Pincer Control - Page 2 of 23

The Foil Pond Tongs Task

Steps:

Lay a sheet of cardboard on a flat table.
Draw four large blue circles on the cardboard with your markers.
Tear off four squares of aluminium foil using both hands together.
Crumple each foil square into a small, shallow bowl shape.
Place one foil bowl inside each blue circle on the cardboard.
Give your child a pair of tongs and a container of pom-poms.
Ask them to squeeze the tongs to pick up one pom-pom.
Carefully drop the pom-pom into a foil pond.
Challenge them to fill every pond without tipping the foil bowls over!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Small beads and pom-poms can be a choking hazard.

The Index Card Tweezer Tunnel

Steps:

Fold three index cards into arches to make small tunnels.
Tape the arches in a straight line onto a flat table.
Place a colorful bead at the start of the tunnel row.
Ask your child to hold the table surface with their helper hand.
Use the tweezers to push the bead all the way through the line.
Finally, use the tweezers to pick up the bead and drop it into a cup.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Small beads are a choking hazard. Keep all materials away from the mouth.

The Spiky Paper Roll Tower

Steps:

Use your markers to draw several colorful dots on an empty paper roll.
Help your child use the hole puncher to click a hole through every dot.
Use masking tape to stick the bottom of the paper roll to a flat cardboard base.
Ask your child to hold the base steady with their helper hand.
Use the other hand to slide a straw through one hole and out a hole on the other side.
Continue until the paper roll looks like a spiky tower full of straws.
Use a pincer grasp to carefully place one bead on the end of every straw!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Small beads and cut straw pieces are choking hazards. Keep all materials away from the mouth.

The Pipe Cleaner Bottle Hook

Steps:

Place an empty plastic bottle on a stable table.
Have your child use their pinching fingers to drop ten colorful beads into the bottle.
Give them a pipe cleaner and help them bend the tip into a small hook.
Ask your child to hold the bottle steady with their non-dominant helper hand.
Challenge them to lower the hook into the bottle and catch a bead.
Carefully pull the hooked bead all the way out through the narrow opening!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Small beads are a choking hazard and should be kept away from mouths.

The Cardboard Key Turn Challenge

Steps:

Find an empty shoe box and use your markers to draw a small keyhole circle on one side.
Help your child use the scissors to cut a narrow slit right through the center of that circle.
Open the box and press a large lump of playdough firmly against the inside wall behind the hole.
Close the lid and use your markers to decorate a craft stick to look like a colorful magic key.
Ask your child to hold the box steady with one hand while they aim the key into the hole.
Challenge them to push the stick into the playdough and twist it back and forth like a key!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child when they are using scissors to cut the cardboard. Make sure the playdough stays inside the box and is not put in the mouth.