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.

Ice Cream Scooper

Use brown, yellow, or white construction paper. Draw a 1/4 of a circle with a six-inch radius, and ask the child to cut the shape out. If needed, make the line bolder to increase accuracy. If using white paper, you can let the child color/paint it in any color he wishes to.

Assist the child as needed to fold the 1/4 circle into a cone shape. Secure with tape.

Provide the child with tissue paper sheets that are at least 5″ x 7″ in size. Instruct the child to crumble each sheet into a ball (scoop), and place it in the container.

Have the child hold the ice cream scoop in his dominant hand and the cone in his other hand. Instruct the child to scoop the paper balls one at a time, using the ice cream scoop, and put it into the cone.

Using strips of construction paper in different colors, ask the child to tear small pieces to use as sprinkles. Promote pincer grasp by having the child pick up one piece at a time to sprinkle on his ice cream.

To grade the activity, use different ice cream scoops (i.e. with the thumb lever, spring-loaded handle, etc.) or other materials for ice cream, such as pom-poms or play-dough.

Clip the Kites

Use different colors construction paper, and draw 4-5 diamonds, about 4×6 inches in size.

Instruct the child to cut out the diamond shapes. If the child has difficulties with cutting, we recommend providing thicker lines to cut on.

Using the crayons, let the child decorate the kites.

Have the child write any number between 1-10 on each kite. If the child is unable to write numbers independently, provide assistance as needed (i.e. write the numbers for him and let him trace them).

Using the paper clips, instruct the child to clip together a chain of paper clips with the corresponding number of paper clips to the number written on the kite.

Once the right number of paper clips are clipped together, have the child match the chain with the corresponding kite.

Paper Star Fish

Download and print the Star Fish template.

Ask the child to cut out the star fish image. For children that have difficulties with cutting skills, it is recommended to cut on heavier paper (i.e card-stock or construction paper), and provide with thicker lines/boundaries.

Using the tissue paper, instruct the child to tear pieces of the paper and crumble them into small balls. Encourage the child to move his thumb, pointer, and middle fingers in a circular motion.

Have the child glue the tissue paper balls on the star fish.

If you are using construction paper only, you can cut strips of paper, and let the child tear small pieces to glue on the star fish. If using beans, buttons, or sequins, you can promote pincer grasp by using tongs/tweezers to pick up the items to glue. Stickers can also be used.

Fish Bowl

Download and print the fish bowl and fish templates.

For this activity use green yarn or tissue paper.

Ask the child to color the images.

Instruct the child to cut out the fish bowl and fish images.

If child has difficulties cutting, provide thicker lines/boundaries. For the fish image, you can outline the picture/draw a circle or a square around to grade down.

Glue the fish bowl on a piece of construction paper.

Use the sand and instruct the child to glue it at the bottom of the bowl.

Have the child glue the fish into the bowl. Using the string of yarn of pieces of tissue paper, create the seaweed and glue into bowl.

A Slippery Fish

A four-year-old child practices fine motor skills by using tongs to retrieve colorful toy fish from a water-filled container on a kitchen table.

Fill a container with water up to the midline and put inside small floating objects (i.e. ice molds, fish toys, etc.).

Have the child use the tongs to catch the objects in the water and take them out of the water.

You may want to have some paper towels ready for this activity as it might get a bit wet.