If you are looking for cost effective and easy to make fine motor activities, you need Therapro’s Second Hand Therapies cards. This set of 40 activity cards features stunning images of activities made from recyclable materials. What we love most about the activity cards is that they are easy to use and show you the difficulty level, the hand function used, and the materials needed. They are perfect for home use or for a classroom group activity.
Below is a sample of Straws Galore, one of the activities in Second Hand Therapies.
When using straws to make jewelry, not only are the kids using fine motor skills, they are practicing their scissor skills, eye hand coordination, color recognition, size differentiation, counting, learning patterns, and so many more skills.
Materials:
- Straws of varying sizes and colors
- Yarn, pipe cleaners, or embroidery thread
- Tweezers
- Medium-Sized Bowls
Directions:
- Hold the straw with your non-dominant hand. Use your dominant hand to cut the straws into small to medium sized pieces. Collect the pieces in a bowl.
- String the straw pieces onto yarn or pipe cleaner as though they were beads.
- Practice removing the straw pieces using tweezers for pinch strength development.
Variations:
- Instead of jewelry make letters with the straws. Have the child spell his name.
- Get creative and make animal silhouettes.
- Give the child a challenge. What can you make with 3 pieces of straw?
- Sprinkle glitter on the bowl containing the straw pieces for an added color fest!
- Use different scissors, such as scrapbooking scissors for different edging on your straw pieces.
What did you make with your straws?
