<![CDATA[www.123playandlearn.com - Small Manipulatives]]>Tue, 11 Nov 2025 20:27:01 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Cutting Practice]]>Mon, 28 Apr 2014 19:29:53 GMThttps://www.123playandlearn.com/small-manipulatives/cutting-practice Let children practice cutting skills using scrapbook scissors! Supervise closely as the blades can be sharper than an average pair of children's scissors.
]]><![CDATA[Weaving Pipe Cleaners on to a Cooling Rack]]>Sat, 19 Apr 2014 22:34:05 GMThttps://www.123playandlearn.com/small-manipulatives/weaving-pipe-cleaners-on-to-a-cooling-rack
Here is what you will need: 
  • Pipe cleaners
  • a cooling rack
Let your child weave the pipe cleaners through the cooling rack in whatever ways they want.
]]><![CDATA[Popsicle Stick Puzzle]]>Sun, 27 Oct 2013 00:52:12 GMThttps://www.123playandlearn.com/small-manipulatives/popsicle-stick-puzzle
Puzzles help children to develop fine motor skills, math skills, as well as brain function. Learning these skills will help prepare children for school. To create these puzzles trace popsicle sticks on a magazine image or a child’s drawing. Cut out the strips and paste to the popsicle sticks.  You can put numbers on the back as hints to the children and as number practice.
]]><![CDATA[Toilet Paper Roll Color Match]]>Fri, 25 Oct 2013 23:23:22 GMThttps://www.123playandlearn.com/small-manipulatives/toilet-paper-roll-color-match
Wrap toilet paper rolls with different colors of construction paper. Then label each roll with the color that is wrapped around it. Provide Pom Poms with the same colors. Then encourage children to use chopsticks to put the correct color Pom Pom into the correct color toilet paper roll. 
]]><![CDATA[Macaroni "Beads"]]>Thu, 24 Oct 2013 22:41:36 GMThttps://www.123playandlearn.com/small-manipulatives/macaroni-beads
Macaroni "beads" are great for lacing projects, counting, sorting, jewelry making. Place 2 cups of macaroni pasta in a quart size Ziplock, squirt in a couple of squirts of Liquid Water Color, seal the bags and shake, shake, shake!

As soon as the pasta is evenly colored, spread out on newspaper to dry (which will be quite soon, it dries fast this way). Some darker colors may need a second go round (especially black!) 

You can make several batches of rainbow colors, or specific color schemes (pinks and reds, orange and black, etc). String on lanyard lace, yarn, pipe-cleaners, and ribbon.
]]><![CDATA[Homemade Tweezers & Pom Pom Color Match]]>Wed, 23 Oct 2013 22:23:17 GMThttps://www.123playandlearn.com/small-manipulatives/homemade-tweezers-pom-pom-color-match
Bend a straw in half and add tape to the top to make homemade tweezers. Fill the bottom of each cup of a cupcake pan with different colored felt or paper. Put Poms Poms that are the same colors as the colored felt or paper in a container next to the cupcake pan. Using the tweezers, grab a hold of a Pom Pom and place it in the matching colored cup. 

Appropriate for 3 years old and up.

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]]><![CDATA[Pipe Cleaner & Button Color Match]]>Wed, 23 Oct 2013 22:05:40 GMThttps://www.123playandlearn.com/small-manipulatives/pipe-cleaner-button-color-match
Using large colored buttons and pipe cleaners that are the same colors, have the children string the correct color button onto the correct color pipe cleaner.

Appropriate for 3 years old and up.

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