Pipe Cleaners - Page 2 of 14

The Cup Ring Connector

Steps:

Use markers to draw three colorful dots around the rim of each paper cup.
Hold the cup steady with your helper hand while you use the hole puncher.
Squeeze the puncher hard to make a hole right on top of each marker dot.
Take a pipe cleaner and slide it through a hole in the first cup.
Slide the other end of the pipe cleaner into a hole in a second cup.
Twist the ends of the pipe cleaner together to lock the cups together!
Keep adding more cups and pipe cleaners to build a long, bendy cup train.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child while using a hole puncher to prevent finger pinches. Check pipe cleaner ends for sharpness before play.

The Beaded Rainbow Arch

Steps:

Roll two large balls of playdough into thick cloud shapes.
Place the clouds about six inches apart on a flat table.
Select a pipe cleaner and a handful of matching beads.
Have your child slide the beads onto the pipe cleaner one by one.
Push one end of the wire deep into the first playdough cloud.
Bend the wire into a curve and push the other end into the second cloud.
Repeat this for every color of the rainbow!

Safety Tip:
Adult supervision is required. Beads and pipe cleaners are small and can be a choking hazard.

The Pipe Cleaner Reef Rescue

Steps:

Turn the egg carton upside down on the table.
Use markers to color each bump of the carton a different color.
Use the tip of your scissors to poke a small hole in the top of each bump.
Pick up a pipe cleaner and push it into one of the holes.
Bend the pipe cleaner so it looks like wavy seaweed.
Pick up a bead and slide it onto the pipe cleaner seaweed.
Repeat this for all the holes until your reef is full of color!

Safety Tip:
Adult supervision is required when using scissors. These should only be used to poke the holes. Beads are a choking hazard; keep them away from younger children and pets.

Banded Bottle Bean Slider

Steps:

Take the plastic bottle and wrap four pipe cleaners tightly around the middle section.
Use small pieces of masking tape to secure the ends of the pipe cleaners so they do not slide around.
Place one dry bean at the very bottom of the bottle.
Hold the bottle firmly with your helper hand to keep it from moving on the table.
Use your thumb and pointer finger to slide the bean up the bottle, pushing it underneath the first tight pipe cleaner band.
Continue sliding and pushing the bean past every band until it reaches the top of the bottle.
Try to see how fast you can do it without the bean popping out from under your finger!

Safety Tip:
Constant adult supervision is required. Dry beans are small objects and pose a significant choking hazard. Ensure all materials are collected and stored safely after play.

Foil Maze Marble Glide

Steps:

Lay out the aluminum foil pan on a flat table.
Take three pipe cleaners and bend them into curvy, wavy lines.
Use masking tape to secure the pipe cleaners inside the pan as walls.
Place a marble at one end of the winding path.
Use a pointer finger to gently push the marble through the maze.
Try to keep the marble inside the pipe cleaner borders the whole time.
When you finish, tilt the pan to roll the marble back to the start.

Safety Tip:
Marbles are a significant choking hazard. Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Ensure all marbles are collected and stored out of reach after the activity.