Candy Cane
For this activity, we used colorful paper straws and cut each straw into 1-inch pieces.
Ask the child to string the cut straw pieces onto a pipe cleaner.
Bend the top of the pipe cleaner to shape it like a candy cane.
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.
Pick the Toothpick
Put a piece of styrofoam sheet or block on the floor or on a slanted surface and have the child push the toothpicks into the styrofoam.
If the styrofoam is on the floor have the child lay prone and weight bear on the elbows.
Give the child a shape, a letter, or a pattern to trace over in order to develop visual-motor skills.
Construction Paper Guitar
Using a large piece of cardboard or construction paper, draw the shape of the guitar’s body. If the child is able to draw it by himself, allow him to do so. Otherwise, let the child trace your drawing, using a thick marker.
Ask the child to cut out the shape, following the lines. Depending on the child’s skill level, make the line thicker, and provide support as needed. Once the child cuts out the guitar’s shape out, ask him to draw or trace a circle in the middle of the guitar’s body. You can use a round object to help with drawing an accurate shape.
Instruct the child to cut out the circle, providing support as needed.
Using a single hole puncher, carefully have the child punch three holes on either side of the circle he just cut. Using 3 rubber bands, ask the child to cut through them so they are now one long string.
Instruct the child to thread each rubber band across 2 parallel holes, and tie on each end. Provide support as needed for tying the rubbers in place.
Using another piece of cardboard or construction paper, ask the child to draw or trace a rectangle. Instruct the child to cut it out, and use the glue and tape to attach it to the top part of the guitar’s body. To make the guitar look more life like, ask the child to draw lines continuing from the bands up the stem of the guitar.
Fine Motor Beads Kids
For this activity, you will need 2 pipe cleaners to form the body structure.
Shape the Body
Twist 2 pipe cleaners together in the middle – about 2/3 of the way up.
The twisted part will be the body.
Thread 3 large beads through both pipe cleaners to form a body.
Create Arms and Hands
Take both pipe cleaners and separate them, pulling each stick to either side of the body.
Thread about 5 medium beads onto each arm.
Curl and wrap the end of the pipe cleaner around the last bead to secure it in place.
These will be the hands.
Create Legs
Thread about 8 medium beads onto each leg.
Curl and wrap the end around the last bead to secure it in place.
These will be the feet.
Head Shape
To form the head shape, using the scissors cut one pipe cleaner in half and bend to form a circle shape with the ends twisted and touching.
Insert the ends of the pipe cleaner head into the top bead of the body to secure it in place.
Matching Socks Game
Present the child with a clean box/basket/bucket of separated pairs of socks.
Provide the child with additional empty baskets, one for each member of the family.
Show the child one sock and ask him to find the other sock that looks the same (i.e. the matching sock).
Fold the socks together (or have your child fold them to work on additional skills such as motor planning and eye-hand coordination) and ask the child to put the pair of socks in the right basket, based on whose socks are they (mom’s, dad’s, child’s, sister’s, etc.).