Skill: Fine Motor Control

Using the small muscles in the hands and wrists to make precise movements. This is the foundation for almost all school tasks, like drawing, writing, and using tools.

The Pipe Cleaner Mirror Match

The Pipe Cleaner Mirror Match

Steps:

  • Tape a large sheet of butcher paper to the table.
  • Use a marker to draw a straight line down the middle of the paper.
  • Take one pipe cleaner and bend it into a simple shape like a zigzag.
  • Tape your shape onto the left side of the center line.
  • Give your child a second pipe cleaner of the same length.
  • Ask them to bend their pipe cleaner to match your shape exactly.
  • Have them tape their finished shape on the right side of the line.

Safety Tip:
Supervise your child to ensure the metal ends of the pipe cleaners are handled carefully to avoid pokes.

The Texture Match Mailbox

The Texture Match Mailbox

Steps:

  • Help your child cut three small rectangles from the felt, fabric, and foil.
  • Glue one of these texture samples next to a small slot you cut in the shoe box lid.
  • Cut several more small scraps of each material and put them in a pile.
  • Ask your child to feel a texture on the lid first.
  • Challenge them to find the matching scrap from the pile using their eyes and hands.
  • Once they find a match, have them push it through the correct slot!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child while they are using scissors. Ensure all material scraps are large enough to be handled safely and not placed in the mouth.

The Sticky Ribbon Rainbow Reach

The Sticky Ribbon Rainbow Reach

Steps:

  • Tape a large piece of cardboard vertically to a wall at your child’s eye level.
  • Cut five strips of colorful ribbon, each about six inches long.
  • Use masking tape to stick only the top end of each ribbon to the far left side of the cardboard.
  • Place five small pieces of tape, sticky side out, on the far right side of the cardboard.
  • Have your child stand in the center of the board.
  • Ask them to reach across with their right hand to grab a ribbon from the left.
  • They must pull it across and stick it to the matching tape on the right!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play to ensure the ribbon and tape are handled safely.

Styrofoam Bolt Builder

Styrofoam Bolt Builder

Steps:

  • Lay a flat Styrofoam block on your table.
  • Use markers to draw a simple robot or house shape on the top.
  • Poke several small holes along the lines of your drawing using a pencil.
  • Pick up a long bolt and push it through one of the holes.
  • Reach under the foam with your other hand.
  • Use your fingertips to find the end of the bolt without looking.
  • Twist a nut onto the bolt until it is tight against the foam.
  • Repeat this for every hole until your structure is full of metal parts!
  • Stack a few wooden blocks on the bolts to see what you can build.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Small nuts and bolts are a choking hazard. Ensure the pencil used for poking holes is handled safely.

The Foil Pond Tongs Task

The Foil Pond Tongs Task

Steps:

  • Lay a sheet of cardboard on a flat table.
  • Draw four large blue circles on the cardboard with your markers.
  • Tear off four squares of aluminium foil using both hands together.
  • Crumple each foil square into a small, shallow bowl shape.
  • Place one foil bowl inside each blue circle on the cardboard.
  • Give your child a pair of tongs and a container of pom-poms.
  • Ask them to squeeze the tongs to pick up one pom-pom.
  • Carefully drop the pom-pom into a foil pond.
  • Challenge them to fill every pond without tipping the foil bowls over!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Small beads and pom-poms can be a choking hazard.