Need a fun Christmas fine motor activity to try? This Jingle Bell Drop game is sure to be a hit!
Jingle bells seem to multiply at our house during the holiday season and we find them everywhere! We decided to find a creative way to play with them (and get the kids to go and find them all too!).
This Christmas fine motor activity was the perfect way for my preschooler and toddler to work on hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills too!
RELATED: Love simple Christmas games like this? Check out our list of 60+ Christmas activities. It includes so many Christmas themed fine motor activities.
This jingle bell game is quick to set up! You can even use some of your Amazon boxes!
Here's what you need for this jingle bell game:
- Jingle bells (any size, I use jumbo ones for little toddlers)
- Cardboard box
- Scissors
- Colored paper
- Cups
- Tape (or glue)
NOTE: Jingle Bells can be a choking hazard. All activities we share should be supervised by a responsible adult, including this one. If your child puts things in their mouth, make sure to use JUMBO jingle bells.
Here's how to set up this easy game!
- Cut of two flaps of a cardboard box.
- Tape them together so that one side holds up the other side at a diagonal.
- Tape on a construction paper Christmas tree to the flap (or draw it on).
- Tape (or glue) some plastic cups onto the tree as "ornaments."
- Optional: Put some color paper under the cups to make the "ornaments" look more colorful.
- Now you're ready to play!
The goal of this easy Christmas fine motor activity is to drop or toss the jingle bells into the cups!
What skills are my kids working on during this simple Christmas fine motor activity?
This jingle bell game helps kids work on fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination!
As kids pick up the jingle bells, they typically grab them between their thumb and their index finger. That's called a pincer grasp. When kids are able to do this, that is a huge milestone in fine motor development! This game allows them to practice that.
Kids also work on hand-eye coordination as they toss and drop the jingle bells.
Hand-eye coordination is the ability to do activities that require the simultaneous use of hands and eyes.
Kids have to look at the cups while they try and toss the bells. This activity helps them practice those skills.
Why are fine motor skills important?
Fine motor skills are needed in all aspects of life. Fine motor skills involve the tiny muscles that control the hand, finger, and thumb. They help kids do simple tasks like zipping a coat, buttoning a shirt, turning a door knob, using a fork, grabbing toys, drawing, and more!
We love to incorporate a lot of fine motor skills activities into play since they are so important for kids. These 10 fine motor skills focused sensory bins are some of our favorites.
Why is hand-eye coordination important?
Hand-eye coordination helps kids track the movements of their hands with their eyes. Most activities kids do during their day require hand-eye coordination, which is why it's so important for kids to build these skills. Hand-eye coordination also helps kids with reading and decoding, eating, and playing sports!
Whether your child sits right up close to the jingle bell game or far away, they are still working on these simple skills!
This activity might look like just a quick & easy activity, but kids are learning some really important things as they are dropping and tossing these jingle bells!
Do you have any other favorite games or activities that use jingle bells? We'd love to hear about them! Tell us in the comments.
Here are a few jingle bell activities that we like:
- Jingle Bell Scoop & Transfer by Busy Toddler
- Jingle Bell Magnetic Tubes by Happy Toddler Playtime
- Jingle Bell Drop by Days with Grey
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