Motor Planning - Page 3 of 45

The Ziplock Air Launcher

Steps:

Cut a small rectangle of construction paper and wrap it around a straw.
Use a tiny piece of masking tape to secure the paper into a tube.
Tape one end of the tube shut to create the rocket nose.
Slide the straw into the corner of a Ziplock bag.
Seal the bag and use tape to make the opening airtight.
Place the paper rocket over the end of the straw.
Use both hands to give the bag a fast squeeze to launch the rocket!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Ensure the paper rocket is not aimed at faces or people.

The Cardboard Shutter-Bug Camera

Steps:

Help your child cut a square hole in the middle of a sturdy cardboard piece.
Decorate the front of the camera with colorful markers and fun lens designs.
Tape a drawing of a funny face or animal behind the hole on the back.
Take two index cards and place them over the hole on the front side.
Tape only the far left and far right edges of the cards to the cardboard.
Ask your child to use their index fingers to pull the doors open from the center.
They can see the hidden photo and then push the doors shut again!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child while they use scissors. Make sure the cardboard edges are smooth to prevent any small scratches.

The Foil Ring Noodle Slide

Girl sliding a foil ring down a pool noodle toward a colored marker stripe in a backyard

Steps:

Tear off five squares of aluminium foil about the size of a piece of bread.
Show your child how to roll each foil square into a long, thin snake.
Bend the foil snake into a circle and twist the ends to make a ring.
Use markers to draw different colored stripes on your pool noodle to create targets.
Ask your child to hold the pool noodle with one hand.
Use the other hand to slide a foil ring onto the end of the noodle.
Challenge them to slide the ring all the way to a matching color stripe!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Aluminium foil can have thin edges and small pieces can be a choking hazard.

The Straw Rocket Blast

Steps:

Use your scissors to cut a small rectangle of paper, about three inches wide.
Wrap the paper tightly around a pencil to form a neat tube.
Use a small piece of masking tape to secure the paper tube so it does not unroll.
Pinch one open end of the paper tube and fold it down tightly.
Use another piece of tape to seal this folded end completely to make the rocket nose.
Slide the open end of your paper rocket over the end of a straw.
Take a deep breath and blow hard through the straw to launch your rocket!

Safety Tip:
Supervise your child closely while they use scissors. Ensure they do not run while holding the straws or pencils.

The Finger Puppet Road Trip

Steps:

Use scissors to cut a small strip of construction paper, about two inches long.
Wrap the paper strip around your child’s index finger to make a cozy ring puppet.
Use your markers to draw a silly smiley face on the paper puppet ring.
Take a large piece of cardboard and draw a winding, curvy road across it.
Place several colorful stickers at different points along the curvy cardboard road.
Have your child hold the cardboard flat with their helper hand to keep it steady.
Slide the paper puppet onto your child’s index finger of their dominant hand.
Ask them to tuck their other three fingers and thumb tightly into their palm.
Challenge them to walk their puppet along the road, stopping to press each sticker!

Safety Tip:
Supervise your child closely while they are using scissors to cut the paper strip. Ensure the cardboard has smooth edges to prevent any minor scrapes.