Do you have a parade in your town on the 4th of July? Do you see a fireworks display at night? We do and I always end up running to the store to buy some red, white, and blue items to add to the fun. Flags to wave, glow sticks for nighttime fun, and even some patriotic headgear! This year, I thought it would be fun to gather the neighborhood gang to make our own patriotic wands! The kids loved them and it was cool to see how each child created their own unique masterpiece. But the best part was the repetitive fine motor practice as they tied the ribbons on!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: 12 inch craft sticks, 3-4 different types of patriotic ribbon (red/white blue/ stars/etc.), tulle, red/white/blue pipe cleaners, medium-sized jingle bells
WHAT TO DO: Cut your ribbons and tulle into 6 inch strips so they are ready to tie on. If you have an older child, this makes great scissor practice! Have kids tie each piece of ribbon and tulle, and twist their pipe cleaners onto their craft sticks, starting at the top and moving downward, one after another. In the end, you will have a fun, textured, patriotic wand ready to wave during all of your holiday events! Thread and twist a jingle bell onto each end of your pipe cleaners to add a little musical sound to your wand!
HOW TO CHANGE IT UP:
-For older children, simply lay out all of the supplies and let them create their wands on their own! They can layer their ribbons in their own unique style!
-For a younger child, demonstrate how to tie a knot (slide the ribbon under the stick, make an X, place the top ribbon under and through the hole, grab each end and pull tight out to each side). Then, let them repeat this on their own – awesome repetitive practice for tying knots (and a great introduction to shoe tying)! While they’re working, give them verbal cues for each step to solidify the skill!
SKILL AREAS ADDRESSED: Bilateral coordination, fine motor skills, grasp, midline crossing, sensory integration, visual motor integration
Looking for more patriotic fun? Check out these awesome ideas for a Memorial Day or 4th of July party!
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