Toilet Roll Post: illustration of a toddler doing the activity

Toilet Roll Post

from 14 months · 5-10 min · Fine motor

Physical DevelopmentUnderstanding the World

What you need

  • empty toilet paper roll
  • tape
  • large buttons or pom-poms

How to do it

  1. Tape the toilet roll upright to a table or box.
  2. Hand your toddler a large pom-pom or button.
  3. Show them dropping it through the top opening.
  4. Let them keep posting items through one at a time.

Why it matters

Lining up an object with a hole and letting go builds the same hand-eye teamwork they'll use with puzzle pieces.

What they're learning

Hand-eye teamwork
Lining an object up with a small opening and letting go is the exact skill behind fitting puzzle pieces or building blocks.
Pincer grip
Holding a button or pom-pom steady to post it works the same fingertip grip used later for zippers and buttons.
Cause & effect
Watching the item disappear and reappear at the bottom teaches them that actions have predictable results, even out of sight.

What to look for

Watch for them lining the object up before dropping it, rather than just pressing it against the tube.

A tip

Tape the tube to something heavy — an unsecured roll will just slide away the first time they push on it.

Make it easier or harder

Easier: cut the roll shorter so the drop is quicker to see through

Harder: tape two rolls together for a longer, trickier drop

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Fine motor activities · Activities for 1 year olds · Activities for 18 month olds · Activities for 2 year olds · Toddler activities with paper · Toddler activities with masking tape