Skill: Eye-Hand Coordination

The way the eyes guide the hands to do a task. This helps your child catch a ball, write on a line, or stack blocks without knocking them over.

The Paper Cup Secret Sounds

The Paper Cup Secret Sounds

Steps:

  • Line up six empty paper cups on a table.
  • Put a small handful of rice into two cups.
  • Fill two more cups with dry beans and the last two with oats.
  • Place an index card over the top of each cup and secure it tightly with masking tape.
  • Use markers to draw a small secret symbol on the bottom of each cup to mark the pairs.
  • Mix the cups up and ask your child to shake them one by one.
  • Challenge your child to find the two cups that make the exact same sound!

Safety Tip:
Supervise your child closely when using rice or beans to prevent them from putting items in their mouth.

The Gravity Bead Labyrinth

The Gravity Bead Labyrinth

Steps:

  • Find a plastic basket with small holes along the sides.
  • Give your child several colorful pipe cleaners.
  • Show them how to thread one pipe cleaner through a hole on one side.
  • Pull it across the middle and out through a hole on the opposite side.
  • Continue adding pipe cleaners at different angles to create a crisscross mesh floor.
  • Drop three large beads onto the fuzzy mesh you just created.
  • Ask your child to hold the basket handles with both hands.
  • Challenge them to tilt the basket gently to roll the beads across the mesh.
  • Try to keep the beads on the floor without them falling through the gaps!

Safety Tip:
Ensure the pipe cleaner ends are tucked in to avoid any small pokes.

The Balancing Plate Bead Challenge

The Balancing Plate Bead Challenge

Steps:

  • Place the paper cup upside down on a flat table.
  • Use a small piece of masking tape to secure the cup to the table.
  • Carefully set the paper plate on top of the upside-down cup.
  • Give your child a small bowl of beads and a spoon.
  • Ask them to scoop one bead and place it on the plate.
  • Challenge them to add more beads without the plate falling off the cup!

Safety Tip:
Beads are a choking hazard. Always supervise your child. Keep all small materials away from younger siblings.

The Rainbow Hand Weaver

The Rainbow Hand Weaver

Steps:

  • Trace your child’s hand onto a sturdy piece of cardboard using a marker.
  • Use a hole puncher to make one hole at the tip of each finger and one at the wrist.
  • Tie a long piece of colorful yarn to the hole at the wrist.
  • Show your child how to thread the yarn through the thumb hole first.
  • Encourage them to weave the yarn back to the wrist and then up to the next finger.
  • Continue until every finger is connected to the wrist with a beautiful yarn bridge.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child when they are using a hole puncher or handling long pieces of yarn.

The Foil Pan Marble Rink

The Foil Pan Marble Rink

Steps:

  • Place a small paper cup inside the aluminium pan near one edge.
  • Secure the cup to the bottom using a piece of masking tape.
  • Put a single marble into the pan on the opposite side.
  • Ask your child to pick up the pan using both hands.
  • Challenge them to tilt the pan to roll the marble.
  • The goal is to roll the marble directly into the cup!
  • Once it is in, tip it out and try again.

Safety Tip:
Marbles are a significant choking hazard. Always supervise your child. Keep all small materials away from younger siblings.