tip:
Adult supervision is recommended when using scissors and the pencil to poke holes. Ensure the beads are handled carefully.

Cosmic Tissue Bottle Push

Steps:

Adult: Give your child several sheets of colorful tissue paper.
Child: Tear the paper into small pieces using both hands.
Crumple each piece into a very tight, round ball.
Adult: Secure two pipe cleaners over the bottle mouth in an X shape.
Use masking tape to hold the pipe cleaners to the bottle sides.
Child: Hold the bottle steady with your helper hand.
Use your pinching fingers to pick up a paper ball.
Push the ball hard through the fuzzy pipe cleaner gate until it drops inside.

Safety Tip:
Tissue paper and pipe cleaners can be a choking hazard. Always supervise your child during play to keep them safe.