Fine MotorToddlersPreschoolers22 Comments
This is another super simple activity that can keep the kids busy while you put dinner on the table.
And a bonus that it also works their fine motor skills!
Rubber bands have been a great way for me to keep kids busy before dinner too. Plus check out all our busy play ideas!
What you’ll need:
- A bottle (something with a smallish neck).
- And a bunch of cut up ribbons of various length.
Let the kids do as they please.
Mine put each ribbon into the bottle one at a time (working on fine motor skills in the process).
They may want to just take them out. Try starting with the ribbons inside to pull them out one at a time, and then push them back in!
Older kids can also try to find the ribbon that is the longest. And maybe another activity could be to line them up from shortest to longest, or to see if you could find two of the same size.
Not a lot to it, but definitely something that can keep them busy for a few minutes while you get something done quick.
More busy fine motor play like this for toddlers:
- Let them play with nuts and bolts (or drawer knobs and screws)
- Make pipe cleaner “sprinkles”
- Make an egg carton train
WANT TO SAVE THIS ACTIVITY?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox so you can access this activity later! Plus, you'll get simple activities from us every week!
Helen @ Peakle Pie says
Thank you for sharing this great activity on We Love Weekends – it is a featured post on this weeks linky via Peakle Pie. Hope to see you linking up agan soon!
Tallie Allen says
How do you get the ribbons out?
Jamie Reimer says
Just shake them out! Or turn it over and try to dump it but use those little fingers to grab them out of it and pull.
Teri says
That is prt of the activity, they must undo what they did before exchanging the activity. Most of the time turning it upside down makes them accessible, otherwise I have a long tweezers or forceps (narrow tongs) . I found the satin ribbons easiest to remove.
Mackenzie says
Jamie,
We have been doing a lot of fine motor skills around our house too with our toddler boys. This is a great one; my littlest would love this! :) I would love to invite you to share this with my readers at Saturday Show & Tell on Cheerios and Lattes!
Have a Great Weekend,
Mackenzie
Tiffany Thornton says
This is a really cute activity! We have also used bead necklaces. Like the mardi-gra necklaces and let the kids put them in and take them out of the bottle.
Jamie says
Oh my kids LOVE mardi gras beads, but I never thought to use them like this! Great idea!
Gina says
What a fun idea! When my 19 month old was younger I used to put scarves in an old diaper wipe container and he had lots of fun pulling them out and playing peek-a-boo under the scarf.
Jamie says
We’ve done that with fabric scraps (and all to often the actual wipes!)
crystal@growingajeweledrose says
This is a great idea! I have lots of scrap ribbon I could use just lying around too!