Fine Motor Control

Floating Noodle Squeezer

Steps:

Adult Step: Use your scissors to cut a pool noodle into thin round ‘donuts’ about one inch thick.
Fill a large container or plastic tub halfway with cool water and set it on a stable table.
Place all the colorful noodle rings into the water so they float freely.
Ask your child to hold the side of the container with their helper hand to stay steady.
Have your child reach into the water and grab a floating noodle ring with their other hand.
Challenge them to squeeze the ring as hard as they can to see the water spray out!
Tell them to drop the ‘rescued’ ring into a basket next to the tub.
Repeat until all the floating rings are safely in the basket.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during water play to prevent slips or spills. Pool noodle pieces are not for the mouth.

Sticky Cup Treasure Grab

Steps:

Wrap a long piece of masking tape around the outside of a paper cup.
Make sure the sticky side faces out away from the cup.
Scatter a handful of colorful pom-poms across a low table.
Ask your child to hold the cup by its rim using one hand.
Challenge them to press the sticky tape onto a pom-pom until it sticks.
Encourage them to reach across their body to find different colors.
Show them how to use their other hand to peel the pom-pom off.
Drop the rescued pom-pom into a container until the table is clear!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Small pom-poms and tape can be a choking hazard if placed in the mouth.

The Silver Trap Button Rescue

Steps:

Place a handful of colorful buttons at the bottom of a small bowl.
Tear a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to cover the bowl.
Wrap the foil tightly over the top of the bowl.
Use masking tape around the edges to keep the foil secure.
Use a pencil to poke five small holes in the foil.
Give your child a pair of tweezers to hold.
Ask them to hold the bowl steady with their helper hand.
Challenge them to fish the buttons out through the small holes!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Small buttons and tweezers can be a choking hazard. Keep all materials away from the mouth.

The Index Card Step Climber

Steps:

Fold four index cards in half so they look like little tents or steps.
Use masking tape to stick the bottom of the tents to a table.
Line them up in a row so they look like a staircase.
Use a marker to draw a small target dot on each tent top.
Place a pile of colorful pom-poms at the bottom of the stairs.
Ask your child to pick up a pom-pom using their tweezers.
Challenge them to place the pom-pom on the first target dot.
Move the fuzzy ball up every step until it reaches the final dot!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Small pom-poms and tweezers can be a safety risk if used improperly. Keep materials away from the mouth.

The Stocking Marble Zone Trap

Steps:

Lay a long stocking flat on a table.
Use markers to draw three colorful Goal Zones along the stocking leg.
Drop one marble into the top of the stocking.
Use your helper hand to hold the stocking top up high.
Use the other hand to squeeze a clothespin open.
Clip the pin onto the stocking to trap the marble in a zone.
Remove the pin and try to catch the marble in a different zone!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Marbles are a serious choking hazard. Keep all small parts away from the mouth.