Stuck inside on a cold snowy day? Let the indoor games begin! This winter fine motor activity will make inside time fun. Who can be the fastest to make the longest “snow”cicle? This game can be played by one, two, or ten children. It’s going to take some great fine motor skills to win this race!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: Cottonballs
WHAT TO DO: Assign each child a doorknob to build their “snow”cicle. Show each child how to break apart a cotton ball using their Super Fingers until it is large and fluffy. Hook the first fluffy cottonball over the doorknob for each participating child in any manner that works so that it attaches. Show the children how to break apart each of their cotton balls so they’re longer and more fluffy and attach them to the “snow”cicle. They can do it anyway they wish. Pinch it, rub it, hook it, mash it together. No rules as long as it stays on!! Call out “Ready, set go!” and the first child to have their “snow”cicle reach the floor without falling apart is the winner! (Hint….tell the children not to pull down on their “snow”cicle, but to rather rub each piece together as they go!)
HOW TO CHANGE IT UP:
-For a young child who may have difficulty with making the cotton balls to stay together, simply allow them build one large snowball!! Fluff up the cotton balls and pat them together into a large ball!
-You can vary the difficulty of the game by changing up where you play. If a doorknob is too far off the ground, try attaching it to a lower kitchen cabinet knob so they can make their “snow”cicile reach the floor a little more easily, but still get to practice the skills!
-Add a second challenge! Once the “snow”cicles are built, who can get 5 raisins to stick on theirs?? 5 pieces of uncooked spaghetti? 5 paperclips? How much can you carefully place on your “snow”cicle before it falls apart from too much weight?
SKILL AREAS ADDRESSED: bilateral coordination, fine motor skills, motor control, sensory integration, social skills, visual motor integration
Want to take a closer look at the skills kids are using in this activity? Check out our Clinical Closeup page, where we break down the skills listed below in terms everyone can understand.
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