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Here is a great activity for eye-hand coordination, as well as strengthening finger muscles. Make your own lacing cards to help strengthen your child’s finger muscles.

 You will need:

• Poster board
• A hole puncher
• Some packages of new, long shoelaces

Directions:

• Cut some eight inch squares from the poster board.
• Use these squares to cut decorative shapes, such as a heart, triangle, simple truck or boat, sun, apple, etc. You can also trace and cut shapes from coloring book pictures.
• Use the hole puncher to punch holes along the edge of these shapes, about three inches apart.
• Tie one end of the long shoelace to the first hole. I recommend using shoelaces because the hard end is easier for young children to manipulate.
• Then let your child lace around the shapes with and “in and out” motion.

Keep the cards and laces in a zip-lock baggie for ease of use and storage.