Proximal Stability - Page 17 of 44

Splash Goal Ball Push

Steps:

Tear four long strips of masking tape.
Tape them to a piece of cardboard to make a square goal.
Put the cardboard on a flat, water-safe surface.
Fill the trigger style spray bottle with plain water.
Place a ping pong ball near the start of the cardboard.
Ask your child to squeeze the trigger to spray the ball.
They must aim the stream to push the ball into the goal.
Try moving the ball back to increase the difficulty.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise water play. Ensure the floor is dry to prevent slips.

Banded Bottle Bean Slider

Steps:

Take the plastic bottle and wrap four pipe cleaners tightly around the middle section.
Use small pieces of masking tape to secure the ends of the pipe cleaners so they do not slide around.
Place one dry bean at the very bottom of the bottle.
Hold the bottle firmly with your helper hand to keep it from moving on the table.
Use your thumb and pointer finger to slide the bean up the bottle, pushing it underneath the first tight pipe cleaner band.
Continue sliding and pushing the bean past every band until it reaches the top of the bottle.
Try to see how fast you can do it without the bean popping out from under your finger!

Safety Tip:
Constant adult supervision is required. Dry beans are small objects and pose a significant choking hazard. Ensure all materials are collected and stored safely after play.

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.

Cardboard Tunnel Connectors

Steps:

Use markers to draw several long strips (about 1 inch wide) onto the sturdy cardboard.
Challenge your child to use both hands to roll one cardboard strip tightly into a narrow tube or ‘tunnel.’ Secure the tube seam completely with masking tape.
Repeat this process until you have four or five finished cardboard tubes. Encourage tight rolling for resistance.
Take two pipe cleaners and twist them together tightly to create one stiff, thick connector stick. Repeat this step for each join you plan to make.
Ask your child to hold one cardboard tube firmly steady with their helper hand. Push one stiff connector halfway into the end of the first tube.
Pick up a second cardboard tube. Use a strong, controlled push to slide the second tube onto the exposed end of the connector. Continue joining the tubes to build a long, rigid tunnel structure.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Pipe cleaners are small materials and pose a choking hazard for children who still place objects in their mouths. Adults should manage the scissors for cutting the cardboard strips.

Spiral Twist Core Threading

Steps:

Adult Step: Secure the paper roll horizontally onto the cardboard base using strong masking tape. This creates a stable ‘dowel’ for twisting.
Use the markers to draw colorful stripes or dots onto several index cards. Cut the decorated cards into long, narrow strips (about 1/2 inch wide).
Take one paper strip. Use your fingertips to curl and twist the strip tightly around itself to create a stiff, narrow spiral shape.
Secure the end of the paper spiral with a small amount of glue to keep the resistant shape from unrolling. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make a pile of colorful spirals.
Hold the cardboard base firmly steady with your non-dominant hand. Pick up a paper spiral with your working hand.
Aim the spiral at the paper roll. Use a continuous twisting motion (like screwing in a lightbulb) to thread the spiral onto the roll, pushing it along the core.
Continue twisting and pushing the colorful spirals until the entire paper roll is covered in dense, textured art. Then, try unwinding them!

Safety Tip:
Constant adult supervision is required. Adults should manage the scissors for preparation. Ensure the child remains seated stably to focus on the fine motor movements and to prevent the board from tipping.