Pipe Cleaners - Page 4 of 16

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.

Cardboard Tunnel Connectors

Steps:

Use markers to draw several long strips (about 1 inch wide) onto the sturdy cardboard.
Challenge your child to use both hands to roll one cardboard strip tightly into a narrow tube or ‘tunnel.’ Secure the tube seam completely with masking tape.
Repeat this process until you have four or five finished cardboard tubes. Encourage tight rolling for resistance.
Take two pipe cleaners and twist them together tightly to create one stiff, thick connector stick. Repeat this step for each join you plan to make.
Ask your child to hold one cardboard tube firmly steady with their helper hand. Push one stiff connector halfway into the end of the first tube.
Pick up a second cardboard tube. Use a strong, controlled push to slide the second tube onto the exposed end of the connector. Continue joining the tubes to build a long, rigid tunnel structure.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Pipe cleaners are small materials and pose a choking hazard for children who still place objects in their mouths. Adults should manage the scissors for cutting the cardboard strips.

Heavy Paper Link Builders

Steps:

Tear the index cards into strips (about 1 inch wide). Encourage strong, controlled pulls for heavy work input.
Take one paper strip. Roll it tightly around a marker or a pencil, creating a dense cylinder. Slide the marker out.
Secure the dense paper cylinder tightly by wrapping masking tape completely around it. Press hard to create a firm ‘building block.’
Use markers to draw small connection dots onto the center of each paper block. Aim for four dots per block.
Pick up one pipe cleaner. Hold the first paper block steady with your helper hand.
Push the stiff pipe cleaner straight through one of the marked dots. Aim the pipe cleaner and thread it through a second block to link them. Twist the ends to secure the connection.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Small pieces of paper, masking tape, and cut pipe cleaners pose a significant choking hazard for children who still place objects in their mouths. Ensure materials are used only as intended.

Layered Cardboard Pin Weave

Steps:

Prep the surface by taping two Index Cards tightly together. Secure this layered card firmly onto a piece of Cardboard using Masking Tape.
Use a Marker to draw 8 to 10 small target dots across the layered card. Ensure the targets are spaced out.
Challenge your child to hold the cardboard base steady with their helper hand to stabilize the work area.
Pick up one Q-Tip using a strong pincer grasp. Aim the Q-Tip at a target dot.
Use a strong, controlled push to pierce the Q-Tip completely through the resistant layered cards and into the cardboard base. This takes effort!
Once all dots are pierced, gently remove the Q-Tips. Pick up a stiff Pipe Cleaner and thread it through the newly created holes to weave a colorful pattern.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Q-Tips and cut pipe cleaner pieces are small materials and pose a potential choking hazard for young children. Adults should manage the scissors for preparation.