Location: indoor or outdoor

Materials: rope, clothespins, small items of clothing or pieces of fabric

Clothes pins provide a wonderful opportunity for developing the hand muscles required to hold a pencil, button buttons, and pull zippers. Create a play scenario for kids to hang clothes or fabric on a clothesline as a way to encourage clothespin use.

String up a rope at a low height your kids can reach. You can tie it between two chairs or attach it to a shelf or wall. Put out a basket full of clothespins and a basket full of clothes or fabric squares.

Possible Extensions:

• Combine this with water play where kids "wash" the fabric and then hang it out to dry