Gross motor development, Fine motor development
Toddlers practice the coordinated use of both hands to explore sensory tubes.
Be Prepared: Place the sensory tubes in a vertical position in the container. A sensory tube is easier for a toddler to grasp with two hands if it is upright (compared to lying on the floor). Designate a specific area, such as “our blue rug,” for the activity. Limit participation to two toddlers at a time so you can provide sufficient support for manipulation of the tubes.
[Sit near the container of tubes and invite two toddlers to join you. Example: “Angel and Tiana, would you like to find out about our tubes? Come over to play.” Keep the tubes in their container so toddlers have the experience of removing them.]
Our tubes are fun to hold and move and look at. You may get one out.
[Encourage a toddler to use both hands to take a tube out of the container. Emphasize that we use our hands and arms to pull a tube up from the container. Demonstrate pulling a tube with both hands, if necessary. Describe your arm movement.
Describe and demonstrate, if appropriate, how to use both hands to hold a tube. Encourage a toddler to grip his/her hands around a tube so it does not roll off a toddler’s hands. Invite toddlers to sit on the floor to look at their tube.
Support with your words each toddler’s interest in the colorful items locked inside a tube. Follow each toddler’s initial lead with a tube, such as shaking or rolling it on the floor. Describe sights and sounds a toddler is experiencing plus the toddler’s reactions or actions. Example: “Tiana, the bells in your tube made a sound when you rolled the tube. You smiled when the bells made a sound.”
If a toddler appears to be losing interest after exploring a tube with one approach only, such as consistently rolling it back and forth, you may wish to suggest another approach, such as shaking the tube.
Invite toddlers to pull a second tube from the container. Put their first tube selection in the container. Support toddlers’ exploration of a second tube through comments about what each toddler is doing and the tube’s sights and sounds. Describe the little toys and items inside a tube.
Offer a clear message about when time with the tubes will end. Example: “It is almost time to put our sensory tubes back into the pail. We will all put the tubes away until tomorrow.” Describe how to use both hands to put the tubes into the container.]
[Describe each toddler’s actions with the tubes. Emphasize use of both hands to hold, shake, and roll a tube, and what items inside the tube did in response to a toddler’s movements.]
Sensory tubes are well suited to support toddlers’ practice in coordinated use of both hands in relation to visual interests driven by the colorful and sound-making contents of a tube. Look for opportunities to provide verbal guidance on hand and arm movements. Provide a demonstration when appropriate. Offer gentle hands-on support only when verbal support and demonstrations have not been helpful.
The activity description recommends two toddlers at a time, so individualized support can be provided. You may wish to increase the number of participants when sensory tube exploration is offered to toddlers who are familiar with how to appropriately manage a tube. You also may wish to offer two concurrent tube exploration activities to toddlers with sensory tube experiences, assuming a second adult and a sufficient number of tubes are available.
Some toddlers may think a sensory tube resembles a baseball bat or stick. Give a clear and gentle explanation that the tube is not for striking. Placing the tubes out for free exploration is not suggested until all toddlers in your room are familiar with how to play with sensory tubes.
Exploration of sensory tubes in this activity complements the use of open (mailing) tubes and balls in Block 19’s cognitive activity plan.
Extra support
Enrichment
Gross motor development, Fine motor development
Toddlers with good walking skills practice balance and concentration skills by holding a sensory tube with both hands while walking on a simple path.
Be Prepared: This activity is for toddlers with good walking skills, as indicated in the learning goal. Use no-slip mats to arrange a short path for toddlers to follow, rearranging furnishings as necessary. The focus of the activity is motor balance coordination, not managing obstacles in a path.
Invite 2–3 toddlers to walk on a path while holding a sensory tube. Familiarize toddlers with the path by leading them on a walk along the path without holding anything. Describe how the path works. Explain that each of us will hold a sensory tube while walking on the path. Then give each toddler a tube, holding it in a vertical position. Use both hands to hold the tube as you give it to a toddler. Draw attention to how each of your hands is wrapped around the tube. Provide time for toddlers to look at and explore their tube while standing.
If appropriate, demonstrate again the use of both hands while holding a tube upright (vertical). Encourage toddlers to look at where they are walking and try hard to not look at what is inside their tube.
Lead toddlers in holding a tube upright while walking on the path. Keep the activity lighthearted. You may wish to sing or say the following verse for each child or use “we” instead of a child’s name. (Tune: “Farmer in the Dell”)
Diego walks around.
Diego walks around.
Hi-ho, there he goes.
Diego walks around.
Diego holds a tube (toy).
Diego holds a tube (toy).
Hi-ho, there he goes.
Diego holds a tube (toy).
Repeat the walk if toddlers remain interested. Conclude the activity by describing what happened. Emphasize how we held a tube and looked at where we are going. If appropriate, comment on how it was hard to not look at what’s inside our tube!
Watch for opportunities to support several important developmental skills in this activity, including balance and coordination of motor movements and concentration on a walking path while trying to ignore the appealing contents of the sensory tube. If toddlers show considerable interest in exploring the sensory tubes in the opening segment of the activity, switch to elements of Option 1 rather than introducing the challenge of walking while holding an item of great appeal.
The suggested verse is intended to help the activity remain light in spirit. Toddlers should not be expected to hold a tube in a perfect vertical position. Some may drop their tube while walking. If this happens, help a toddler pick up a tube and gently remind the toddler to hold the tube with both hands (fingers) around the tube.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: carts and doll strollers, cardboard craft tubes, sensory table with crinkled paper, small cars or animal figures or people figures, paint and brush, art smocks
To support toddlers’ interest in tubes (extension of Option 1), provide cardboard craft tubes and items toddlers can put into the tubes. Examples: crinkled paper, small cars, and animal or people figures. Use toddlers’ interests to determine the items. Another possibility is to set up a painting activity by covering a table with paper and providing tubes toddlers can paint with a chubby brush and tempera paint. Explain that we can use paint to make tubes as colorful as the sensory tubes. Remember the paint smocks!
To support toddlers’ interest in walking with an object (extension of Option 2), provide and encourage use of doll strollers or toddler-size shopping carts. Invite toddlers to use carts to move play materials that are too bulky to hold while walking. A toddler with balanced walking skills may enjoy carrying novel objects. Examples: empty milk jugs, shoebox containers, and 1–2 smaller balls.
Materials Needed: craft tubes, markers, masking tape
As a complement to Options 1 and 2 for toddlers, preschool-age and older children may enjoy participating in non-competitive games that involve balancing tubes in ways such as the following:
Add challenge by suggesting that children prevent their tube from touching the floor.
Older children also may enjoy creating new shapes by connecting craft tubes in different ways using masking tape.
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