This is a great activity for a toddler who loves to sort and pick things up and put them in a container.  It will help your child with gross motor skills, following directions, fine motor skills and the concept of “in” and “out”.

You can color the clothespins with markers, or paint.  Then use different color buckets for your child to match the colors.  Don’t have buckets?  Use a piece of construction paper and have your child clip the clothespins to the correct color.  To expand this, have your child count the clothespins when putting the in the bucket and out of the bucket.

Separate the clothespins by color.  Count how many you have of each color.

Have your child stand over a bucket and drop the clothespins in the bucket.  Don’t pick up the ones that don’t go in.  Once you are through all the clothespins count how many your child got in the bucket and how many your child missed.  See if height makes a difference, have you child stand on a chair and drop the clothespins. (make sure you have them under your supervision.

Use an empty 2 liter bottle and have your child put the clothespins in the bottle.  Once you have a few in, have your child shake the bottle.  To get the clothespins out, cut the bottle.

What other activities can you think to do with clothespins?

Ashley