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.

Foam Slot Tongs

Foam Slot Tongs

Steps:

  • Adult Prep: Use markers to draw one narrow, horizontal slit (about 2 inches long) onto the container lid. Carefully cut the slit using scissors. Secure the lid shut with masking tape.
  • Use scissors to cut the foam sheets into many small, 1-inch squares. Drop the cut squares into the small container.
  • Place the target container flat on the table. Encourage your child to hold the container firmly with their helper hand to stabilize it.
  • Pick up the tongs. Use the tongs to grab one foam square using a strong pincer grip.
  • Carefully aim the foam piece toward the narrow slot. Push the foam piece completely through the slot and drop it inside the container.
  • Continue transferring all the foam pieces into the slot until the small container is empty.

Safety Tip:
Since this activity involves small foam pieces and the use of scissors during preparation, constant, direct adult supervision is required. Small pieces of foam are a choking hazard for children under five.

Plate Rim Precision Tweeze

Plate Rim Precision Tweeze

Steps:

  • Use a marker to draw several small shapes onto the flat center of the paper plate. This is your stacking zone.
  • Challenge your child to tear the rim off the paper plate. They should aim to tear the thick rim into small, rough, curved pieces. Tearing this resistant material requires strong effort.
  • Once the rim is completely torn, place the small curved pieces onto the construction paper beside the plate. This is your supply pile.
  • Ask your child to hold the paper plate steady with their non-dominant hand (the helper hand).
  • Use the tweezers to pick up one torn rim piece at a time. The child must grip the piece firmly without squeezing too hard.
  • Carefully transfer and stack the torn pieces onto the marked area in the center of the plate. Keep the stack balanced and try not to knock it over!

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. The torn paper pieces are small objects and pose a potential choking hazard for young children. Ensure the child only uses the tweezers and paper as intended.

Resistance Tear Push

Resistance Tear Push

Steps:

  • Adult Prep: Use scissors to cut one narrow, tight slit (about 1.5 inches long) into the plastic container lid. Secure the lid firmly onto the container using masking tape.
  • Give your child strips of construction paper. Encourage them to use both hands to tear the paper into small, rough pieces. Tearing this resistant material requires strong effort.
  • Take one pipe cleaner. Help your child bend and fold it until it becomes a short, stiff ‘poker stick.’
  • Ask your child to hold the container steady with their non-dominant hand. Place one torn paper scrap near the narrow slot.
  • Using the stiff pipe cleaner poker, aim carefully and push the paper scrap completely through the resistant slot.
  • Continue tearing, poking, and pushing until all the paper has been successfully delivered inside the container.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Torn paper pieces and pipe cleaners are small objects and pose a choking hazard for children under five. Ensure the pipe cleaner is bent safely before use.

Cardboard Confetti Collage

Cardboard Confetti Collage

Steps:

  • Use masking tape to secure the large piece of cardboard firmly onto the table. This acts as your stable canvas.
  • Give your child a stack of index cards. Encourage them to use the hole puncher to make many small circles (confetti). Squeezing the puncher requires strength!
  • Challenge your child to tear the remaining index cards into tiny, jagged pieces using both hands together.
  • Now, use only the fingertips to crumple and squeeze the punched circles and torn pieces into tight, dense confetti balls.
  • Draw a simple shape (like a circle or heart) onto the cardboard using glue from the bottle. Use controlled squeezing.
  • Use a careful pincer grasp to pick up the sequins and crumpled confetti. Press them onto the wet glue to create a colorful, textured collage.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Sequins and crumpled paper pieces are small objects and pose a choking hazard for children under five. Ensure all materials are used only as intended and collected immediately after play.

Cardboard Tee Lacing

Cardboard Tee Lacing

Steps:

  • Use markers to draw several dots onto the piece of cardboard. These dots are your targets.
  • Place the cardboard flat on a stable table. Challenge your child to hold the cardboard firmly with their helper hand to keep it steady.
  • Pick up a golf tee. Use a strong, controlled push to insert the tee straight through the cardboard at one of the marked dots. Feel the resistance!
  • Remove all the golf tees, leaving behind a set of neat, small holes across the surface.
  • Challenge your child to thread the pipe cleaners through the new holes. They must weave the fuzzy sticks in and out to create a colorful lacing pattern.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Golf ball tees and small pieces of pipe cleaner pose choking hazards for children under five. Ensure materials are used only as intended and collected immediately after play.