Bilateral Hand Use - Page 22 of 93

The Foil Pan Marble Rink

Steps:

Place a small paper cup inside the aluminium pan near one edge.
Secure the cup to the bottom using a piece of masking tape.
Put a single marble into the pan on the opposite side.
Ask your child to pick up the pan using both hands.
Challenge them to tilt the pan to roll the marble.
The goal is to roll the marble directly into the cup!
Once it is in, tip it out and try again.

Safety Tip:
Marbles are a significant choking hazard. Always supervise your child. Keep all small materials away from younger siblings.

The Ribbon Ladder Rescue

Steps:

Use masking tape to secure two long ribbons vertically onto a wall.
Space the ribbons about five inches apart so the sticks fit between them.
Ensure the ribbons are pulled tight from the top to the bottom.
Give your child a handful of clothespins and several colorful craft sticks.
Ask them to hold a craft stick horizontally against the two ribbons.
Show them how to clip the stick to the ribbons using the clothespins.
Repeat this to build several rungs all the way up the wall.
Once the ladder is finished, they can use their fingers to climb it!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child to ensure they do not pull the ribbon off the wall or put materials in their mouth.

Balloon Tap and Cup Sort

Steps:

Blow up a balloon and tie it tightly.
Place a basket on the carpet filled with five paper cups.
Set a second empty basket a short distance away.
Ask your child to tap the balloon into the air with their right hand.
While it is in the air, they must use their left hand to move one cup.
See how many cups they can move before the balloon hits the floor!

Safety Tip:
Adult supervision is required because balloons and their broken pieces are a serious choking hazard for young children.

The Egg Carton Bridge Weaver

Steps:

Flip your empty egg carton upside down on the table.
Use your markers to draw small dots on the very top of each egg cup.
Adult step: Use scissors to poke a small, narrow hole through each marker dot.
Give your child a pipe cleaner and ask them to push one end into a hole.
Encourage them to bend the pipe cleaner over to a different egg cup.
Have them push the other end into a second hole to make a bridge.
Continue adding pipe cleaners to create a crisscross web over the peaks.
Challenge them to see how many colorful bridges they can build without any collapsing!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child when they are using scissors or pipe cleaners to avoid pokes.

The Coffee Filter Magic Flower

Steps:

Set out a few white coffee filters on a tray or plastic container.
Show your child how to fold the coffee filter in half, then in half again.
Mix a few drops of food coloring into small cups of water.
Have your child squeeze the eyedropper to soak up the colorful water.
Encourage them to carefully drop the water onto the folded edges of the filter.
Slowly unfold the wet filter to see a beautiful, colorful pattern.
Let the filters dry to create magic flowers or window art!

Safety Tip:
Food coloring can stain clothes and surfaces. Use a tray to keep the water contained. Always supervise your child when using the eyedropper and water.