Skill: Upper Body Strength

Strong muscles in the arms, chest, and back help children with everyday tasks like carrying a backpack, climbing on the playground, or maintaining good posture while sitting at a desk.

Water Wipe Tracing

Water Wipe Tracing

Steps:

  • Draw 3-4 large shapes (circle, square, triangle) on the chalkboard or vertical board using chalk or a marker.
  • Fill the spray bottle with water. Ensure the nozzle is set to stream, not mist, to provide resistance.
  • Challenge your child to hold the bottle with both hands first, then switch to one hand. Focus on using strong fingers to squeeze the trigger.
  • Aim the water stream at the drawn shapes. Spray directly onto the lines, “erasing” them by following the path.
  • Encourage strong, controlled squeezes to strengthen the hand muscles.

Safety Tip:
Supervise the activity closely to ensure water is not sprayed toward faces. Ensure the child stands stably while reaching for the vertical surface.

The Sticky Spider Crawl Maze

Set up a ‘web’ area by placing two large boxes or firm pillows a few feet apart. Use masking tape to string yarn back and forth between the two structures, creating a low, crisscrossing maze pattern (the sticky spider web).

The goal is to cross from one side to the other. You can grade the activity up and down by spacing the spider webs.

Vertical Brick Layers

Find a safe vertical surface, like a sliding glass door, or just a regular wall. Use the masking tape to create a square “construction zone” frame on the surface, right at your child’s eye level.

Have your child pinch off small pieces of playdough and roll them into little balls using their thumb and index finger (this is the “cement”).

Ask your child to stick a playdough ball onto the back of a craft stick (the “brick”).

Now, have them press the craft stick firmly onto the wall inside the taped zone so it sticks. Challenge them to build straight rows of bricks from the bottom up to fill the whole square!

Safety Tip: Always supervise to ensure playdough is not eaten. Test a small piece of masking tape on your wall first to make sure it doesn’t damage paint or wallpaper when removed.

Foil Ball Toss

Foil Ball Toss

Steps:

  • Set up the target: Place the Aluminium Foil Pan (or a sturdy Container) on the floor a few feet away. Use Masking Tape to mark a “Foil Launcher Line” where the child must stand.
  • Give the child a sheet of Aluminium Foil. Encourage them to use both hands to tear off a medium-sized piece. Tearing this resistant material is a great workout!
  • Challenge the child to crumple the foil piece into the tightest, smallest ball they can using only their fingertips, focusing on squeezing hard to create a dense ‘golf ball’.
  • Have the child stand behind the line and toss their heavy foil ball into the target pan. Practice aiming and grading the force of the throw. Count how many they make!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise this activity closely. Ensure the child fully crumples the foil pieces before tossing to avoid sharp edges. Collect all small foil balls after play to prevent choking hazards or ingestion by pets.

Foil Smash Target

Foil Smash Target

Steps:

  • Set up the target zone: Tape a large piece of Construction Paper vertically to a door or wall at your child’s chest height. Use Masking Tape to create a fun target shape (like a star or circle) on the paper, making sure the sticky side faces OUT toward the child.
  • Prep the ‘ammo’: Give the child a sheet of Aluminium Foil. Encourage them to use both hands to tear the foil into small, postage-stamp-sized pieces. Tearing foil requires great strength!
  • Crumple and compress: Challenge the child to take each foil piece and squeeze it into the tightest, densest little ball (a ‘foil marble’) they can make, using only their fingertips. Place the finished balls in a Plastic Container.
  • Get into position: Have your child lie on their tummy on the floor (prone position) directly facing the sticky target. Their shoulders and elbows should be supporting their weight.
  • Smash the target: Ask the child to pick up one foil marble at a time and use a firm, whole-hand push to stick it onto the exposed sticky tape. Try to cover the entire target zone with heavy foil balls!

Safety Tip:
Due to the potential choking risk associated with small, dense foil balls, constant adult supervision is required. Ensure the child maintains a safe, stable prone position and does not lift their hips too high.