The Finger Puppet Road Trip

The Finger Puppet Road Trip

Steps:

  • Use scissors to cut a small strip of construction paper, about two inches long.
  • Wrap the paper strip around your child’s index finger to make a cozy ring puppet.
  • Use your markers to draw a silly smiley face on the paper puppet ring.
  • Take a large piece of cardboard and draw a winding, curvy road across it.
  • Place several colorful stickers at different points along the curvy cardboard road.
  • Have your child hold the cardboard flat with their helper hand to keep it steady.
  • Slide the paper puppet onto your child’s index finger of their dominant hand.
  • Ask them to tuck their other three fingers and thumb tightly into their palm.
  • Challenge them to walk their puppet along the road, stopping to press each sticker!

Safety Tip:
Supervise your child closely while they are using scissors to cut the paper strip. Ensure the cardboard has smooth edges to prevent any minor scrapes.

The Hidden Meadow Rescue

The Hidden Meadow Rescue

Steps:

  • First, grab a piece of cardboard to use as your meadow floor.
  • Draw a few colorful bugs on the board with your markers.
  • Cut your green tissue paper into several long, thin strips.
  • Glue the bottom end of each strip to the cardboard base.
  • Let the top of the paper flop over to hide your bug drawings.
  • Place some colorful buttons or stickers underneath the tissue paper grass.
  • Invite your child to go on a bug hunt in the meadow!
  • Show them how to lift the grass with one hand while the other picks up a button.

Safety Tip:
CHOKING HAZARD: This activity uses small buttons and stickers. Always supervise your toddler closely and ensure they do not put these items in their mouth.

Cosmic Pincer Star Weave

Cosmic Pincer Star Weave

Steps:

  • Cut a large, sturdy square out of your cardboard using the scissors.
  • Use your markers to draw a large, bright star in the very center of the cardboard.
  • Decorate the area around the star with small planet and galaxy stickers.
  • Use the hole puncher to create a ring of holes all the way around the outside edge of your cardboard square.
  • Cut a long piece of yarn and wrap a small bit of masking tape around one end to make a stiff ‘needle.’
  • Tape the other end of the yarn securely to the back of the cardboard.
  • Challenge your child to ‘weave’ the shooting star by pushing the yarn through a hole from the back to the front.
  • Have them pull the yarn across the center star and push it into a hole on the opposite side.
  • Continue this crisscross pattern until every hole has been used and the star is caught in a colorful yarn web!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child when they are using scissors or a hole puncher. Ensure the yarn length is safe for play and collected after the activity.

The Supine Tape Rescue

The Supine Tape Rescue

Steps:

  • Place two sturdy boxes about two feet apart on a carpeted floor.
  • Stretch several long strips of masking tape between the boxes with the sticky side facing down toward the floor.
  • Press lightweight treasures like ribbons, feathers, and paper clips onto the sticky tape bridge.
  • Ask your child to lie on their back on the floor between the two boxes, looking up at the tape.
  • Encourage them to reach up with one hand to peel a treasure off the tape.
  • Challenge them to use their other hand to hold a basket as they rescue all the treasures!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child to ensure they do not put any small items like paper clips in their mouth.

The Secret Ribbon Loop Tunnel

The Secret Ribbon Loop Tunnel

Steps:

  • Adult: Use scissors to cut a circular hole on each side of the shoe box.
  • Thread a long ribbon through both holes and tie the ends together to make a loop.
  • Ask your child to use their pincer grasp to place stickers on the ribbon.
  • Have your child hold the box steady with one hand to build strength.
  • Encourage them to pull the ribbon through the box using their other hand.
  • Challenge them to move the loop until the stickers pop out the other side!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child when playing with long ribbons to prevent entanglement. Stickers are a potential choking hazard for young children.