Skill: Forearm Supination

Turning the forearm so the palm faces up. This movement allows children to hold a bowl of soup, catch a ball with two hands, or wash their face.

Cap Twister Rings

Cap Twister Rings

Steps:

  • Prep: An adult should cut the pipe cleaners into small 4-inch strips. Place the container and the strips on the table.
  • Show the child how to firmly hold the body of the plastic container steady with one hand (the helper hand) to ensure it doesn’t move.
  • Demonstrate how to take a pipe cleaner strip and use the fingertips of the other hand to tightly twist and wrap it around the ridges of the container cap, creating a tight ring.
  • Challenge the child to continue wrapping the pipe cleaner strips until the entire cap is covered in colorful, tight rings.
  • For extra practice, encourage the child to use the opposite rotation (untwisting and unwinding) to remove all the pipe cleaner rings before starting the challenge again.

Safety Tip:
Adult supervision is required. Since this activity involves pipe cleaners cut into small pieces, they can pose a potential choking hazard and should be immediately collected and stored safely after the activity.

Foil Drip Maze

Foil Drip Maze

Steps:

  • Prepare the maze surface: Cover a flat piece of cardboard entirely with aluminum foil, crimping the edges up slightly to create a sturdy, shallow tray (this is your waterproof maze board).
  • Use markers to draw a simple maze or a winding path on the foil surface. Draw a start circle and a finish circle for the water drop to travel between.
  • Mix a small amount of water with food coloring in a container. Demonstrate how to load the eyedropper by squeezing the bulb using a neat pincer grasp (thumb and index finger) and drawing up the colored water.
  • Challenge your child to hold the eyedropper over the start circle and release a single drop. Then, they must carefully angle the tray (bilateral hands) and/or use the eyedropper to push the drop along the marker-drawn path to the finish line, practicing fine control and precision.

Safety Tip:
Ensure close supervision as small objects (like eyedropper parts) and colored water are used. Always supervise to prevent ingestion of materials.

Screw Tower Twist

Steps:

  • Adult Prep: Use a pencil to poke 4 to 6 holes in the cardboard. The holes should be slightly smaller than the bolts for good resistance.
  • Place the cardboard on the table. Use the marker to draw a simple circle around each hole to create a target zone.
  • Challenge your child to hold the cardboard firmly with one hand (the helper hand) to stabilize it on the table.
  • Using their dominant hand, push a bolt straight through a target hole until only the threads stick out the back.
  • Carefully thread a matching nut onto the bolt. Use repeated forearm twisting (like turning a key) to tighten the nut down to the cardboard surface.
  • Once the nut is tight, try unscrewing and removing all pieces to repeat the challenge.

Safety Tip:
Nuts and bolts are very small and pose a choking hazard. Always supervise the child closely during this activity. Ensure all pieces are collected and stored safely after playtime.

Roller Path Painting

Roller Path Painting

Steps:

  • Use a marker to draw a simple, winding path, large circle, or thick zigzag line onto the surface of the paper plate.
  • Prepare the paint station: Pour a small amount of tempera paint into a shallow container. Use a paper roll (like a toilet paper roll) as your ‘paint roller.’
  • Show your child how to hold the paper roll vertically, using their fingertips like a handle. They should aim to keep their wrist slightly bent backward (extended).
  • Have your child dip just the end of the paper roll into the paint, then transfer it to the paper plate.
  • Challenge your child to roll the painted end of the tube precisely along the marked path. They must use wrist and forearm movements to steer the roller and stay on the line.
  • Try rolling back and forth along the same path until the line is completely covered in color.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise young children closely during painting activities. Ensure all paint used is non-toxic and washable. Monitor to ensure the paper roll pieces are not put in the mouth.

Twisty Cap Match

Twisty Cap Match

Steps:

  • Use markers to draw matching colors or simple patterns (like stripes or dots) onto the plastic bottle caps and the tops of the bottles.
  • Place one small button inside each empty plastic bottle. This gives auditory feedback when the cap is removed.
  • Challenge your child to hold the bottle firmly with their helper hand to keep it stable on the table.
  • Use the dominant hand to pick up the cap and twist it tightly onto the matching bottle. Focus on smooth, repetitive wrist twisting.
  • Once all caps are on, practice twisting them off quickly to ‘rescue’ the buttons inside. Put the buttons back in the container to start a new round.

Safety Tip:
Buttons are small items. Always supervise children closely during this activity to prevent a choking hazard.