Skill: Bilateral Hand Use

The ability to use both hands together as a team. We use this for almost everything, like holding the paper with one hand while cutting with the other, or buttoning a shirt.

The Fuzzy Pipe Cleaner Bridges

The Fuzzy Pipe Cleaner Bridges

Steps:

  • Tape your piece of cardboard flat on the table so it stays in one place while you play.
  • Use the hole puncher to make two columns of holes down the cardboard, leaving space in the middle.
  • Ask your child to pick up a pipe cleaner and push one end into a hole.
  • Show them how to slide a few colorful beads onto the pipe cleaner one at a time.
  • Help them bend the pipe cleaner and push the other end into a hole on the opposite side.
  • Keep going until you have a row of fuzzy, beaded bridges across your cardboard!

Safety Tip:
Beads and pipe cleaner pieces can be small. Always watch your child closely to make sure they do not put any materials in their mouth.

Sticky Balloon Treasure Peel

Sticky Balloon Treasure Peel

Steps:

  • Blow up a balloon and tie it securely.
  • Wrap several strips of masking tape around the balloon.
  • Make sure the sticky side faces outward.
  • Press several cotton balls onto the sticky tape.
  • Ask your child to hold the balloon with their helper hand.
  • Have them use their other hand to peel the cotton balls off.
  • Drop the rescued cotton balls into a basket.

Safety Tip:
Balloons and broken pieces are a serious choking hazard. Always watch your child and pick up popped pieces right away.

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.

The Cardboard Coin Slide

The Cardboard Coin Slide

Steps:

  • Adult: Cut a long, narrow rectangle from your cardboard to make a ramp.
  • Use masking tape to attach a paper cup to a table edge as a goal.
  • Ask your child to hold the top of the ramp with their helper hand.
  • Encourage them to use their other hand to pinch a coin at the top.
  • Aim the bottom of the cardboard ramp toward the paper cup target.
  • Release the coin and watch it slide into the cup!
  • Move the cup to different spots to change the angle and challenge level.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child while playing with coins. Coins are a choking hazard. Ensure the cardboard edges are smooth to prevent scratches.

The Vertical Bead Zip-Line

The Vertical Bead Zip-Line

Steps:

  • Tape a large piece of cardboard vertically onto a wall.
  • Cut the paper roll into three small rings using scissors.
  • Tape the rings onto the cardboard in a vertical zigzag pattern.
  • Thread a long piece of yarn through all three rings.
  • Tape the top and bottom of the yarn to the cardboard.
  • Slide one large bead onto the yarn before taping the bottom.
  • Give your child a pipe cleaner to use as a poker.
  • Ask them to push the bead up through each ring.
  • Use the helper hand to keep the cardboard steady.

Safety Tip:
Ensure the cardboard is taped securely to the wall to prevent it from falling during play.