Pincer Grasp - Page 2 of 46

The Foil Pan Color Pond

Steps:

Fill three paper cups halfway with cool water and add two drops of different food coloring to each.
Place the empty aluminium foil pan onto a flat table or a waterproof surface.
Ask your child to hold the eyedropper using their thumb and pointer finger.
Challenge them to suck up the colored water from a cup and carefully move it over to the pan.
Have your child use their other hand to hold the edge of the pan to keep it still.
Encourage them to release small drops into the pan to create colorful patterns or ‘ponds.’
Try to mix colors together in the pan to see what new colors appear!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during water play. Ensure that food coloring is handled carefully to prevent staining of clothes or household surfaces.

The Floating Island Bean Drop

Steps:

Fill the aluminium foil pan halfway with cool water to create your ‘ocean.’
Place the sponge gently into the water so it floats like a tiny island.
Put a handful of dry beans into a small bowl next to the pan.
Show your toddler how to pick up one bean using their thumb and pointer finger.
Encourage your child to carefully set the bean onto the center of the floating sponge.
Watch as the sponge bobs and tilts with each new bean added!
Challenge them to see how many beans the island can hold before it gets too heavy.
When finished, they can use their fingers to scoop the beans off the sponge.

Safety Tip:
CHOKING HAZARD: Beans are small and pose a risk. Always supervise your toddler closely and store materials safely after play.

The Paper Roll Marble Plunge

Steps:

Use a marker to draw three small ‘X’ marks on the side of your long paper roll.
Have an adult help you poke a small hole through each ‘X’ mark using a pencil tip.
Push one craft stick through each hole so it stretches all the way across the inside of the tube.
Wrap a piece of masking tape over the bottom of the paper roll to seal it shut tightly.
Stand the roll upright inside a plastic container and drop five marbles into the top of the tube.
Slowly pull the bottom craft stick out and listen for the marbles to drop to the next level.
Remove the remaining sticks one by one until all the marbles are resting on the bottom tape.
Peel the tape away to let the marbles plunge into the container for a grand finale!

Safety Tip:
Marbles are a major choking hazard. This activity is for school-age children, but always keep marbles away from younger siblings.

The Foil Pancake Button Press

Steps:

Tear off a large sheet of aluminum foil using both of your hands.
Encourage your toddler to crumple the foil into a flat, thick pancake shape.
Place the foil pancake inside the aluminum foil pan or onto a piece of cardboard for stability.
Give your child a handful of colorful buttons from your collection.
Ask them to use their pointer finger and thumb to pick up one button at a time.
Challenge your toddler to press each button firmly into the surface of the foil pancake.
Watch as the foil wraps slightly around the edges to hold the buttons in place!

Safety Tip:
CHOKING HAZARD: Buttons are small and pose a risk. Always supervise your child closely during this activity. Ensure all buttons are put away safely once you are finished playing.

The Hanger Button Rescue

Steps:

Take a plastic hanger and wrap several strips of masking tape around the bottom bar.
Ensure the sticky side of the tape is facing out toward your child.
Press ten colorful buttons onto the sticky tape at different spots.
Have your child hold the top of the hanger with one hand to stabilize it.
Use the other hand to carefully peel each button off the tape using a pinch.
Have them drop each rescued button into a nearby plastic container.

Safety Tip:
Buttons are a significant choking hazard. Always supervise your child during play and ensure all buttons are stored safely after the activity.