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    Home » Fine Motor Skills » Q-Tips and Straws - Fine Motor Skills Activity

    Q-Tips and Straws - Fine Motor Skills Activity

    Published: Jun 30, 2014 · Modified: Apr 28, 2022 by Vicky

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     Q-Tips and Straws Fine Motor Skills Activity - A great way to help little hands strengthen fine motor skills and work on colors at the same time.
    Recently, we shared a post on How to Dye Q-Tips. This was incredibly popular and I got a lot of questions of how to use dyed q-tips for play and learning. This Q-Tips and Straws fine motor skills activity was challenging and fun for my kids. There is a color matching and pattern making element as well which just extends the fun. We love working on fine motor skills at our place as is evidenced by these 18 Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers.

    You will need:
    • Colored straws
    • Dyed Q-tips
    • Scissors
    fine motor skills
    You will want to be sure to use straws that match your dyed q-tips. Cut your colored straws into small pieces anywhere between 1 and 2 inches. You will want the length to be able to cover the white section of the q-tip.
    Present your child with the straws and dyed q-tips and have them try to thread a q-tip through a similar colored straw.
    fine motor activity for kids
    In addition to working to working on fine motor skills, this activity offers a chance to practice color matching.
    fine motor play with q-tips
    Even my five year old found the fine motor aspect of this activity challenging. It required concentration to get the q-tip in the straw. We added a timer to this activity as well, and my daughter raced against the clock to thread as many q-tips as she could. She was delighted whenever she could beat her previous time.
    fine motor fun for kids
    When we were done placing the dyed q-tips through the straws, we practiced making patterns. Yet another way to use our dyed q-tips!

     

    dyed q-tips activity
    Q-Tips and Straws Fine Motor Skills Activity - A great way to help little hands strengthen fine motor skills and work on colors at the same time.
    For more fine motor skills activities check out:
    Fine Motor Skills Activity with Tongs                             Fun with Pipe Cleaners
                   
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    Vicky

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mari Corona

      June 30, 2014 at 2:58 pm

      Great share!!!

    2. Vicky @ Mess For Less

      June 30, 2014 at 5:25 pm

      Thanks Mari!

    3. Sara Beth Mattis

      January 07, 2015 at 8:33 pm

      This is such a simple and fun activity. I took a short-cut and we used pipe cleaners instead of Q-tips. That inspired me to have the boys (2 and 4) create pipe cleaner / straw bracelets. I cut the straws (another fine motor development activity) down to bead-size and they placed them onto the long pipe cleaner. Once they had enough "straw-beads" on their pipe cleaner to go around their wrists, I twist tied it and put the sharp/loose ends back into the next bead. They both really enjoyed this activity and could do it. It wasn't too advanced. Thank you so much for this idea!!

    4. Vicky @ Mess For Less

      January 17, 2015 at 5:28 pm

      Sara, I love your short cut. Great time saver! I bet they looked cute in their bracelets too. 🙂

    5. 5th Grade Happenings

      April 09, 2015 at 10:45 pm

      This is a great activity! I plan on making this with my nephews.
      Thanks for sharing!
      Beti

    6. Emily

      February 06, 2017 at 3:22 pm

      How did you dye the straws?

    7. Sudan Kumar

      January 20, 2021 at 1:00 pm

      Amazing idea for kids activities.

    Trackbacks

    1. DIY Learning Activities For Toddlers Using Common Drinking Straws! | Kids Stop Press says:
      May 17, 2017 at 9:31 pm

      […] Q-tip & Straw Matching Activity […]

    2. Hands-On Learning : Q-tips and Straws - Parenting Autism India says:
      June 11, 2017 at 10:40 pm

      […] https://www.messforless.net/q-tips-and-straws-fine-motor-skills-activity/#_a5y_p=1928832 This is a very good fine motor activity that helps develop eye hand coordination, dexterity, visual skills and matching skills. The above link will take you to Mess For Less website which featured this post and detailed instructions. You will need coloured straws and Q-tips/ear buds for this activity. Water colours are also needed to colour the Q-tips/Ear buds. https://www.messforless.net/how-to-dye-q-tips-for-play-and-learning/ […]

    3. 33 Out of the Box Activities with Drinking Straws for Kids says:
      June 15, 2019 at 1:31 am

      […] Help your kids learn colors and fine motor skills using Q-Tips and Straws. […]

    4. Jewelry Crafts for Kids * Moms and Crafters says:
      June 26, 2020 at 11:23 am

      […] as young as 18 months can start by stringing large-hole items on something stiff, even if it doesn’t make a final piece. M used to enjoy stringing pipe […]

    5. Q-Tips Activity Ideas for Kids to Play, Learn and Create - Best Toys 4 Toddlers says:
      January 25, 2021 at 3:42 am

      […] When you add drinking straws child can learn colors and work on fine motor skills with q-tips. […]

    6. Jewelry Making for Kids - Skill-based Ideas for Toddler Through Teen! - Knotty Threadz says:
      February 13, 2021 at 4:33 pm

      […] as young as 18 months can start by stringing large-hole items on something stiff, even if it doesn’t make a final piece. M used to enjoy stringing pipe […]

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    Hi, I'm Vicky, founder and content creator at Mess For Less. If you are looking for family friendly recipes, recipes that kids can make, and play and learning activities for kids, you will find it at Mess For Less. I invite you to learn more about me. Thanks for stopping by!

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