Eye-Hand Coordination

The Balloon Tongs Catch

Steps:

Blow up a bright balloon and tie it securely.
Place an empty basket on the floor across the room.
Give your child a pair of sturdy tongs to hold.
Toss the balloon gently into the air for them.
Challenge your child to squeeze and catch the balloon using only the tongs.
Have them carry the balloon carefully and drop it into the basket.
If the balloon drops, they must start over from the beginning.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Discard any popped balloon pieces immediately to prevent a choking hazard.

The Noodle Ring Spire

Steps:

Roll a large ball of playdough using both hands.
Press the ball flat onto the table to make a steady base.
Push a wooden stick straight down into the center of the playdough so it stands upright like a pole.
Help your child hold the pool noodle steady with their helper hand.
Use a plastic safety knife to slice the pool noodle into thick, round rings.
Pick up one noodle ring and slide it over the wooden stick.
Stack all the rings to build a colorful, wobbly spire!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child closely when they are using a safety knife. Ensure the wooden stick is blunt and handled safely.

The Brave Cardboard Shield

Steps:

Use your scissors to cut a large, sturdy circle out of a piece of cardboard.
Let your child decorate the front of the shield using their favorite colorful markers.
An adult should poke two small holes near the center of the cardboard circle.
Thread a piece of ribbon through the holes and tie a knot to make a handle.
Have your child slide their arm through the ribbon handle and hold the shield tight.
Stand a few feet away and gently toss soft pom-poms toward the child.
Challenge your child to move the shield to block every single pom-pom!

Safety Tip:
Ensure the play area is clear of furniture to prevent falls while your child moves around to block the pom-poms.

The Taped Yarn Bridge Pull

Steps:

Cut a large rectangle of cardboard to use as your steady work base.
Tape two long, parallel pieces of yarn across the cardboard about three inches apart.
Make sure the yarn is very tight so it forms two raised ‘rails’.
Use your markers to draw a bright finish line at one end of the board.
Take an empty paper cup and place it upside down on top of the two yarn rails.
Carefully set a ping pong ball on the bottom of the upside-down cup.
Tie a separate piece of yarn to a paper clip and slide the clip onto the cup’s rim.
Hold the cardboard base firmly with your helper hand to keep it still.
Slowly pull the yarn string to glide the cup along the rails toward the finish line!
If the ball falls off, return to the start and try pulling with a smoother motion.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child when using long pieces of yarn. Store the yarn safely away after play to prevent any risk of entanglement.

Balloon Blast Ping Pong Path

Steps:

Cut several long strips of cardboard and bend them into U-shaped arches.
Use masking tape to stick these arches onto a flat table to make a tunnel path.
Place a ping pong ball at the very beginning of the path.
Blow up a bright balloon but do not tie the end shut.
Pinch the balloon neck tightly with your fingers to keep the air inside.
Hold the balloon behind the ball and point the opening at it.
Slowly let go of the pinch to release a blast of air.
Try to blow the ball through every single cardboard arch to the finish!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child when they are playing with balloons. If a balloon pops, pick up and throw away the broken pieces immediately. These can be a choking hazard.