New Year’s Homemade Confetti Filled Balloons
New Year’s is only one day away and we are all very excited to welcome in 2019. While it’s easy to buy party favors from the store, why not have your child make their very own party favors, and practice their scissors skills and bilateral coordination.
Here is what you will need:
Ballons
Foam sheets in different colors
Scissors
Here is how to do it:
Cut 1/4" foam strips using lots of colors, and then have your child cut them up into small pieces using scissors. Be sure he/she is holding the foam sheet in his/her “helping hand” for stability.
*Remember: the preferred hand should be placed in a “thumbs – up position” with the thumb in the “top loop” and middle finger in the “bottom loop”. The scissors should rest on the index finger with the fourth and fifth fingers tucked into the hand to provide stability. You can place a sticker on your child’s thumbnail to remind them to keep thumbs up.
When the foam is all cut up, have your child hold the balloon in the non-dominant hand while using his/her dominant hand to place the confetti inside the balloon. Encourage him/her to use “pinching fingers” (thumb and index finger). This is a great way to foster bimanual coordination.
Once the balloon is filled, blow it up and help tie a knot.
Why we love it:
This activity is a great way to work on scissor skills. Compared to paper, foam provides slightly more resistance which increases the proprioceptive feedback, and reinforces the correct grasp . This gives your fingers a better chance of remembering the skill for next time.
Now you are all ready for New Year’s Eve. Don’t forget to pop the balloon when the clock strikes 12!
Blog written by Talia Esral