Visual Motor - Page 34 of 51

Fuzzy Target Toss

Preschool girl practices crossing midline by peeling pom-poms off a velcro felt target taped to a kitchen cabinet door for shoulder strengthening.

Prepare your materials! Place a small circle of Velcro (the hook side is usually best) on the back of several pom-poms. Place the loop side of the Velcro on a large piece of Felt to create your target.

Use Masking Tape to secure the Felt target to a vertical surface, like a door or the side of a tall bookshelf.

Place the target high enough so your child has to reach up or slightly across their body to aim.

Have your child stand back a few feet and gently toss the pom-poms at the target. Cheer them on as they try to get the fuzzy items to stick!

After all the pom-poms are tossed, have your child practice peeling them off. Encourage them to use both hands—one to stabilize the felt, and the other to peel the pom-pom.

Safety Tip:
Ensure the target surface is stable. If your child is jumping or reaching high, spot them gently. Always supervise to ensure pom-poms are not placed in the mouth.

Sequin Push Maze

Steps:

Use a marker to draw a winding path or simple maze onto the foam sheet.
Place the foam sheet flat on the table. Ask your child to hold the sheet steady with their helper hand.
Put a small pile of colorful sequins at the starting point of the maze.
Challenge your child to pick up one sequin using a strong pincer grasp.
Switch grip: Use only the tip of their pointer finger to gently push the sequin along the drawn line to the finish.
The child must use steady pressure and friction to keep the sequin moving without flying off the foam.

Safety Tip:
Sequins are very small objects. Close adult supervision is required throughout the activity as they pose a significant choking hazard for children under five.

Paper Plate Fortress

Steps:

Gather your materials: a paper plate (this is your foundation), several index cards, and a roll of masking tape. Keep the scissors nearby for cutting tape.
Challenge your child to fold the index cards into structural shapes, such as folding them into thirds lengthwise to create strong triangular pillars, or curling them into a cylinder and securing the edge. Focus on making precise, sharp folds!
Encourage them to cut small, manageable pieces of masking tape and use these to secure the folds, ensuring the structures are stable and strong enough to support weight.
Using the paper plate as a base, have your child construct a sturdy ‘fortress’ or tower by taping the folded index card pieces together and attaching them securely to the plate. How tall can they make it?

Safety Tip:
Ensure your child is using age-appropriate scissors safely and maintaining good sitting posture (feet flat on the floor, elbows resting comfortably on the table) to maximize fine motor control.

Cardboard Punch Art

Steps:

Decorate a small cardboard square using the markers. Draw simple lines or fun shapes on your canvas.
Place the cardboard flat on a sturdy table. Hold it firmly with your helper hand for stability.
Take the hole puncher and aim it at the cardboard. Squeeze hard to punch holes all over the decorated piece.
Try using only your dominant hand to squeeze the puncher. The cardboard provides great resistance!
Gather the pipe cleaners from the container. Curl one end of a pipe cleaner into a loop to create a dull ‘needle.’
Thread the pipe cleaner through the punched holes. Create colorful patterns as you weave in and out.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise this activity closely. Hole punchers can pinch fingers if hands are misplaced. The small cardboard punch-outs and pipe cleaner pieces are small objects. They pose a choking hazard for children under five.

Precision Bead Path

Steps:

Draw a simple winding path or grid onto the index card using a marker.
Make small, uniform dots along the drawn path to create targets.
Carefully place tiny dots of liquid glue onto each marker target dot.
Use a strong pincer grasp (thumb and index finger) to pick up one bead.
Stabilize the card with the helper hand. Precisely place the bead directly onto the wet glue dot.
Continue working to fill the entire dotted path until your design is complete.

Safety Tip:
Beads are very small and pose a serious choking hazard for children under five. Maintain constant, direct adult supervision throughout this activity. Ensure all materials are collected and stored safely after play.