Skill: Visual Motor

How the eyes and hands work together as a team. This is essential for tasks where movement is guided by vision, like catching a ball, cutting on a line, or staying within the lines when coloring.

Cardboard Punch Art

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

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.

Noodle Mountain Roll

A preschool girl guiding a tennis ball down a vertical DIY pool noodle track taped to cardboard. She is using bilateral hand use and focusing intently; A close-up view of a child crossing midline to reach the top of a homemade pool noodle ball ramp secured with colorful masking tape in a kitchen setting.

Steps:

  • An adult should safely cut the pool noodle lengthwise to create a long U-shaped channel (this will be your ramp).
  • Help your child use masking tape to secure the pool noodle ramps onto a large piece of standing cardboard or a sturdy wall in a zigzag or spiral pattern. Make sure the segments line up so the tennis ball can transfer easily.
  • Have your child stand centered in front of the track. Encourage them to start the tennis ball at the top, using both hands together to place the ball gently into the ramp opening.
  • As the ball rolls down, encourage them to follow the ball visually and use one hand to stabilize the cardboard wall (or the noodle itself) while the other hand reaches across their body (crossing midline) to catch the ball or guide it into the next section.

Safety Tip:
Ensure the cardboard or base used for the track is stable and cannot tip over or fall onto the child. Always supervise standing activities.

Color Drop Towers

Color Drop Towers

Steps:

  • Prepare the ‘towers’: Press a large lump of playdough firmly into the bottom of a Paper Cup or container. Flip the cup upside down so the playdough forms a stable base on the outside top.
  • Insert 6-8 Golf Ball Tees into the playdough base, blunt end first, so the narrow, hollow end points straight up (these are the ‘towers’ that need filling).
  • Create the colors: Fill several small bowls or Paper Cups with water and add a few drops of different Food Coloring to each one.
  • Show your child how to hold the eyedropper using their thumb and pointer finger (pincer grip) to suck up the colored water, reminding them to squeeze slowly for control.
  • Challenge your child to aim the dropper directly over one of the empty tee towers and release one drop of liquid at a time, slowly filling the narrow space. Try mixing colors by dropping red, then blue, into the same tower to watch them blend!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise closely. Ensure the child understands that the golf tees and playdough are not for eating or placing near the face.

Tower Sticker Challenge

Tower Sticker Challenge

Steps:

  • Prepare the target: Stack 3 to 4 empty Boxes on top of each other to create a stable, eye-level tower. Cover the tower sides with Paper and secure the paper firmly using Masking Tape.
  • Pre-peel the Stickers: Carefully peel most of the backing off 10-15 large Stickers (like dot stickers or large shapes) and place them securely onto the edge of the table or highchair tray, leaving a small corner for the child to grasp.
  • Challenge the Pincer Grasp: Encourage your child to use only their thumb and pointer finger to peel the rest of the Sticker off the table edge.
  • Attach the Stickers: Guide the child to walk over to the tower. Encourage them to use their helper hand to stabilize the Box while the dominant hand presses the sticker firmly onto the paper surface. Try to cover all sides of the tower!

Safety Tip:
Due to the risk of choking, constant, close adult supervision is required during this activity, as small stickers and paper pieces can easily be placed in the mouth by toddlers.