Material: Pom-poms

Frozen Dessert Relay

Preschool girl strengthens core and hand muscles by lying prone and scooping colorful pom-poms with an ice cream scoop.

Steps:

  • Place the empty Paper Cup about 12-18 inches in front of or slightly off to the side of your child (this will be the ‘sundae dish’).
  • Have your child lie on their tummy (prone position) on the floor, resting on their forearms. Place the Bowl filled with Pom-poms (‘ice cream flavors’) right next to their chest.
  • Challenge your child to use the Ice Cream Scoop to load one pom-pom, then lift their arm to reach and drop the pom-pom into the Paper Cup. Encourage them to keep their bellies on the floor while they reach and scoop!
  • When they have filled the cup, try moving the cup to the opposite side of their body to encourage a big cross-body reach (crossing midline) while maintaining their stable tummy position.

Safety Tip:
Adult supervision is required. Ensure the playing surface is clear and that your child maintains a comfortable prone position. Always monitor to prevent mouthing of small objects like pom-poms.

Sticky Web Art

Sticky Web Art

Steps:

  • Select a clean, sturdy wall or door frame. Place a large piece of masking tape vertically to act as an anchor point.
  • Create a ‘sticky web’ or vertical canvas by attaching strips of masking tape across the anchored piece, ensuring the sticky side faces OUT toward the child.
  • Provide a bowl of pom-poms, crumbled tissue paper, and wiggle eyes. Encourage the child to peel and stick these items onto the sticky web. Challenge them to reach high and low to activate different muscle groups.
  • Discuss the textures and colors they are adding. This is a great way to work on bilateral coordination by having one hand stabilize the body while the other hand works to place the materials precisely.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise the activity. Ensure the floor area is clear, especially if your child is reaching up on their toes. When removing the tape, peel it off slowly and carefully to prevent paint damage.

The Sticky Spiderweb Challenge

A preschool-aged boy practices eye-hand coordination by throwing a pom-pom at a homemade sticky web constructed from masking tape in a doorway

Steps:

  • Set up the spiderweb: Use masking tape to create a sticky ‘web’ across an open doorway or the entrance to a hallway. Make sure the sticky side faces outward into the room where the child will be throwing.”
  • “Place the basket of pom-poms about 3 to 5 feet away from the web (adjust distance based on your child’s skill). Encourage your child to throw the pom-poms and try to get them stuck on the web.”
  • “Once the pom-poms are stuck, transition the activity to retrieval. Have your child carefully use their fingers to peel the stuck items off the masking tape. They will likely need to use one hand to hold the tape still while the other hand pulls the pom-pom free!”
  • “Repeat the process until the basket is empty, then reload and start the challenge again!

Safety Tip:
Ensure the masking tape is placed at a safe height (not near face or neck level) and supervise closely, especially when children are standing or reaching near the doorframe.

Sticky Pom-Pom Push

Steps:

  • Prepare your ‘sticky canvas’ by securing long strips of masking tape to a wall or a safe vertical surface (like a refrigerator or door). The key is to place the tape so the sticky side faces OUT toward the child.
  • Place a basket or container of pom-poms next to the child. Encourage them to pick up the pom-poms using their thumb and fingertips (pincer control).
  • Ask your child to stick the pom-poms onto the tape, using a firm push to make sure they stick. Challenge them to reach up, down, and across their body to fill the entire sticky surface!
  • When finished, the child can peel the pom-poms off the tape, which provides great resistance and further works those intrinsic hand muscles.

Safety Tip:
Ensure the child is supervised, especially when reaching up high. Make sure the tape is placed at an appropriate height where the child is not required to over-extend dangerously.

Tacky Tape Puzzle Pull-Off

A preschooler uses fine motor skills and a pincer grasp to pull a pom-pom off tacky masking tape on a vertical surface, demonstrating the Tacky Tape Puzzle Pull-Off activity for improved shoulder stability and hand strength.

Steps:

  • Tape a piece of construction paper vertically to a door or wall using masking tape. This is your ‘puzzle board.’
  • Use small loops of masking tape to stick several pom-poms and stickers onto the construction paper. Make sure they are secure enough to stay put but loose enough to be pulled off with some effort.
  • Challenge your preschooler to ‘rescue’ the materials from the tacky tape! Encourage them to stand and use both hands—one hand to stabilize the paper and the other hand to pull the items off using a pincer grasp.
  • For an added challenge, hide small plastic animals or lightweight blocks under larger pieces of tape, requiring more effort and bilateral hand use to tear the tape away.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise vertical activities to ensure the child does not climb or lean heavily on the surface. Check that the masking tape used does not damage the wall or door finish upon removal.