Tongs and Pom Poms Toddler Activity

This post was contributed by Georgina of Craftulate. 

A Toddler Activity for Fine Motor Development

Working with tongs is the perfect toddler activity for developing fine motor skills, hand/eye coordination and building hand strength. I have also read that mastering the skills of using tongs is necessary before moving on to scissors – the action is fairly similar. This is a simple and frugal way of getting some practice!  Many months ago I made a Pom Pom Drop toddler activity by making a hole in the top of an old food can. My son (now 2.5yrs) still regularly plays with it, and I decided to enhance the toy by giving him tongs to use!

Tong & Pom Pom Toddler Activity

I showed F how to move the pom poms with the tongs: Squeeze to pick up, then move, then open to drop the pom pom. At first the action was very difficult for him and he spent quite a long time just putting a pom pom into the tongs and trying to keep it in there.

But he kept watching me demonstrate and was sufficiently intrigued to keep trying, and he really started to get the hang of it.

The next day he got the pom poms and tongs out (by choice!) and started trying again, with him telling himself many times over to “Squeeeeze!”

Georgina is the founder and editor of Craftulate, writing about crafts and activities suitable for toddlers and young children. She also loves papercraft, sewing, and cooking.

I love that this toddler activity could help with the skills necessary for using scissors.  I can’t wait to try it with J.C.  And I think even my 4 year old Priscilla would have fun doing it with him, too.  Thanks, George! 

More Toddler Activities

 

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