What We Learn |
Cognitive skills
Problem-solving skills
Vocabulary development
Cause & effect |
Supply List |
Cardboard tubes (from toilet paper, paper towels, gift wrap)
Ping-pong balls
Masking tape
Scissors (child-safe) |
How-To |
Collect cardboard tubes of all sizes, such as from toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls and gift-wrapping rolls.
Encourage older children to get involved in the planning process of the ball maze. The goal is to connect cardboard tubes to create a pathway a ball can travel through. The maze can be as simple or as intricate as the children desire. Before they begin, you can have the children draw out their plan for their maze on a piece of paper or poster.
Show the children how they can connect the cardboard tubes using masking tape. Then instruct them to begin to construct their ball maze using the cardboard tubes, masking tape and child-safe scissors. If you have very young children, take the lead in creating the ball maze, but still involve them in the process.
During the maze-construction process, discuss with the children about what changes they might need to make in their maze in order to make sure the ball can travel all the way through the tubes. Make sure the children test their maze every so often by passing a ping-pong ball or rubber ball through the maze.
Creating a freestanding ball maze might be a bit advanced for some young children, so consider simplifying the process. You can create a ball maze by affixing it to a flat surface, such as against the side of a box. |
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