Card Spiders
What you need
- a paper plate or a circle of thick paper
- black paint
- a chunky paintbrush
- eight strips of paper
- a little tape
How to do it
- Let them paint the paper plate all over with black paint using a chunky brush.
- While the paint dries, fold the paper strips into zigzag legs together, back and forth like a fan.
- Once the paint is dry, help them tape the legs on round the edge, counting each one up to eight.
- Tape one more strip of paper to the top and hang the spider from a door frame, up high where you can both see it.
Why it matters
Painting a big circle, folding strips and pressing tape down all ask small hands to do careful jobs, and counting the legs adds a number to something they made.
What they're learning
- Brush grip
- Holding a chunky brush and covering a whole circle builds the grip they will later use for pencils.
- Folding
- Folding a strip back and forth asks both hands to work together, one holding and one pressing.
- Counting to eight
- Saying a number for each leg they stick on links counting to real things.
What to look for
Watch for them pointing at each leg as they count. Hang the spider up high, by paper only, so nothing can catch round little necks.
A tip
Use washable paint and keep a wet cloth handy for black fingers.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: you fold the legs and they press each one onto the tape
Harder: make a baby spider from a smaller circle and count its legs too
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Fine motor activities · Activities for 2 year olds · Toddler activities with paper · Toddler activities with masking tape