Coiled pipe cleaner drop is a simple fine motor activity that packs in a lot of learning. You twist pipe cleaners into little coils, then set up a couple of ways for your child to move them about: posting them into a box and fishing them out of water. It costs next to nothing and keeps busy hands occupied for ages.
To prepare, wind some pipe cleaners around a finger or a pencil to make colorful coils or rings. Cut a slot or a hole in the lid of an old box for posting, and set out a bowl of water and a few tools such as tongs, a spoon, or a set of training chopsticks. It works brilliantly in a tray outside where a little water splashing about does not matter.
Posting the coils through the slot takes aim and a careful pincer grip, which is great practice for the small hand muscles used later for writing. Because the pipe cleaners are soft and light, they are easy for little fingers to manage, so children feel successful quickly and want to keep going.
Adding a bowl of water gives a whole new challenge. Scooping and fishing the floating coils out with tongs or chopsticks is trickier than it looks, and it builds real hand strength and coordination. Children love watching the coils bob about, and dropping them back in to start all over again.
What you need
- A few pipe cleaners, twisted into coils or rings
- An old box with a slot cut in the lid
- A bowl of water
- Tongs, a spoon, or training chopsticks
This works well for toddlers and young preschoolers, roughly ages 1 to 3, and it is easy to change up with different tools as their skills grow. For more posting and pincer practice, take a look at this pipe cleaner posting, or for a quieter session try these coloring pages for boys.