Build Hand Strength with the Hole Punch
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f e a t u r e Build hand strength with the hole punch lthough the hole punch is pencil to write, and using a com- other shape. Acommonly used in office puter keyboard. Multiple hole punch. Office work and craft projects, it can also workers use a hole punch that provide learning activities for 4- types of hole makes two, three, or four holes in and 5-year-olds. punches a single punch. This type of hole Hole punch activities can Single hole punch. This hand- punch enables workers to collect strengthen the muscles of the held tool has many applications, sheets of paper in a binder. The forearm, hand, and fingers as well such as making a hole in a price device can be adjusted to create as increase eye-hand coordina- tag, creating confetti, and punch- desired space between the holes. tion. These small-muscle and ing a ticket for admission to an coordination skills are needed for event. Typically, the hole is a cir- Learning to use a important tasks, such as feeding cle, but in some hole punches, the hole punch and dressing oneself, holding a hole is a star, heart, half moon, or Learning to use a hole punch is similar to learning to use scissors. oto Children must be able to use Ph G thumb, pointer finger, and middle finger separately from the other n Grei mo i two fingers of the hand. The hand s and finger muscles must also be ns: strong enough to grip the hole commo punch handle. e V i T Unlike scissors, a hole punch rea C requires only minimal safety pre- cautions, such as keeping fingers out of the punching end. Remind children to use hole punches only on paper, not fabric or other mate- rials. For quick cleanup, place shallow trays or newspaper on surfaces to catch the cuttings. A bit of vocabulary: A hole punch creates two things. One is the hole, or perforation, left in the paper, and the other is the chad, or the dot, usually a circle, clipped out of the paper. Help children build hand and finger skills with these activities: © Texas Child Care quarTerly / winTer 2014 / VOLUMe 38, nO. 3 / ChildCarequarTerly.com ■ At the water table, use a bulb ■ construction paper, cut in 2- or ■ hole punch, one for each child syringe or turkey baster to 3-inch squares ■ alphabet blocks in a basket squeeze air out and then allow ■ basket or box to store the chads water in. 1. To prepare for the activity, write ■ Use kitchen tongs to move cot- 1. To prepare for the activity, draw five alphabet letters in random ton balls or tiles from one bas- an alphabet letter on each con- order along each edge of each ket to another. struction paper square. paper square. ■ Place clothespins or chip clips 2. Encourage children to choose a 2. Encourage each child to choose around the edge of a paper letter, perhaps the first letter of a square and a hole punch. plate. their names. Invite them to punch 3. Draw a block from the basket ■ Use an eye dropper to move holes along the lines of the letter. and say the letter aloud. When watercolor paint from a small 3. Scoop the chads into a basket children find the letter on their bowl to a sheet of paper. and save for another activity. cards, they punch a hole in the ■ Practice punching holes in an Variations: Write the child’s letter. index card or other stiff paper. name on a strip of paper to hole 4. Continue drawing blocks until Incorporate hole punching activ- punch the entire name. Instead of someone punches all the letters ities into learning centers. The letters, write numerals or draw along one edge, vertical or hori- activities below work best in small geometric shapes. zontal, and yells “Bingo!” groups of three to six children. Variations: Make color-recogni- Letter bingo tion cards with two colors (red Punch the letter Here’s what you need: and green, yellow and blue, Here’s what you need: ■ construction paper cut into orange and purple, black and ■ hole punch 4-inch squares white, for example) along each ■ marker ■ marker edge. You call out the color, and each child punches a hole in that color. Match the chads to the numbers Here’s what you need: ■ chads from a previous activity ■ 9 index cards ■ marker ■ basket or envelope for storing chads and cards 1. To prepare for the activity, write a number from 1 to 9 on each index card. 2. Invite children to place the cor- responding number of chads on each card. That is, one chad for 1, two for 2, and so forth. Extension: As children gain an understanding of amounts, they can use chads to learn simple addition and subtraction. © Texas Child Care quarTerly / winTer 2014 / VOLUMe 38, nO. 3 / ChildCarequarTerly.com Sprinkle the dots for example. how to lace the yarn up one Here’s what you need: 3. Hang the strip in a sunny win- hole and down into another, ■ chads from a previous activity dow, or use as a bookmark. going around the edge. ■ construction paper Variation: Instead of strips, cut 3. After a child has finished lacing, ■ white glue sticks paper into shapes. Some exam- tie a knot or bow with the two ples: A green tree shape can have ends. 1. Encourage children to use a red paper underneath for apples. Variations: Cut the cards into glue stick to mark lines or a A brown dog shape can have animal shapes (dinosaur, rabbit, design on a sheet on paper. white paper underneath for spots. cat, dog, for example). Place two Then sprinkle chads on top, let A circle with different colors cards together, punch holes along dry, and shake off the excess. underneath can be used as a holi- one edge, and lace the two cards Note: For most children, apply- day ornament. together. Instead of yarn, use nar- ing glue to the paper will be less row ribbon, string, or shoestrings. frustrating than applying glue to Symmetrical squares Instead of index cards, use paper chads and affixing them one-by- Here’s what you need: plates. ■ one on paper. As children develop ■ construction paper, assorted col- pincer skill with thumb and ors, cut into 2-inch wide strips pointer finger, however, they will ■ single hole punch be more able to glue the chads ■ multiple hole punch (optional) individually, perhaps in a mosaic design. 1. Invite children to choose a sheet of construction paper, fold it in Polka-dotted strips half, and then fold it in half Here’s what you need: again to make a square. ■ construction paper, assorted col- 2. Have them punch holes ors, cut into 2-inch wide strips through the four thicknesses in ■ hole punch a pattern or at random. With an ■ glue adjustable multiple hole punch, ■ tissue paper, assorted colors they may be able to more easily reach the center of the square. 1. Invite children to choose a con- 3. Open the sheet to reveal the struction paper strip and punch symmetrical squares. holes in it. 2. Have them glue a contrasting Lace the yarn color piece of tissue on the bot- Here’s what you need: tom—for example, yellow tissue ■ index cards, assorted colors under a green perforated strip, ■ hole punch ■ yarn, assorted colors her C ■ tape res d er T ie 1. Invite children to choose an d by index card and punch holes oto around the edges, an inch or h P two apart. ns: 2. Wrap a tiny piece of tape around the end of a length of commo e V i yarn so that it will slip easily T rea through the holes (rather than C using a needle). Demonstrate © Texas Child Care quarTerly / winTer 2014 / VOLUMe 38, nO. 3 / ChildCarequarTerly.com.