The Sticky Spiderweb Challenge

A preschool-aged boy practices eye-hand coordination by throwing a pom-pom at a homemade sticky web constructed from masking tape in a doorway

Steps:

  • Set up the spiderweb: Use masking tape to create a sticky ‘web’ across an open doorway or the entrance to a hallway. Make sure the sticky side faces outward into the room where the child will be throwing.”
  • “Place the basket of pom-poms about 3 to 5 feet away from the web (adjust distance based on your child’s skill). Encourage your child to throw the pom-poms and try to get them stuck on the web.”
  • “Once the pom-poms are stuck, transition the activity to retrieval. Have your child carefully use their fingers to peel the stuck items off the masking tape. They will likely need to use one hand to hold the tape still while the other hand pulls the pom-pom free!”
  • “Repeat the process until the basket is empty, then reload and start the challenge again!

Safety Tip:
Ensure the masking tape is placed at a safe height (not near face or neck level) and supervise closely, especially when children are standing or reaching near the doorframe.

Pillow Mountain Delivery Service

Pillow Mountain Delivery Service

Build a ‘Pillow Mountain’ obstacle path across your living room floor using 5-8 pillows. Arrange them so your child must step or jump carefully between them without touching the floor.

Beach Cup

Food Craft Beach Cup

This beach cup activity provides the child with a fun chance to build trust with new food items through play and creating.

You can substitute the different ingredients to make your own creation.

Preparation:

Step 1: Squeeze or scoop blue yogurt into a clear cup.

Step 2: Take 2 graham crackers and place them into a ziploc bag. Have the child squeeze, scrunch, and smash the graham crackers into “sand like” pieces.

Step 3: Pour the graham crackers on top of the yogurt.

Step 4: Ask your child to identify characteristics of food item, using their other senses. Provide them with the language to build that connection with the food in their brain.

Is it crunchy?
Is it smooth?
What does it smell like?

Step 5: Top off with an umbrella.

Tip: Cut off the pointed bottom part of the toothpick or assist as needed. Don’t forget the spoon!

Pincer Penguin

Pincer Penguin - featured

You will need black, white, and orange-colored pom-poms to create the body, head, wings, beak, and feet of the penguin.

Instruct the child to glue 1 large black pom-pom and 1 large white pom-pom together. This will be the body of the penguin.

Glue 2 small sized black pom-poms to the body. These will be the wings.

Glue 2 small-sized orange pom-poms to the other side of the body. These will be the feet.

Instruct the child to take a medium-size black pom-pom and glue a small-sized orange pom-pom on it. This will the beak.

Glue 2 wiggle eyes above the beak. This will be the head of the penguin.

Glue the head of the penguin to the body.

Rainbow of Skills

A four-year-old child practices fine motor skills by tearing colored construction paper to create a paper plate rainbow craft at a kitchen table.

For this activity, you will need to use a red, yellow, orange, green, blue, and purple construction paper.

Draw a line in the middle of the paper plate and have the child cut along the line you drew. Using the pen, draw 5 curves, spaced 1-inch from each other.

Draw a vertical line on each of the construction papers, making a 1-inch strip. Ask the child to cut along the lines you drew. Before the child tears the strips, ask him to arrange the strips in the correct order of the colors of the rainbow.

Have the child tear each strip into pieces. Encourage him to use both hands and tear the pieces from top to bottom. If you want to work more on scissors skills or visual-motor skills, you can draw lines on the strips (straight, crocked or curved) and have the child cut along the lines you drew.

Finally, have the child glue the small pieces onto the paper plate, using the curved lines you drew to place the colors in the correct order.