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.

Putty Treasure Dig

Putty Treasure Dig

Steps:

  • Prepare the ‘treasure’ by breaking 8-10 pipe cleaners into halves. Hide them deeply inside a large ball of playdough (this is the ‘monster mash’). Place the playdough in a plastic container or on a safe mat.
  • Challenge your child to become a ‘Treasure Hunter.’ Use two hands to squeeze, stretch, pull, and mash the playdough to uncover all the buried pipe cleaner pieces.
  • Encourage them to use different hand movements: squeezing the dough with their whole hand, pushing down with their thumbs, and stretching it apart using both hands together.
  • Once all the pieces are found, help them reshape the dough back into a ball. They can hide the treasure again or count how many ‘gems’ they found!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise this activity closely. Ensure that the child understands that the playdough and pipe cleaners are not food items. Wash hands thoroughly when finished.

Tissue Tear Treasures

Tissue Tear Treasures

Steps:

  • Help your child draw a large, simple shape (like a star, a big letter, or a cloud) onto the construction paper. This will be the canvas for the ‘treasure’ art.
  • Present the tissue paper. Encourage your child to use both hands to tear the tissue paper into small strips or pieces. Focus on using the thumb and index finger to initiate the tear.
  • Show the child how to crumple those small pieces into tiny, tight balls (treasures!). This step heavily promotes strong intrinsic muscles and a precise pincer grasp.
  • Apply glue along the lines of the drawn shape. Encourage the child to pick up the crumpled tissue balls and press them onto the glue, filling in the shape until the ‘treasure’ collage is complete.

Safety Tip:
Supervise closely during this activity. Ensure the child uses glue appropriately (dot, not a large glob). Because this activity involves very small pieces of paper, teach the child to keep them on the table, not near the mouth.

Sticky Straw Scoop

Sticky Straw Scoop

Steps:

  • Prepare the ‘scoop’ by taking a straw and securing a small loop of masking tape (sticky side facing out) onto one end.
  • Place a pile of pom-poms on the table and the empty Container next to the Construction Paper target.
  • Show the child how to hold the straw using their thumb and index finger (a strong pincer grasp), just like holding a miniature pencil.
  • Challenge the child to carefully touch the sticky straw tip to a pom-pom, lifting it when it sticks firmly.
  • The child then transfers the sticky pom-pom over the container and uses their non-dominant hand or fingertips to peel it off the straw and drop it in.
  • Continue this process until all the pom-poms are successfully moved from the starting pile into the container.

Safety Tip:
Always provide close adult supervision during this activity. Ensure the child understands that the small pom-poms and tape are not to be put in the mouth.

Tee Punch Garden

Tee Punch Garden

Steps:

  • Set up the ‘garden’ by placing one thick foam sheet on a stable table or floor. If your foam is thin, layer two sheets for more resistance.
  • Introduce the golf tees as ‘planting tools.’ Show your child how to hold the tee using their thumb and pointer finger (pincer grip), similar to how they will hold a pencil.
  • Encourage your child to use their non-dominant (helper) hand to press down on and stabilize the foam sheet while their dominant hand pushes the tee straight down, punching a hole.
  • Continue punching holes until the foam sheet is full! This provides excellent resistance that strengthens the small muscles in the hand.
  • Finish the activity by using the pipe cleaners as ‘stems.’ Thread them into the punched holes to create a colorful, textured garden.
  • If desired, gently pull the tees out and repeat the whole process again to get extra strengthening practice.

Safety Tip:
Golf tees have a pointed end. Always supervise closely to ensure the child is pushing the tee into the foam and not near their face or body. Store the tees safely when not in use.

Pom-Pom Popper Target Game

A preschooler playing the pom-pom popper game, demonstrating bilateral hand use and aiming toward a bucket target. | Close-up on child's hands loading a pom-pom into a paper cup launcher, highlighting fine motor control and visual motor skills.

Steps:

  • Adult Step: Use scissors to cut the bottom out of the paper cup. Cut the knot end off the balloon, then stretch the balloon tightly over the open bottom of the cup and secure it.”
  • “Place a bucket, basket, or cardboard box about five feet away to act as your target.”
  • “Show your child how to load a pom-pom into the top (uncovered) end of the cup launcher.”
  • “Have your child hold the cup firmly with one hand, pull the balloon knot back with the other hand, aim at the target, and release the knot to launch the pom-pom!”
  • “Count how many pom-poms land inside the target for some added sequencing practice.

Safety Tip:
Adult supervision is needed, especially during setup involving scissors. If the balloon breaks, immediately collect all pieces as broken balloons are a significant choking risk.