The Button Logic Grid

The Button Logic Grid

Steps:

  • Use a marker to draw a three-by-three grid on the cardboard.
  • Collect nine buttons in three different colors from your container.
  • You will need three red, three blue, and three yellow ones.
  • Explain that each color only goes once in every row.
  • Each color also only goes once in every column.
  • Place one button in a corner to start the game.
  • Ask your child to place the rest of the buttons.
  • Encourage them to check their work for any double colors.
  • Check the final work together to see if it is correct!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Buttons are a choking hazard for younger siblings.

The Vertical Bead Zip-Line

The Vertical Bead Zip-Line

Steps:

  • Tape a large piece of cardboard vertically onto a wall.
  • Cut the paper roll into three small rings using scissors.
  • Tape the rings onto the cardboard in a vertical zigzag pattern.
  • Thread a long piece of yarn through all three rings.
  • Tape the top and bottom of the yarn to the cardboard.
  • Slide one large bead onto the yarn before taping the bottom.
  • Give your child a pipe cleaner to use as a poker.
  • Ask them to push the bead up through each ring.
  • Use the helper hand to keep the cardboard steady.

Safety Tip:
Ensure the cardboard is taped securely to the wall to prevent it from falling during play.

The Silver Foil Starry Night

The Silver Foil Starry Night

Steps:

  • Place a piece of flat cardboard inside the bottom of an aluminium foil pan.
  • Secure the cardboard with masking tape so it stays firmly in place.
  • Flip the pan over so the bottom is facing up toward your child.
  • Hand your child a golf ball tee and show them how to hold it like a pencil.
  • Encourage them to poke the tee through the foil to create small ‘stars’ across the pan.
  • Challenge them to poke holes to form a simple shape like a circle or a square!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child when using golf ball tees. They have pointed ends and should be handled with care. Ensure your child remains seated during the activity to prevent accidents.

The Foil Pan Hockey Challenge

The Foil Pan Hockey Challenge

Steps:

  • Use masking tape to mark a small goal at one end of the pan.
  • Place one marble at the opposite end of the pan.
  • Give your child a craft stick to use as a hockey stick.
  • Ask them to hold the pan with their helper hand to keep it still.
  • Use the other hand to push the marble toward the goal.
  • Navigate around obstacles made of tape or blocks!
  • See how many goals they can score in one minute.

Safety Tip:
Marbles are a significant choking hazard. Always supervise children during play and keep small parts away from younger siblings.

Cosmic Antenna Balance

Cosmic Antenna Balance

Steps:

  • Press a medium ball of playdough onto the center of a sturdy cardboard sheet to create the base.
  • Push three Q-Tips into the playdough at an angle to create a tripod stand.
  • Place a baking cup upside down on top of the three Q-Tip ends.
  • Gently rest a fourth Q-Tip across the flat bottom of the upside-down baking cup.
  • Carefully slide one paper clip onto each end of the horizontal Q-Tip to act as satellite dishes.
  • Challenge your child to add more paper clips without tipping the whole antenna over!

Safety Tip:
Ensure the structure is built on a flat, stable surface. Keep small parts away from younger siblings.