Fine Motor Control - Page 29 of 86

The Golf Tee Yarn Trail

Steps:

Place a block of Styrofoam on a flat table.
Use markers to draw several small circles on the foam.
Pick up a golf ball tee using your pinching fingers.
Push the tee straight down into one of the circles.
Repeat this until every circle has its own mountain.
Tie the end of a long piece of yarn to the first tee.
Guide the yarn around the other tees to make a trail.
Pull the yarn tight to see your colorful design!

Safety Tip:
Golf ball tees have sharp points. Please watch your child closely to keep them safe. Small items like tees and yarn can be a choking hazard.

Vertical Yarn Rescue Mission

Steps:

Tape a large piece of cardboard vertically onto a wall at your child’s shoulder height.
Place a small stuffed animal against the cardboard.
Crisscross long pieces of yarn over the toy to trap it against the board.
Use several strips of masking tape to secure the yarn ends to the cardboard edges.
Ask your child to stand in front of the board with their feet planted firmly.
Challenge them to rescue the toy by peeling the tape and unweaving the yarn.
Encourage them to use one hand to hold the toy and the other to pull the yarn.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child when using long pieces of yarn to prevent any risk of entanglement. Ensure the cardboard is taped securely so it does not fall.

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

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

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.