Hatching Egg

This hatching egg activity provides the child with a fun chance to address fine motor skills and bilateral coordination.

Preparation:
Step 1: Draw a chick’s face on an oval-shaped construction paper.
Step 2: Cut the oval-shaped brown construction paper into cracks & tape it together onto the chick’s face.
Step 3: Have the child use both hands to pull off the brown eggshell from the baby chick.

Catch-a-Bug

This catch-a-bug activity provides the child with a fun chance to address fine motor skills.

Preparation:
Step 1: Lace yarn through a basket.
Step 2: Place toy bugs (i.e. figurines, erasers, etc.) on yarn.
Step 3: Have the child manipulate the tongs to retrieve the bugs.

 

For this activity, you can use any type of basket/container.

Flying Unicorn

Step 1: Cut out a picture of a unicorn.

Step 2: Glue it on a paper plate.

Step 3: Hole punch around the edges of the plate.

Step 4: Lace string through each hole, and tie a knot to secure it in place.

Step 5: Option to curl the strings, add jewels, or color the unicorn for more fine motor opportunities.

Step 6: Watch the strands fly in the air as you spin & wave it around! Enjoy!

Puppy Tug Toys

Preparation:

Step 1: Lay out an old shirt flat on the table. Optional: Draw shapes on the shirt with non-toxic markers to address pre-writing skills.

Step 2: Take fabric scissors and begin to cut strips to your desired length. Maintain approximately 2-inches of width.

Step 3: Take one of those strips & use it to tie a group of 3 strips together. Make sure to leave approximately 2-inches from the end.

Step 4: Braid the 3 strips.

Step 5: Take another strip & use it to tie the braid together at the bottom.

Tips:

  1. Use scissors that match your child’s hand dominance.
  2. Hold the fabric in place as they cut.
  3. Use 3 various colors of fabric to make teaching them braiding skills easier.

As always, please provide assistance and supervision as needed.

Share your creation with your lovable dog & enjoy!

Buttoning Board

Buttoning is a fun fine motor skill to work on! It is more motivating when it involves our children’s favorite characters; in this case, Noodle & Pals from Super Simple Songs on YouTube!

Here, we created peek-a-boo buttoning boards that progressed from easy to more challenging buttoning skills.

Preparation:

Step 1: Cut up a piece of cardboard of your desired size (Our cardboard is the blue & white checkered print in the photo).

Step 2: Cut felt to your desired size. Ensure there will be enough overlap between the felt pages when you close the buttoning board.

Step 3: Glue the edge of the felt to the edges of the backside of the cardboard.

Step 4: Glue/sew the buttons on one side of one of the felt pages.

Step 5: Cut out slits to match the sizes of your buttons on the other felt page.

Step 6: Optional – take a marker & outline the edges of the button openings (the slits you just cut), so it makes it easier to visually identify the location of the buttonhole opening.

Step 7: Print, cut & glue on your child’s favorite character at the top of the cardboard sheet.

Tips and Grading Options:

Warm-Ups:

  1. Insert popsicle sticks through slits on a coffee cup lid.
  2. Insert coins into piggy banks.
  3. Pick out buttons from playdough.

To make it easier:

  1. Start with fewer buttons.
  2. Create larger buttoning hole openings.
  3. Highlight the buttoning hole openings by drawing around them (such as the black markings in the photo).
  4. Use larger buttons.
  5. Demonstrate how to button & use simple language.

To make it more challenging:

  1. Increase the number of buttons.
  2. Create smaller buttoning hole openings.
  3. Use smaller buttons.
  4. Use fabric with busy patterns.
  5. Use fabric with flimsier material.

As always, ensure safety in all activities. Provide assistance and supervision as needed.

Enjoy!