Pipe Cleaners - Page 5 of 16

Tight Band Tunnel Clip

Steps:

Adult Prep: Twist 4 to 5 pipe cleaners tightly into small, dense resistance loops. Use masking tape to secure the paper roll upright onto the center of the cardboard base.
Secure the loops by clipping them firmly onto the top edge of the paper roll using a few clothespins. Ensure the bands are taut and resistant.
Challenge your child to sit stably and hold the cardboard base firmly steady with their helper hand to stabilize the work.
Pick up a clothespin. Encourage a strong, full squeeze to open it wide.
Aim the open clothespin and clip it onto the paper roll, positioning it directly underneath one of the tight pipe cleaner bands. Feel the effort!
Repeat the squeezing and clipping until the entire visible surface of the paper roll is covered in colorful clothespins.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Pipe cleaners and clothespins are small objects and pose a significant choking hazard for children who still place objects in their mouths. Ensure materials are collected immediately after play.

Tight Coil Tunnel Twist

Steps:

Adult Prep: Cut an index card in half. Cover one half completely with aluminum foil, crimping the edges tightly underneath. Secure this foiled card flat onto a sturdy piece of cardboard using masking tape.
Use a marker tip or pen to poke 5-6 small starter holes into the foil surface. These holes should be slightly smaller than the pipe cleaners.
Encourage your child to twist the pipe cleaners tightly around their finger or a pencil to create small, dense, stiff coils. This builds hand strength!
Ask your child to hold the stable cardboard base firmly steady with their helper hand (proximal stability).
Pick up one finished coil with a strong pincer grasp (thumb and pointer finger). Aim the coil at a starter hole.
Use a strong, continuous twisting motion (like screwing in a lightbulb) to turn the coil. Screw the stiff coil into and through the resistant foil and cardboard base until it is fully embedded. Repeat until all holes are filled.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Pipe cleaners are small materials and, especially when cut or tightly coiled, pose a choking hazard for children who still place objects in their mouths. Collect all pieces immediately after play.

Tee-Weave Card Creator

Steps:

Fold three index cards tightly in half to create one thick, sturdy base. Press hard along the fold for maximum resistance.
Use the hole puncher to squeeze and punch 6 to 8 starter holes along the edges of the folded card. Squeezing the puncher requires strength!
Hold the thick card steady with your helper hand to keep it stabilized on the table.
Pick up one golf tee using a strong pincer grasp. Aim the tee at one of the punched holes.
Use a strong, controlled push to pierce the tee completely through the layered cardboard base. Remove the tee.
Repeat this forceful piercing action until all punched holes have been filled with tees and then removed.
Pick up a stiff pipe cleaner and use your fingertips to lace it through the newly pierced holes, creating a colorful pattern.

Safety Tip:
Golf ball tees have pointed ends. Constant adult supervision is required. Ensure the child pushes the tee straight down into the card, away from the face or body.

Tension Track Push

Steps:

Twist three pipe cleaners together tightly to create 4-5 thick, stiff ‘resistance bands.’
Stretch and secure these bands tightly across the sturdy cardboard base using masking tape underneath.
The bands should be spaced out to create narrow tracks for the beans.
Place the beans and craft sticks in the container. Ask the child to hold the cardboard steady with their helper hand.
Pick up one bean using a neat pincer grasp. Load it onto the tip of the craft stick.
Aim the loaded stick at the cardboard track between two tight bands.
Use a strong, controlled push to slide the bean under the taut pipe cleaner band.
Continue pushing the bean along the track until it reaches the end. Repeat until all tracks are filled with beans.

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

Tension Net Drop

Steps:

Adult Prep: Twist two pipe cleaners tightly together to make 3 to 4 thick, sturdy “bands.”
Stretch the pipe cleaner bands across the container opening. Crisscross them to create a tight, resistant net.
Use masking tape to anchor the ends firmly to the container sides.
Place the buttons and craft sticks nearby. Ask your child to pick up a button using their pincer grasp.
Hold the container firmly steady with their helper hand. This provides proximal stability.
Use the craft stick to aim the button at the resistant pipe cleaner net.
Encourage a strong, controlled push to send the button popping through the network.
Repeat until all buttons are successfully dropped inside.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Buttons, pipe cleaners, and craft sticks are small objects and pose a significant choking hazard for children who still place objects in their mouths. Ensure materials are used only as intended.