Bilateral Hand Use - Page 30 of 56

Cap Twister Rings

Steps:

Prep: An adult should cut the pipe cleaners into small 4-inch strips. Place the container and the strips on the table.
Show the child how to firmly hold the body of the plastic container steady with one hand (the helper hand) to ensure it doesn’t move.
Demonstrate how to take a pipe cleaner strip and use the fingertips of the other hand to tightly twist and wrap it around the ridges of the container cap, creating a tight ring.
Challenge the child to continue wrapping the pipe cleaner strips until the entire cap is covered in colorful, tight rings.
For extra practice, encourage the child to use the opposite rotation (untwisting and unwinding) to remove all the pipe cleaner rings before starting the challenge again.

Safety Tip:
Adult supervision is required. Since this activity involves pipe cleaners cut into small pieces, they can pose a potential choking hazard and should be immediately collected and stored safely after the activity.

Sticky Web Smash

Steps:

Prepare the ‘spider web’ by sticking several long strips of masking tape across an empty doorway, a chair opening, or a wall (ensure the tape is safe for the surface). Crucially, make sure the sticky side faces out toward the child.
Give the child large pieces of construction paper and tissue paper. Demonstrate how to tear the paper into small, medium, and large pieces. Tearing paper provides excellent resistance for finger and hand muscles.
Encourage the child to ‘smash’ or firmly press the torn paper pieces onto the sticky web, using maximal effort and pressure to ensure they stick. Challenge them to cover every piece of exposed tape!

Safety Tip:
If using a doorway, ensure the tape is placed at the child’s eye/chest level and not near the floor where someone could accidentally walk through and trip. Always supervise peeling tape off surfaces to prevent paint damage.

Playdough Candle Pull

Steps:

Help your child roll the playdough into several small balls (about golf-ball size). These will be the ‘cake’ bases.
Encourage your child to carefully stick 5-10 craft sticks straight up into each playdough ball, like ‘candles’. This requires gentle pushing and aiming.
Challenge your child to ‘blow out’ and remove the candles one by one. They must use one hand to firmly hold the playdough ball stable, and the other hand to use a precise pincer grasp (thumb and pointer finger) to carefully pull the craft stick straight out without wiggling or squishing the playdough base.
If needed, start with fewer sticks or use a slightly firmer playdough recipe to increase stability.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise children during this activity to ensure they do not put materials in their mouth. Ensure the craft sticks do not have sharp edges.

Crumple Pin Bowling

Steps:

Build the ‘Crumple Pins’: Give the child 6 to 10 paper rolls (like toilet paper or paper towel rolls). Encourage them to use both hands to crumple each roll tightly into a dense, firm ‘pin’ shape. Secure each crumpled shape firmly with small pieces of masking tape to ensure they hold their structure.
Set up the Lane: Use masking tape to mark a ‘foul line’ on the floor. Arrange the crumpled pins in a triangle formation 5 to 10 feet away from the line (adjust distance based on space and skill level).
Bowl: Challenge the child to stand behind the line and roll the ball toward the pins, focusing on aiming and grading the force of their roll to knock down as many pins as possible.
Score and Reset: Count how many pins were knocked down. Encourage the child to reset the pins (sequencing and motor planning) before taking their next turn.

Safety Tip:
Ensure the bowling area is clear of furniture, toys, and other trip hazards. Encourage children to reset the pins safely without rushing or running.

Tape Tear Puzzle

Steps:

Prepare the ‘puzzle’ by taking a flat piece of cardboard (like the side of a shoe box) and covering the entire surface with large, overlapping strips of colorful masking tape, running them in various directions.
Present the cardboard to your toddler and encourage them to use their fingertips to explore the edges of the tape. Show them how to pinch the tape edge with their index finger and thumb.
Guide your child to use their non-working hand to hold the cardboard flat on the table, providing ‘proximal stability,’ while their other hand peels the tape off, tearing it into smaller pieces.
For an extra challenge, place a few favorite stickers underneath some of the tape strips as a surprise reward once the tape is successfully removed.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise toddlers closely during this activity. Ensure that torn pieces of masking tape are discarded immediately to prevent them from being placed in the mouth, as they pose a choking hazard.