Bilateral Hand Use - Page 27 of 104

The Tummy Time Sun Rays

Steps:

Draw a large sun with long rays on construction paper using your markers.
Use masking tape to secure the paper firmly to the floor so it does not move.
Squeeze small dots of glue along the lines of the sun’s rays.
Ask your child to lie on their stomach on the floor, facing the paper.
Place a paper plate with a small pile of beans right in front of them.
Encourage your child to lift their chest and head up high while they reach for the beans.
Have them use their thumb and pointer finger to pick up one bean at a time.
Challenge them to press the beans into the glue dots to decorate the sun.
Encourage them to switch hands to help both sides of their body get stronger!

Safety Tip:
Choking Hazard: Beans are small objects that can be a safety risk. Always supervise your child during play and ensure all beans are collected afterward.

The Beaded Plate Hair Stylist

Steps:

Use your markers to draw a silly face on the paper plate.
Squeeze the hole puncher to make holes around the top of the plate.
Cut pieces of yarn and tie one through each hole for hair.
Give your child a bowl of beads to hold.
Ask them to slide the beads onto the yarn strands.
Tie a small knot at the end of each piece of yarn.

Safety Tip:
Beads are a significant choking hazard. Always supervise your child during this activity and keep all small materials out of reach of younger siblings.

The Straw Pipe Cleaner Architect

Steps:

Help your child cut the straws into smaller pieces of different lengths using the scissors.
Show them how to slide a pipe cleaner through one straw piece and then into another.
Encourage them to bend the pipe cleaner at the joints to connect the straws at different angles.
Challenge your child to build a simple shape first, like a triangle or a square.
Once they get the hang of it, see if they can build a 3D structure like a house or a pyramid!
They can use longer pipe cleaners to tie pieces together for extra strength.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise children when using scissors. Ensure the ends of the pipe cleaners are tucked in to avoid any sharp pokes.

The Masking Tape Web Bridge

Steps:

Find an empty shoe box and remove the lid.
Stretch four strips of masking tape across the open top.
Make sure the sticky side is facing up toward the ceiling.
Give your child a pile of craft sticks to hold.
Ask them to press one stick across two tape strips.
Keep adding sticks until a solid bridge floor is made.
Place a small stuffed animal on the bridge for a ride!
Gently peel the sticks off to start the build again.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child to ensure the masking tape does not get stuck on their hair or skin.

The Sparkly Pipe Cleaner Spectacles

Steps:

Pick two long pipe cleaners to be the main frames of your glasses.
Bend each pipe cleaner into a circle.
Twist the ends together to lock the shape.
Slide colorful beads onto each circle one by one.
Use a small piece of pipe cleaner to connect the two circles.
Twist a pipe cleaner onto the side of each circle to make the arms.
Bend the ends of the arms to fit over your ears.

Safety Tip:
Beads are a choking hazard. Always supervise your child during play. Ensure the ends of the pipe cleaners are tucked in so they are not sharp.