10 Days to Conquer Clothing Fasteners

For the little people, some fine motor help that will go a long way to improving confidence and independence. Doing up zips, buttons, buckles involves grasping skills, bilateral coordination, hand strength, dexterity and visual motor integration, phew!

This 10-Day challenge involves 2 quick and easy exercises to practice each day, to work on all these above skills.

Printable 10-Day Clothing Fasteners Challange cards from The Inspired Treehouse.

For this challenge you will need the following materials:

• ·         Bubble wrap
• ·         30 Lego blocks
• ·         Roll of masking tape or Washi tape
• ·         Small ball of prestik or playdough
• ·         Beads and a lace
• ·         Coloured paper
• ·         Craft pompoms, craft feathers and clothes pegs
• ·         Coins and an empty tin with plastic lid
•             Square of felt and a large button

Day 1

Pop small bubble wrap with fingers for 5 minutes. Make a tower of 30 Lego and then take them apart one by one.

 Day 2

Pull off 20 small pieces of tape and stick onto the table. Pull each piece off one by one.

Pinch play dough or putty with thumb, first finger and second finger 20 times.

Day 3:

Practice stringing beads or lacing cards for 10 minutes.

Tear colourful paper into small pieces and make a mosaic.

Day 4:

Pick up 20 craft pompoms, feathers, or other manipulatives using a clothes peg and place into a bowl.

Cut a slit in the top of an empty plastic container. Push 20 coins through the slit into the container.

Day 5:

Make a tower of 30 Lego and then take them apart one by one. Pinch play dough or putty with thumb, first finger and second finger 20 times.

Day 6:

Practice stringing beads or lacing cards for 10 minutes.

Pull off 20 small pieces of tape and stick onto the table. Pull each piece off one by one.

Day 7:

Cut slits in a piece of felt or other fabric. Practice placing a large button through the slits 20 times.

With clothing off the child’s body, engage the zip and have her/him practice pulling it up and down 10 times.

Day 8:

With clothing off the child’s body, push large buttons halfway through the button holes and have the child help pull them the rest of the way through. Practice 10 times. With a belt off the child’s body, practice unbuckling with assistance 10 times.

Day 9:

With clothing off the child’s body, practice engaging the zip 10 times.

With clothing off the child’s body, practice zips, buttons and buckles with assistance.

Day 10:

With clothing off the child’s body, practice zips, buttons and buckles independently.

Try zips, buttons and buckles independently on clothing while wearing them!

·