We want to highlight activities that you can do without having to spend any (or that much) money in order to have fun. This game is a perfect example of ‘no-money fun’ that you can have just using everyday household items and a little bit of imagination.
MONKEY TOES
Primary learning focus
- Balance, motor planning, crossing the midline.
Materials needed
- Unbreakable bowl, bucket or tote bag.
- Cotton balls, pompoms, or other small, soft objects.
Description
Scatter the cotton balls or other objects around a small area, and then have the child remove shoes and socks and collect the objects to place in the container using only his/her feet. If a cotton ball is too far away, have the child retrieve it and then hop on one foot to get to the container.
Variations
- Use different size or colour pompoms, and have the child collect items according to size. Colour or pattern.
- Have the child sit on his/her bottom, and use two feet together to pick up objects.
- Have the child trap a beanbag between both feet, then jump on two feet to get the container without losing the beanbag.
- Challenge balance skills by doing this activity with arms held over the head, hands in pockets or behind the back, or on a slightly unstable surface (for example, sofa cushions or air mattress).
As featured in Simple Low-Cost Games and Activities for Sensorimotor Learning by Lisa A. Kurtz