Sweeping practice
Give kids a small broom or dustpan and let them sweep small parts like ripped paper into a pile - fun, practical, and great for motor skills!
A super simple but surprisingly engaging way to involve little ones in tidying up! Hand them a small broom, dustpan, or even a piece of cardboard and challenge them to sweep scattered items like paper, pom-poms, buttons, hair ties, dried pasta, toy blocks or dried leaves in the garden into a designated spot.
Optionally you could also mark a shape or line on the floor for them to sweep the parts into with masking tape or chalk.
It’s a fantastic way to develop coordination, motor skills, and...
Materials
Prep
Step 1:
Scatter the loose parts on the floor or a tray.
Step 2:
Set up a designated “goal” (like a line, circle, or container) for sweeping.
Play
Step 1:
Hand your child a small broom, dustpan, or even a piece of sturdy paper.
Step 2:
Show them how to sweep the loose parts into a pile or towards a target.
Step 3:
Encourage playful challenges like racing against a timer or sweeping by color.
Step 4:
Celebrate their effort, whether or not the floor actually gets clean!
Extend
Colour Sorting: If using colourful loose parts, have them sweep each colour into a separate pile.
Obstacle Sweep: Place small obstacles (like toy animals) to sweep around for extra coordination practice.
Role Play: Pretend to be a street sweeper or a magical wizard sweeping up sparkles!
