Visual Perception - Page 4 of 11

The Button Balance Scale

Steps:

Lay a pencil flat on a table. Use a small piece of masking tape to stop it from rolling.
Place the middle of the ruler on top of the pencil. It should tilt back and forth like a seesaw.
Use your thumb and pointer finger to pick up a single button from your collection.
Place the button gently on one end of the ruler.
Now, try to place a second button on the other side to balance the weight.
When the ruler stays level without touching the table, your child has mastered the challenge of finding the center of gravity.
Keep adding buttons to see how many the scale can hold before it tips.

Safety Tip:
Adult supervision is required. Buttons are a choking hazard. Keep them away from small children and pets at all times.

The Paper Roll Spy Tubes

Steps:

Hold two cardboard paper rolls side by side.
Use masking tape to wrap around the middle of the rolls to stick them together.
Decorate the outside of your spy tubes using colorful markers.
Use a hole puncher to make one hole on the outside edge of each roll.
Thread a piece of yarn through the holes to create a strap.
Ask an adult to help tie the yarn ends so the strap is secure.
Now, look through your spy tubes to find specific colors in the room!

Safety Tip:
Adult supervision is required while using the hole puncher and yarn to ensure safety.

Foamy Pan Treasure Search

Steps:

Fill the aluminium foil pan with a thick layer of shaving cream. Spread it out to cover the whole bottom.
Sprinkle a handful of colorful sequins all over the foam. Use your fingers to push them down so they are hidden.
Give your child the tongs and the empty plastic container.
Ask your child to use the tongs to search through the foam and find the hidden gems.
Once they find a sequin, they must pick it up and drop it into the plastic container.
See if they can find all the colors of the rainbow!

Safety Tip:
Shaving cream can be irritating to the eyes. Always supervise closely. Ensure your child does not place the shaving cream or sequins in their mouth. Wash hands thoroughly after play.

Vertical Fuzzy Line Clip

Steps:

Adult Prep: Use markers to color 3 or 4 pipe cleaners and matching clothespins (e.g., green, blue, pink).
Adult Prep: Tightly stretch the pipe cleaners vertically across the container opening. Secure the ends firmly with tape or punch holes in the container rim to anchor the pipe cleaners.
Place the pom-poms and colorful clothespins nearby. Encourage your child to sit stably at the table.
Challenge your child to hold the container firmly steady with their helper hand to stabilize the ‘fence.’
Use the working hand to select a clothespin. Squeeze it open hard with a strong finger pinch.
Aim the clothespin and clip it onto the pipe cleaner line that matches its color. Now, clip a pom-pom onto the clothespin for decoration!

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. The small pom-poms and pipe cleaner pieces are choking hazards for children who still place objects in their mouths. Ensure all materials are collected immediately after play.

Noodle Chop Sort

Steps:

Use markers to color strips of paper that match the colors of your pool noodle. Tape these colored strips onto two separate baskets to create sorting targets.
Give your child the pool noodle and a pair of safety scissors. Encourage them to hold the noodle firmly with their ‘helper hand’ to keep it steady.
Challenge your child to cut the pool noodle into small, thin ‘coins’ or ‘slices.’ Remind them to use strong, full squeezes of the scissors.
Once the noodle is completely chopped, ask your child to look at the color targets. Sort the colorful foam coins into the matching color baskets.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise closely when using scissors. Use child-safe scissors appropriate for their hand size. Since the age range includes younger preschoolers, ensure that cut noodle pieces are not placed in the mouth, as they can pose a choking hazard if ingested.