Bilateral Hand Use - Page 26 of 100

The Balloon Cup Wobble

Steps:

Blow up a balloon and tie it securely.
Place the balloon inside a bowl so it stands upright.
Use masking tape to stick three baking cups onto the top curve of the balloon.
Give your child a pair of tweezers and a small pile of colorful beads.
Ask your child to hold the bowl with one hand to keep it still.
Challenge them to use the tweezers to pick up one bead at a time.
Carefully drop the bead into one of the baking cups without tipping the balloon.
Watch the balloon wobble as they try to balance the weight of the beads!

Safety Tip:
CHOKING HAZARD: Beads and balloons are small parts or can break into small pieces. Always supervise your child closely during this activity. Keep materials away from younger siblings.

The Cardboard Ring Squeezer

Steps:

Use markers to draw three big circles on a piece of construction paper.
Color each circle a different color using your markers.
Take an empty paper roll and use your scissors to cut it into four rings.
Place a pile of colorful pom-poms on the table.
Show your child how to hold one cardboard ring between their thumb and fingers.
Squeeze the ring to make it flat like a pair of tweezers.
Use the flattened ring to pinch a pom-pom.
Carry the pom-pom and drop it into the matching colored circle on the paper.
See how fast you can sort all the fuzzy pom-poms!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child while they use scissors. Small pom-poms can be a choking hazard, so keep them away from younger siblings.

The Floating Island Bean Drop

Steps:

Fill the aluminium foil pan halfway with cool water to create your ‘ocean.’
Place the sponge gently into the water so it floats like a tiny island.
Put a handful of dry beans into a small bowl next to the pan.
Show your toddler how to pick up one bean using their thumb and pointer finger.
Encourage your child to carefully set the bean onto the center of the floating sponge.
Watch as the sponge bobs and tilts with each new bean added!
Challenge them to see how many beans the island can hold before it gets too heavy.
When finished, they can use their fingers to scoop the beans off the sponge.

Safety Tip:
CHOKING HAZARD: Beans are small and pose a risk. Always supervise your toddler closely and store materials safely after play.

The Foil Pancake Button Press

Steps:

Tear off a large sheet of aluminum foil using both of your hands.
Encourage your toddler to crumple the foil into a flat, thick pancake shape.
Place the foil pancake inside the aluminum foil pan or onto a piece of cardboard for stability.
Give your child a handful of colorful buttons from your collection.
Ask them to use their pointer finger and thumb to pick up one button at a time.
Challenge your toddler to press each button firmly into the surface of the foil pancake.
Watch as the foil wraps slightly around the edges to hold the buttons in place!

Safety Tip:
CHOKING HAZARD: Buttons are small and pose a risk. Always supervise your child closely during this activity. Ensure all buttons are put away safely once you are finished playing.

The Silly String Bag Stylist

Steps:

Use a marker to draw a big, funny face on the front of your Ziplock bag.
Open the bag and stuff it with several pieces of colorful yarn to look like wild hair.
Lay the bag flat on a table and secure the four corners with several pieces of masking tape.
Ask your child to use their pointer finger to push the yarn strands around inside the sealed bag.
Challenge them to move the yarn to give the character long bangs, a beard, or even silly eyebrows!
Style the hair in different ways to see how many funny looks you can create together!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child to ensure the bag stays sealed and they do not put yarn in their mouth.