Skill: In-hand Manipulation

Moving an object around inside one hand without using the other hand to help. This skill lets children pick up a coin and move it to their fingertips to put it in a piggy bank or flip a pencil around to use the eraser.

Coil Wrap Precision

Coil Wrap Precision

Steps:

  • Use markers to color the craft sticks with different patterns or colors. This makes the finished product more visually appealing.
  • Place the colored craft stick flat on the table and hold it firmly with your helper hand to keep it from rolling (proximal stability).
  • Take one pipe cleaner. Use the fingertips of your dominant hand to tightly wrap the pipe cleaner around the craft stick, creating neat, tight coils.
  • Try to wrap the coil as close and tight as possible. When one pipe cleaner is finished, secure the end and wrap a new one until the stick is covered.
  • Open the container of small stickers. Use your precise pincer grasp to peel one sticker off the backing.
  • Challenge yourself to place the small sticker exactly onto one of the tight pipe cleaner coils. Use a firm press to secure it. Fill the coils with colorful stickers!

Safety Tip:
Ensure the child maintains good seated posture (feet flat on the floor) to support the fine motor movements. Check the ends of the pipe cleaners for sharp edges before starting.

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.

Ice Cube Handwash

Preparation:

Place toys and water in an ice tray, then freeze.
Inform others that this ice tray is for playing purposes only.

Play:

Step 1: Wash hands.

Step 2: Rub ice cubes under warm water.

Step 3: Continue until all toys break free.

Step 4: Dry toys.

Step 5: Dry hands.

Step 6: (If using letter beads, spell words). Sanitize toys safely & appropriately.

Step 7: Wash hands.

Step 8: Dry hands.

Warning:

Choking hazard. Supervise and assist as needed, as safety comes first. Use a strainer to avoid toys falling into the drain.

We hope this encourages more enjoyable time spent at the sink & boosts the motivation for those self-care skills!

Pincer Penguin

Pincer Penguin - featured

You will need black, white, and orange-colored pom-poms to create the body, head, wings, beak, and feet of the penguin.

Instruct the child to glue 1 large black pom-pom and 1 large white pom-pom together. This will be the body of the penguin.

Glue 2 small sized black pom-poms to the body. These will be the wings.

Glue 2 small-sized orange pom-poms to the other side of the body. These will be the feet.

Instruct the child to take a medium-size black pom-pom and glue a small-sized orange pom-pom on it. This will the beak.

Glue 2 wiggle eyes above the beak. This will be the head of the penguin.

Glue the head of the penguin to the body.

Acorn Stamper

Acorn Stamp

Draw an acorn on the construction paper (see images for example) or you can let the child trace an acorn stencil to promote fine motor control and visual-motor skills.

Let the child cut the acorn shape using scissors.

Using a piece of small sponge instruct the child to pinch it and dip it into the paint then stamp and paint the bottom part of the acorn cut out. You can also use q-tips or cotton balls to paint.

Encourage the child to fill in the entire bottom part of the acorn.

Have the child spread glue on the top part of the acorn.

Provide the child with a few dry leaves. Instruct the child to crumble the leaves inside the palm of his hand and then spread them on the glue. This will promote finger strength and finger translation.

You may also use beans to cover the top area of the acorn.