Material: Velcro

Sticky Sponge Dot Press

Sticky Sponge Dot Press

Steps:

  • Place the thick sponge securely inside the plastic container to keep it stable.
  • Peel the backing off the small sticky Velcro dots. Press them firmly onto the top surface of the sponge.
  • Pour the small beads or buttons into a separate small pile next to the sponge.
  • Ask your child to hold the container steady with their helper hand to stabilize the base.
  • Use their working hand to pick up one bead using a precise pincer grasp (thumb and pointer finger).
  • Aim the bead at one of the Velcro targets. Use a strong, controlled press to stick the bead onto the rough Velcro dot.
  • Repeat the pressing action until all the Velcro dots are successfully covered in colorful beads.

Safety Tip:
Small beads and Velcro pieces are potential choking hazards. Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Ensure all materials are collected and stored safely after play.

Fuzzy Target Toss

Preschool girl practices crossing midline by peeling pom-poms off a velcro felt target taped to a kitchen cabinet door for shoulder strengthening.
Prepare your materials! Place a small circle of Velcro (the hook side is usually best) on the back of several pom-poms. Place the loop side of the Velcro on a large piece of Felt to create your target.

Use Masking Tape to secure the Felt target to a vertical surface, like a door or the side of a tall bookshelf.
Place the target high enough so your child has to reach up or slightly across their body to aim.
Have your child stand back a few feet and gently toss the pom-poms at the target. Cheer them on as they try to get the fuzzy items to stick!
After all the pom-poms are tossed, have your child practice peeling them off. Encourage them to use both hands—one to stabilize the felt, and the other to peel the pom-pom.

Safety Tip:
Ensure the target surface is stable. If your child is jumping or reaching high, spot them gently. Always supervise to ensure pom-poms are not placed in the mouth.

Sticky Forest Build

Steps:

  • Help your child prepare the “tree trunk” by cutting a large rectangle of Cardboard. Poke 6-8 small holes (parent task) across the surface to create spots for branches.
  • Place the Cardboard upright on a table. Encourage your child to use one hand to stabilize the Cardboard (hold it steady!) while using the other hand to poke or thread the Pipe Cleaners through the holes to create the tree’s branches. Put the excess Pipe Cleaners in a small Container.
  • Present small, sticky Velcro dots or small cut strips of Velcro. Challenge your child to peel the Velcro and stick these ‘leaves’ or ‘fruit’ onto the Pipe Cleaners. Encourage them to use their thumb and pointer finger (Pincer Grasp) to handle the small pieces.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise the use of small materials like Pipe Cleaners and Velcro dots, ensuring they are not placed in the mouth, nose, or ears.

Small Button Box

Take 4oz putty container or container of equal size with a lid and use scissors or box cutter to slice a 2 inch x 1/8 or 1/4 inch rectangular slot into the top of the lid.

Place sticky back Velcro hook on bottom of container. Wrap a Velcro hook strap around the child’s chest or abdomen. The small constructed “Button Box” is placed on the Velcro strap on the child. The angle of the slot can be changed to suit the child’s abilities or needs.

Have the child use appropriate grasp to pick up buttons or coins of various sizes and place into the button box on self.

This activity can be modified in many ways to suit the child’s needs:
– Adjusting size or shape of the slot to accommodate the items placed inside.
– Weights can be used for upper extremity strengthening.
– Markers can be used to provide color around slot hole for children with Visual Perceptual difficulties.
– The items placed in the slots can vary in size, shape, density, and texture for added ease or difficulty

Feel the Turkey

On brown contraction paper, draw the turkey’s body.

On different colors construction paper draw 6-7 turkey feathers.

Place a variety of materials with different textures on the table. I used cotton balls, Velcro, buttons, felt, dry beans, googly eyes, and feathers.

Ask the child to cut the turkey’s body and feathers. Then, have him glue the feathers to the back of the body. You can also let the child draw the turkey’s face on.

Present the child with different materials. Talk about the different textures (soft, smooth, rough, ticklish, etc.). Ask the child to glue a few pieces from each material on each of the turkey’s feathers.

You can use this turkey as a seasonal tactile board. Gobble, Gobble!