The Brave Cardboard Shield

The Brave Cardboard Shield

Steps:

  • Use your scissors to cut a large, sturdy circle out of a piece of cardboard.
  • Let your child decorate the front of the shield using their favorite colorful markers.
  • An adult should poke two small holes near the center of the cardboard circle.
  • Thread a piece of ribbon through the holes and tie a knot to make a handle.
  • Have your child slide their arm through the ribbon handle and hold the shield tight.
  • Stand a few feet away and gently toss soft pom-poms toward the child.
  • Challenge your child to move the shield to block every single pom-pom!

Safety Tip:
Ensure the play area is clear of furniture to prevent falls while your child moves around to block the pom-poms.

Zigzag Beam Clip Challenge

Zigzag Beam Clip Challenge

Steps:

  • Lay out three long strips of cardboard in a zigzag line on the floor.
  • Use masking tape to stick the cardboard firmly to the ground.
  • Use markers to draw five small circles along the cardboard path.
  • Place a paper cup at the very end of the line.
  • Fill a plastic container with colorful pom-poms and place it at the start.
  • Give your child a handful of paper clips to hold in one hand.
  • Ask your child to walk slowly along the cardboard beam.
  • As they walk, they must place one pom-pom inside each drawn circle.
  • While standing on the beam, they must use pincer fingers to slide a paper clip onto the paper cup.
  • If they step off the cardboard, they have to go back to the start!

Safety Tip:
Ensure the floor area is clear of other toys to prevent tripping. Make sure the cardboard is taped flat so it is not slippery.

Sticky Stocking Treasure Walk

Sticky Stocking Treasure Walk

Steps:

  • Place several colorful pom-poms on a smooth floor area.
  • Take a long strip of masking tape.
  • Wrap it loosely around your toddler’s stocking-covered foot with the sticky side facing out.
  • Help your child stand up and hold your hands for balance.
  • Encourage them to step directly onto a pom-pom so it sticks to their foot.
  • Have them lift their foot to see the treasure they caught.
  • Ask them to use their hands to pull the pom-pom off and put it in a basket.
  • Switch to the other foot to keep both legs working hard!

Safety Tip:
CHOKING HAZARD: Pom-poms and tape are small parts. Always supervise your toddler closely and ensure they do not put these items in their mouth.

The Foil Pan Water Bridge

The Foil Pan Water Bridge

Steps:

  • Place your pan on a flat table and fill it halfway with cool water.
  • Hand your child several colorful clothespins to hold.
  • Show them how to squeeze and clip the pins onto the rim of the pan.
  • Space the pins out in pairs across from each other.
  • Ask your child to rest a craft stick across each pair of pins to create a bridge.
  • Once the bridges are ready, give them a few fuzzy pom-poms.
  • Challenge your child to use their pincer fingers to set a pom-pom on a bridge.
  • They must be very careful to keep the bridges from falling into the water!
  • See how many pom-poms they can balance before the pan is full of bridges.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during water play to prevent any risk of slipping or spilling. Small pom-poms can be a choking hazard, so keep them away from younger siblings.

The Fire Breathing Dragon Tube

The Fire Breathing Dragon Tube

Steps:

  • Use your markers to draw a silly dragon face on the outside of the paper roll.
  • Tear the colorful tissue paper into long, thin strips that look like flames.
  • Put a few dots of glue around the inside rim of one end of the tube.
  • Press the ends of your tissue paper strips onto the glue dots carefully.
  • Glue two pom-poms on top of the tube to give your dragon big eyes.
  • Hold the tube to your mouth and blow hard to make the fire dance!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child while they are using glue and small pom-poms. Ensure the paper roll is clean and free of any staples.