Pipe Cleaners - OTPlan

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.

The Fuzzy Pipe Cleaner Bridges

Steps:

Tape your piece of cardboard flat on the table so it stays in one place while you play.
Use the hole puncher to make two columns of holes down the cardboard, leaving space in the middle.
Ask your child to pick up a pipe cleaner and push one end into a hole.
Show them how to slide a few colorful beads onto the pipe cleaner one at a time.
Help them bend the pipe cleaner and push the other end into a hole on the opposite side.
Keep going until you have a row of fuzzy, beaded bridges across your cardboard!

Safety Tip:
Beads and pipe cleaner pieces can be small. Always watch your child closely to make sure they do not put any materials in their mouth.

The Vertical Bead Zip-Line

Steps:

Tape a large piece of cardboard vertically onto a wall.
Cut the paper roll into three small rings using scissors.
Tape the rings onto the cardboard in a vertical zigzag pattern.
Thread a long piece of yarn through all three rings.
Tape the top and bottom of the yarn to the cardboard.
Slide one large bead onto the yarn before taping the bottom.
Give your child a pipe cleaner to use as a poker.
Ask them to push the bead up through each ring.
Use the helper hand to keep the cardboard steady.

Safety Tip:
Ensure the cardboard is taped securely to the wall to prevent it from falling during play.

The Straw Pipe Cleaner Architect

Steps:

Help your child cut the straws into smaller pieces of different lengths using the scissors.
Show them how to slide a pipe cleaner through one straw piece and then into another.
Encourage them to bend the pipe cleaner at the joints to connect the straws at different angles.
Challenge your child to build a simple shape first, like a triangle or a square.
Once they get the hang of it, see if they can build a 3D structure like a house or a pyramid!
They can use longer pipe cleaners to tie pieces together for extra strength.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise children when using scissors. Ensure the ends of the pipe cleaners are tucked in to avoid any sharp pokes.