Skill: Pincer Control

Using the tips of the thumb and index finger to pick up small objects. This delicate movement is used for eating finger foods, buttoning clothes, and eventually holding a pencil.

The Vertical Cloud Garden

Steps:

  • Help your child pick four colorful paper cups for their wall garden.
  • Use your masking tape to stick the bottom of each cup to a wall.
  • Make sure the cups are at your child’s shoulder height to work those muscles.
  • Place a basket of soft cotton balls on the floor nearby.
  • Give your child the tongs and show them how to squeeze and pick up one ball.
  • Challenge them to reach up and drop the cotton ball into a cup!
  • Try using only their left hand for two cups and their right hand for the others.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play to ensure they do not put cotton balls in their mouth.

The Foil Ring Noodle Slide

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 Foil Cupcake Scoop

The Foil Cupcake Scoop

Steps:

  • Tear off several small squares of aluminium foil using both hands.
  • Show your child how to crumple each foil square into a round ball to make ‘ice cream scoops.’
  • Place a baking cup on the table and have your child use their helper hand to hold it steady.
  • Use the spoon to scoop a foil ball and carefully place it inside the baking cup.
  • Once the ‘cupcake’ is in the cup, pick up a small bead using a pincer grasp (thumb and index finger).
  • Gently set the bead on top of the foil ball to act as a sprinkle.
  • Continue adding more ‘sprinkles’ until the cupcake is fully decorated!
  • Challenge your child to dump the cup and start again with a different colored bead.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child closely during play. Small beads and crumpled foil can be a choking hazard, so ensure they do not put any materials in their mouth.

The Cardboard Yarn Harp

The Cardboard Yarn Harp

Steps:

  • Use scissors to cut a large rectangle from your cardboard.
  • Cut a square out of the middle to make a frame.
  • Let your child decorate the cardboard frame using bright markers.
  • Tape one end of a piece of yarn to the back of the frame.
  • Wrap the yarn around the frame to create several harp strings.
  • Secure the other end of the yarn with masking tape.
  • Ask your child to hold the frame steady with their helper hand.
  • Challenge them to squeeze and clip clothespins onto the yarn strings.
  • Encourage them to cross their arm over to clip the opposite side!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child when they are using scissors. Ensure the cardboard edges are smooth to prevent minor scrapes.

The Fuzzy Felt Sorting Nest

The Fuzzy Felt Sorting Nest

Steps:

  • Use scissors to cut your colorful felt sheets into small, one-inch squares.
  • Use your markers to color the bottom of each cup in the egg carton a different color.
  • Place all the colorful felt squares into a pile on the table next to the egg carton.
  • Hand your child the tweezers and show them how to squeeze them with their thumb and pointer finger.
  • Challenge your child to pick up one felt square at a time using the tweezers.
  • Ask them to place the felt square into the egg carton cup that matches its color!
  • Repeat this playful process until all the felt pieces are sorted into their matching nests.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child when they are using scissors or handling small tweezers.