Skill: Proximal Stability

Strength and steadiness in the center of the body. A stable core and shoulders provide a solid base so the hands can be steady for writing or cutting.

The Upright Clip Fence

The Upright Clip Fence

Steps:

  • First, cut a rectangular piece of cardboard to use as your sturdy base.
  • Lay a long strip of masking tape across the cardboard with the sticky side up.
  • Secure the ends of the tape so the strip stays perfectly flat.
  • Use your markers to draw a winding path directly onto the sticky tape.
  • Hand your child the tweezers and a pile of colorful paper clips.
  • Challenge them to pick up a clip and press its narrow edge onto the tape.
  • They should follow the marker line until the path is covered with standing clips.
  • Once finished, they can use their fingers to pluck the clips off.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Small paper clips are a choking hazard, so keep them away from younger siblings.

The Wobbly Straw Slalom

The Wobbly Straw Slalom

Steps:

  • Roll several small balls of playdough and press them onto a table to make steady bases.
  • Cut your straws into pieces about four inches long.
  • Stick one straw piece vertically into each playdough base to create slalom poles.
  • Line up your poles in a straight or zigzag row.
  • Tie a single large bead to the end of a long piece of string to act as your weight.
  • Hold the string with both hands and weave the bead around each straw pole from start to finish.
  • Challenge your child to go faster or weave the string in a specific pattern you call out!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Beads and playdough are choking hazards, so keep them away from younger siblings.

Paper Cup Balance Track

Paper Cup Balance Track

Steps:

  • Line up six paper cups upside down in a row on a flat table.
  • Use masking tape to secure each cup base to the table so they do not move.
  • Use a bright marker to draw a simple line across the top of all the cups to create a path.
  • Place a ping pong ball on the first cup in the line.
  • Hand your child a spoon and ask them to hold it with their dominant hand.
  • Challenge them to use the spoon to gently push the ball along the marker path from one cup to the next.
  • See if they can reach the final cup without the ball falling off the track!
  • If the ball falls, have them pick it up using their pincer fingers and start again.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play to ensure they use the spoon and ball safely.

Double Cup Balloon Bop

Double Cup Balloon Bop

Steps:

  • Blow up a balloon and tie it securely to get things started.
  • Give your child two sturdy paper cups to use as paddles.
  • Have them hold one cup in each hand while standing in an open space.
  • Toss the balloon gently into the air to begin the game.
  • Ask your child to tap the balloon up using the bottom of either cup.
  • Challenge them to alternate hands by hitting it with the left cup and then the right.
  • See how many times they can keep the balloon in the air before it hits the ground!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise children during balloon play. Broken balloon pieces are a choking hazard and should be picked up and discarded immediately.

Buggy Rope Slide

Buggy Rope Slide

Steps:

  • Securely tape one end of the rope to the top of a stable doorway.
  • Let the other end of the rope hang down to the floor.
  • Use markers to draw small, silly bugs on the index cards.
  • Help your child slide a paper clip onto the edge of each card.
  • Place all the bug cards into a basket near the rope.
  • Ask your child to clip one bug onto the very bottom of the rope.
  • Challenge them to use both hands to slide the bug card all the way to the top!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play to ensure the rope is used safely and does not become tangled.