Fine Motor Activity: Lacing card (homemade)

Lacing is a common activity for fine motor practice, one which he never liked (and which I didnt do much of).

The lacing cards and lacing frames that I've seen sold at the shops (and those used in kindergartens) just weren't interesting, so I never bought them knowing that he too wouldn't be interested.

At our session with the new OT, I realised that I really should now have lacing activity higher up on my list of OT activities. It'll help as part of developing his skills for handwriting. I think I had come across a homemade lacing activity card on http://www.babycentre.com/ several weeks before the OT session, so the idea of making my own using previously cut out pictures of cars came naturally to me.

He loves cars, so I used it to entice him to do the lacing activity.

The little red and white men on top of the car are clips/pegs

(freebies) which are good for finger strengthening

How to make a homemade lacing card activity like the one shown above?

- Cut out an attractive picture or photo of items (cartoon characters, vehicles, or recently visited place) that interests your child from magazines, leaflets, brochures or the internet. Since my son finds it difficult, I chose a large picture. As he becomes more proficient, I'll make new ones that are smaller.

- Paste it on a cardboard / art paper. Cut closely around the edges.

- Use a perforater (hole punch) to make as many holes as desired. For a start, I punched the holes near the edges. As he gets better at it, and when using smaller photos, I'll make the holes further away from the edges.

- Find an old pair of shoes (that has laces), which you do not use anymore and remove the lace. Alternatively, just go to a shoe shop (e.g. Bata) and purchase a pair. If you buy it in white, you'll have the option to dye it (add food colouring). In the photo above, I used the lace from another store-bought toy.

- Compare the size of the holes you made and the thickness of the lace. If the lace is too thick, just punch a new hole just beside the previous hole.

Making it was the easy part. The hard part was to get him to do it! Having a picture of a car did get his attention, but when he realised he had to lace, he was instantly turned off. Perhaps he still remembered that it's something he can't do. No point forcing him then. I think the Montessori style allows the child to gradually get used to a new activity e.g. teacher brings it out simply to allow the child to explore, without requiring the child to perform the desired activity. Then on a another day, the teacher shows how its done. Anyway, that's the idea - that it's a gradual process. But dont quote me on that cos I'm not trained in it!
The second time I brought out this card, he wasnt instantly put off. So, I very quickly demonstrated it to him. Only managed to lace through 2 holes before he lost interest. A bit discouraged, but can't give up.

The third time (each time, on different non-consecutive days), it happened to be raining. I grabbed that opportunity and made a story that we've to close up the holes in the roof of the car by threading the lace through them or else the rain would get into the car. Very silly! But it worked! He was hooked. So it came to be that he had to thread through the hole in the tyre or else it'll go flat. Holes at the doors? Cold air conditioned air would escape! Undercarriage? Oil would leak! Radiator? Radiator liquid leak! etc.

I've brought it out a further one or two times since then and I do the same routine. He's improving slightly and I'm assisting him a little less. I know that with practice, he'll get better.