Lacing Cards Fun and Helpful

Materials

Sometimes families need quiet time and easy activities to help provide that peacefulness.  Lacing string through holes of colorful cardboard pictures is a cheap quiet activity for many developmental stages.
Materials: 
  Cardboard or paper plates, hole puncher, yarn or string, scotch tape, colored picture or paper, markers, and glue.
What to do:
  Gather sturdy paper plates, or eight- inch square pieces of cardboard or cereal boxes.
  To prepare the lacing backgrounds, decorate one side. Children may cut out colorful magazine picture of one large object and glue the picture on one side of the cardboard. They may also color a large simple picture from a coloring book like a pumpkin, butterfly, train or person. Once colored and cut out, glue it on.

Color, cut glue...

Another possibility is to draw a circle, star, square or other geometric figure with a fat marker. In all cases, reinforce the back of the cardboard background with tape where the holes will be so the cardboard will not tear.
   Use a hole puncher to make holes one to three inches apart along the outline of the picture.  Young children will probably not be strong enough to do this part.
  If desired, frame the picture with holes around the edge and about two inches indented for older children. They can experiment making yarn or string designs as frames.

Prepare Lacing Backgrounds

One can also add a bit of math, pre-reading, and organization aid by numbering or placing the ABC’s next to the holes. This step will help children create a beautiful lined picture when complete.
  Gather one or two foot pieces of colorful strong yarn or string that will easily fit through the holes. Shorter is better than longer to avoid entanglement of string and children. It is easy to start a new short piece, but frustrating to untangle a long one. Encircle each end of the yarn with tape similar to shoelace ends.
 For storage, place each lacing card in a plastic bag and tie the required strings in a big loose knot to keep them from being a knotted mess.
Learn to Tie
  Show young children how to sew in and out to avoid wrapping the string around the card.  They may need help following the numbered and lettered holes Sometimes they may want to make their own path.
  Older children may like sewing on a large button between two punched holes. They may enjoy using a large blunt tipped plastic needle to sew from hole to hole.  
  Older children may enjoy using two longish pieces of yarn hanging from the squares to practice making knots or making bows for their shoes.  For tying shoes use the easier bunny ears method. 

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest