Skip to main content

Have your kids ever played pick-up sticks? Mine love it, and I played it all the time growing up! Let's try giving this fine motor game a twist. Don't topple the teepee!

Don't Topple the Teepee

Skill Areas Addressed (See Glossary):

  • Fine motor skills
  • Motor control
  • Coordination
  • Grasp

What You Will Need:

  • Sticks (chop sticks, wooden skewers, small twigs, unsharpened pencils, straws, etc)
  • A loop to place the sticks inside (scrapbook paper, a cut up toilet paper roll, ring cut from the bottom of a plastic cup, etc).

How To Do It:

Take a bundle of sticks and place them inside of a loop. Use as many as needed to make the teepee stand up. Take turns pulling out 1 stick at a time. The first 1 to crash the teepee loses!

How To Change It Up:

  • Vary how the kids are positioned for the game by changing their base of support, and challenging their body control and strength in different ways (eg, on their tummy, on their knees, standing up, etc).
  • You can also time the game to increase the speed and the challenge.

Explore More Activites Like This!

Explore more activities to promote development in children, and check out our health center for children.

The Inspired Treehouse Logo

This content is provided in collaboration with The Inspired Treehouse and has been reviewed by the editorial board.


You Might Also Like...

Article

Choosing a Mattress That Supports Your Body and Your Sleep

Struggling with sleep or morning pain? These tips from a physical therapist can help you choose the right mattress and pillow for better comfort, support,

Article

Home Health Physical Therapy: How Care at Home Helps You Recover Safely

Home health physical therapy brings expert care to your home to rebuild strength, improve mobility, and support safe recovery.

Health Tips

9 Things Your Physical Therapist Wants You To Know About Aging Well

With the right type and amount of physical activity, we can help stave off many age-related health problems. These nine tips from physical therapists will