The Cardboard Castle Squeezer

The Cardboard Castle Squeezer

Steps:

  • Find a large, flat piece of sturdy cardboard to be your castle base.
  • Draw four or five narrow rectangles on the cardboard using your markers.
  • Ask an adult to help you cut out these rectangular slots using scissors.
  • Ensure each slot is slightly narrower than the width of a paper cup.
  • Give your child several paper cups and encourage them to decorate the cups.
  • Show them how to use both hands to squeeze a cup until it is flat.
  • Challenge your child to push the flattened cup through a narrow slot.
  • Once through, the cup will pop open slightly to stay inside the castle!
  • Repeat this until all the castle towers are securely in place.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise children when using scissors. Ensure the cardboard has smooth edges to prevent scratches during the pushing movement.

Butcher Paper Body Map

Butcher Paper Body Map

Steps:

  • Lay a long piece of butcher paper on the floor.
  • Use masking tape to secure the corners so it stays still.
  • Ask your child to lie down flat on their back on the paper.
  • Slowly trace around their whole body using a bright marker.
  • Have your child stand up and look at their twin on the paper.
  • Give them a sheet of stickers and ask them to place a sticker on their knees.
  • Challenge them to place stickers on their elbows, toes, and belly button too!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Stickers can be a choking hazard, so make sure they stay on the paper and not in the mouth.

The Wobbly Ribbon Tunnel Run

The Wobbly Ribbon Tunnel Run

Steps:

  • Cut five short pieces of colorful ribbon using your scissors.
  • Tape both ends of each ribbon onto a flat cardboard sheet.
  • Make sure each ribbon forms a small arch or tunnel.
  • Place a ping pong ball on one side of the cardboard.
  • Ask your child to hold the cardboard with both hands.
  • Challenge them to tilt the board to roll the ball.
  • Guide the ball through every ribbon tunnel to the end!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Ensure the ping pong ball is kept away from the mouth to avoid choking.

The Egg Carton Bridge Weaver

The Egg Carton Bridge Weaver

Steps:

  • Flip your empty egg carton upside down on the table.
  • Use your markers to draw small dots on the very top of each egg cup.
  • Adult step: Use scissors to poke a small, narrow hole through each marker dot.
  • Give your child a pipe cleaner and ask them to push one end into a hole.
  • Encourage them to bend the pipe cleaner over to a different egg cup.
  • Have them push the other end into a second hole to make a bridge.
  • Continue adding pipe cleaners to create a crisscross web over the peaks.
  • Challenge them to see how many colorful bridges they can build without any collapsing!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child when they are using scissors or pipe cleaners to avoid pokes.

Spoon Glide Seesaw

Spoon Glide Seesaw

Steps:

  • Tape two long cardboard strips side-by-side to make a wide path.
  • Draw a colorful zigzag line down the middle with markers.
  • Place a ping pong ball at the start of the path.
  • Give your child a spoon.
  • Ask them to hold the cardboard track with both hands.
  • Tilt the board left and right to roll the ball.
  • Use the spoon in one hand to keep the ball on the line.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play to ensure they use the spoon and ball safely.