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You are here: Home / Fine Motor Activities / Boost Your Math and Fine Motor Skills with Lollipops!

Boost Your Math and Fine Motor Skills with Lollipops!

May 7, 2016 by Amy Smith

Finally, you can feel good about giving your kids lollipops!  This adorable game turns an old pool noodle into a kid favorite: big lollipops!

Boost Fine Motor and math Skills With Lollipops

Not only will the appearance of the lollipops be exciting and motivating for your child, but this game also develops fine motor strengthening and dexterity skills, along with math concepts such as patterning, sequencing, and number recognition.  So, the next time your child asks for a lollipop, tell him that he can have 10!

What you will need…

1. 1 pool noodle

2. Playdoh ( note- 2 different colors of Playdoh if you want to work on patterning)

3. Lollipop sticks (as many as you want to make)

4. Knife or scissors to cut the pool noodle

5. Scrap pieces of paper (to add the numbers onto the lollipops

How to construct

1.Using a knife or scissors, have the adult cut 1 inch sections of the pool noodle

 

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2.The child then can use the lollipop sticks to poke a hole into the foam noodle to attach the stick to the noodle

 

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3. The child can roll playdoh into balls and then flatten to fit into the center circle of the noodle

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4. Then, get creative with how you want your child to play and listed below are some ideas…..

Ways you can play: 

  • Improve Fine Motor Skills: Spread all the materials out and have your child assemble all the lollipops using their fine motor strength and dexterity skills

 

  • Patterning Practice: Use 2 different colors of playdoh to fill in the insides of the lollipops and practice various types of patterns

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  • Sequencing Practice: Write numbers on small pieces of paper then press them into the Playdoh and sequence the lollipops in numerical order

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  • Number Recognition Practice: Press the circular numbers into the playdoh to work on number recognition

 

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  • Money Counting/Coin Recognition: Use the lollipops to teach addition and subtraction concepts perhaps by setting up a “store” where the child can buy and sell his lollipops

 

  • Gross Motor Strengthening: Add core strengthening into this game by having the child play with the lollipops in various strength building positions such as laying their tummy (prone), tall kneeling, and standing

 

  • Gross Motor Strengthening: Add movement into the game by having the lollipops spread out all over a room and the child has to seek and find all the lollipops by running, hopping, crawling, etc…

Benefits of this game:

  • Fine motor strengthening and dexterity development
  • Learning math concepts such as:
    • Patterning
    • Sequencing
    • Numeral recognition
    • Simple addition and subtraction
  • Core strengthening (playing this game in various positions as mentioned above)
  • Cardiovascular endurance (by adding motor movements as mentioned above)

Enjoy playing this lollipop game… your child’s brain will think they are “delicious”!


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Filed Under: Fine Motor Activities Tagged With: fine motor activities, kids games

Disclaimer

Kids Play Smarter is a blog about general ideas, theories, and concepts related to the field of occupational therapy and the growth and development of all children. The information presented on this blog is not intended to serve as or replace occupational therapy services for your child. The information on this blog is for entertainment, informational, and educational purposes only. This blog is not meant to replace formal professional consultation or evaluation from a qualified clinician. All children need to have the approval of a physician to participate in physical activities, including those described on this blog. In addition, children need to be supervised by a responsible adult at ALL times when completing activities that are illustrated and described on this blog. The author of this blog is NOT responsible or liable for any damage, injury, accident, illness, death, or adverse reaction due to participation in the activities described on the website.

Welcome to Kids Play Smarter

Amy Smith I am an occupational therapist with over 10 years of experience working with children. I created this website to offer parents, teachers, and therapists FREE ideas, strategies, and activities that they can do with their children to improve their fine and gross motor skills, handwriting, academic learning, and regulate their sensory system all while "playing" (just playing smarter)! Read More…

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