Motor Planning - Page 23 of 45

Foil Maze Marble Glide

Steps:

Lay out the aluminum foil pan on a flat table.
Take three pipe cleaners and bend them into curvy, wavy lines.
Use masking tape to secure the pipe cleaners inside the pan as walls.
Place a marble at one end of the winding path.
Use a pointer finger to gently push the marble through the maze.
Try to keep the marble inside the pipe cleaner borders the whole time.
When you finish, tilt the pan to roll the marble back to the start.

Safety Tip:
Marbles are a significant choking hazard. Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Ensure all marbles are collected and stored out of reach after the activity.

Putty Cord Threading Art

Steps:

Use markers to draw several small target dots randomly across the cardboard surface. Keep the cardboard stable with your helper hand.
Squeeze the hole puncher forcefully onto each marker dot. Punch 6 to 8 holes across the cardboard to create your weaving board.
Take a large lump of Theraputty. Use strong effort to roll the putty tightly into long, stiff, spaghetti-like cords.
Pick up one stiff putty cord. Hold the cardboard firmly steady with your non-dominant hand.
Challenge your child to use the stiff cord like a needle. Push the cord straight through one of the narrow punched holes. Pull it all the way through.
Continue threading and pushing the putty cords through the holes to create a colorful, textured design.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Theraputty/Playdough is a dense material and poses a choking hazard for children who still place items in their mouths. Ensure materials are used only as intended.

Heavy Paper Link Builders

Steps:

Tear the index cards into strips (about 1 inch wide). Encourage strong, controlled pulls for heavy work input.
Take one paper strip. Roll it tightly around a marker or a pencil, creating a dense cylinder. Slide the marker out.
Secure the dense paper cylinder tightly by wrapping masking tape completely around it. Press hard to create a firm ‘building block.’
Use markers to draw small connection dots onto the center of each paper block. Aim for four dots per block.
Pick up one pipe cleaner. Hold the first paper block steady with your helper hand.
Push the stiff pipe cleaner straight through one of the marked dots. Aim the pipe cleaner and thread it through a second block to link them. Twist the ends to secure the connection.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Small pieces of paper, masking tape, and cut pipe cleaners pose a significant choking hazard for children who still place objects in their mouths. Ensure materials are used only as intended.

Heavy Foil Rock Decorate

Steps:

Tear off a sheet of aluminum foil. Encourage your child to use both hands to tear the resistant foil into a large, manageable piece.
Use maximum hand force to crumple and squeeze the foil tightly. Form a dense, hard 3D rock shape (the ‘foundation’). Squeeze hard for heavy work input.
Place the finished foil rock securely onto the piece of cardboard base. This acts as a stable work surface.
Use the glue bottle to squeeze several small, controlled dots of liquid glue onto the foil rock surface.
Pick up one dry bean using a precise pincer grasp (thumb and pointer finger).
Carefully aim the bean at a wet glue dot. Press the bean firmly onto the resistant foil surface. Repeat until the foil rock is covered in textured dots.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Dry beans and small, dense foil pieces pose a significant choking hazard for children who still place items in their mouths. Ensure materials are used only as intended.

Foil Rod Twist Connect

Steps:

Tear off a piece of aluminum foil slightly larger than an index card.
Place the card on the foil. Wrap the card tightly and squeeze hard to form a dense, stiff foil rod.
Use a marker to draw a narrow slit (about 1.5 inches long) onto a separate index card. (Adult step: Carefully cut the slit using scissors).
Hold the slotted card firmly steady with your helper hand on the table.
Pick up the foil rod. Aim the end at the slit and use a continuous twisting motion to screw the rod through the resistant opening.
Twist the rod all the way through the slot to connect the two cards. Repeat to build a creative 3D foil sculpture!

Safety Tip:
Constant adult supervision is required. Adults must handle the scissors for preparation. Ensure the child compresses the foil tightly into dense balls or rods to avoid sharp edges. Collect all small foil pieces immediately after play.