Here's a cheap, easy and fun activity for Under 5s to practise fine motor skills. Best of all, there's no mess to clean up afterwards!
Time: 10 minutes
Age: Under 5's
Level: Easy
Materials
Pipe cleaners (preferably different colours and textures)
Cheap materials
Set the colander and pipe cleaners out on a little table or at a high chair
Use a variety of colours and textures of pipe cleaner if you can. We used soft chenille ones as well as crispy glittery ones.
Push a few pipe cleaners into some of the holes in the upturned colander to get started
Let your child explore by poking pipe cleaners into different holes, or pulling the pipe cleaners out
Intense concentration trying to poke a pipe cleaner through the hole
Try bending the pipe cleaners over and feeding into another hole to make loops
Try making loops
With older children, try twisting into flower shapes together and pretend to plant the flowers in a garden
Try making pipe cleaner flowers with older children
Plant your pipe cleaner flowers in the colander garden
