Fine Motor Control - Page 26 of 86

The Stocking Bean Bag Rescue

Steps:

Place one bean bag into the toe of a long stocking.
Hold the top of the stocking with your helper hand.
Use your dominant hand to find the bean bag through the fabric.
Use your fingers to pinch and push the bean bag up the leg.
Slide the bag all the way to the top opening.
Take the bean bag out and switch hands to try again!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Check the bean bag for any tears or loose beads before starting.

Butcher Paper Body Map

Steps:

Lay a long piece of butcher paper on the floor.
Use masking tape to secure the corners so it stays still.
Ask your child to lie down flat on their back on the paper.
Slowly trace around their whole body using a bright marker.
Have your child stand up and look at their twin on the paper.
Give them a sheet of stickers and ask them to place a sticker on their knees.
Challenge them to place stickers on their elbows, toes, and belly button too!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Stickers can be a choking hazard, so make sure they stay on the paper and not in the mouth.

The Felt Fish Hook Rescue

Steps:

Use your markers to draw 5 small fish shapes on your felt.
Carefully cut out the felt fish using your scissors.
Cut 5 tiny strips of cardboard, about 1 inch long each.
Glue the ends of a cardboard strip to a fish to make a small loop.
Repeat this for all 5 fish and place them inside your basket.
Take a pipe cleaner and twist one end into a small, sturdy hook.
Wrap the other end of the pipe cleaner around your child’s index finger.
Challenge your child to hold the basket steady with one hand.
Use the finger hook to snag a fish loop and lift it out!

Safety Tip:
Pipe cleaners have wire ends. Ensure the ends are curled inward or covered with tape to prevent scratches.

The Foil Pan Bead Toss

Steps:

Place the aluminium foil pan on a flat table or a waterproof surface.
Fill the pan about halfway with cool water to create a shallow pond.
Ask your child to stand a few steps away from the pan.
Give them a handful of colorful beads to hold in one hand.
Challenge them to toss the beads one by one into the water pan.
Once all the beads are in the water, give your child a spoon.
Ask them to use their dominant hand to scoop up one bead at a time.
Have them carefully carry the bead on the spoon to a nearby bowl.
Try to see how fast they can rescue all the beads from the pond!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during water play to prevent any accidents. Beads are a significant choking hazard, so keep them away from children who still put objects in their mouth.

The Foil Pan Color Pond

Steps:

Fill three paper cups halfway with cool water and add two drops of different food coloring to each.
Place the empty aluminium foil pan onto a flat table or a waterproof surface.
Ask your child to hold the eyedropper using their thumb and pointer finger.
Challenge them to suck up the colored water from a cup and carefully move it over to the pan.
Have your child use their other hand to hold the edge of the pan to keep it still.
Encourage them to release small drops into the pan to create colorful patterns or ‘ponds.’
Try to mix colors together in the pan to see what new colors appear!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during water play. Ensure that food coloring is handled carefully to prevent staining of clothes or household surfaces.