Pom pom's: these small, colorful balls can be used to address a variety of fine motor skills, and are loved by kids of all ages. Here are 7 easy activities that can be done with only one additional item that you have in your home:
1) Whisk: Have a bowl of pom pom's and have your child insert the pom pom's into and out of the whisk. The child should hold the whisk with one hand, and insert the pom's with the other hand. If this is too difficult, the caregiver can help hold the whisk for the child.
2) Empty Ice Cube Tray: Place one pom in each slot of the ice cube tray, and have your child pick them out (and then put them back in). You can also use an old egg carton, if it is clean.
3) Mini Tongs: Use a child's size pair of tongs or tweezers and pick up the pom pom's and place them into a bowl.
4) Empty Water Bottle: Have your child pick up the pom pom's using his or her fingers and place them one by one into the water bottle or other container. It is fun to shake them out at the end! For younger children, use a container that has a larger slot, so that the child is successful. As the child becomes successful, the opening can become smaller so that dropping the pom's in requires precision.
5) Color Sorting: Have your child sort the pom pom's by color, using a different bowl to identify each color.
6) Empty Paper Towel or Toilet Paper Roll: Tape these to the wall (use painter's tape that won't peel off any paint) and have your child stand and drop the pom pom's through the various "tunnels" and see where they end up!
7) Sensory Bins: Put dry beans, pasta, rice, uncooked oatmeal, or sand into a container and hide the pom pom's inside. Then, have the child find the pom pom's using his or her hands, tongs, or a spoon. If the child has tactile defensiveness, start by using a tool (spoon or tongs) to find the pom's without having the touch the difficult texture.
The best part of these activities is that your child does not even realize that he or she is working on a variety of skills: pincer grasp, bi-lateral coordination, manipulative prehension, hand/finger strengthening, and visual motor skills. Comment below if you have other fun ideas using pom pom's!
As a reminder, supervision is required with toddlers and older children who orally mouth objects to reduce the choking hazard.
Photo byEliza DiamondonUnsplash
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