Proximal Stability - Page 5 of 44

The Cotton Ball Scoop Race

Steps:

Place a large bowl filled with cotton balls on a table in front of your child.
Set an empty basket a short distance away on the same table.
Hand your child a spoon and show them how to scoop up one cotton ball.
Encourage them to carry the ‘cloud’ on the spoon without letting it fall.
Ask them to drop the cotton ball gently into the empty basket.
Challenge them to fill the entire basket as fast as they can!
To add a challenge, move the basket further away to encourage longer reaching.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play to ensure they use the spoon safely. Keep all materials away from the mouth to prevent any risk.

The Coffee Filter Raindrop Race

Steps:

Place six baking cups in a circle on a large paper plate.
Fill a small bowl with water and add two drops of food coloring.
Lay one coffee filter flat across the top of all the baking cups.
Ask your child to hold the eyedropper with their thumb and pointer finger.
Squeeze the dropper to pick up some of the colored raindrops.
Carefully drop water onto the filter right over each cup target.
Watch the water soak through and try to fill each cup equally!

Safety Tip:
Food coloring and small cups can be messy. Always watch your child closely to make sure they do not drink the water.

Cosmic Tissue Bottle Push

Steps:

Adult: Give your child several sheets of colorful tissue paper.
Child: Tear the paper into small pieces using both hands.
Crumple each piece into a very tight, round ball.
Adult: Secure two pipe cleaners over the bottle mouth in an X shape.
Use masking tape to hold the pipe cleaners to the bottle sides.
Child: Hold the bottle steady with your helper hand.
Use your pinching fingers to pick up a paper ball.
Push the ball hard through the fuzzy pipe cleaner gate until it drops inside.

Safety Tip:
Tissue paper and pipe cleaners can be a choking hazard. Always supervise your child during play to keep them safe.

The Fuzzy Pipe Cleaner Bridges

Steps:

Tape your piece of cardboard flat on the table so it stays in one place while you play.
Use the hole puncher to make two columns of holes down the cardboard, leaving space in the middle.
Ask your child to pick up a pipe cleaner and push one end into a hole.
Show them how to slide a few colorful beads onto the pipe cleaner one at a time.
Help them bend the pipe cleaner and push the other end into a hole on the opposite side.
Keep going until you have a row of fuzzy, beaded bridges across your cardboard!

Safety Tip:
Beads and pipe cleaner pieces can be small. Always watch your child closely to make sure they do not put any materials in their mouth.

Baking Cup Hidden Bubble Pops

Steps:

Glue five baking cups onto a flat piece of cardboard.
Cut five small circles of bubble wrap to fit inside the cups.
Place a small dab of glue at the bottom of each cup.
Press the bubble wrap circles firmly into the glue.
Ask your child to use only their pointer finger to pop the bubbles.
Challenge them to use their other hand to hold the cardboard steady.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child to ensure they do not put small pieces of bubble wrap in their mouth.