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You are here: Home / Fall Activities / Fine Motor Pumpkin Activity Using Hammers

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Fine Motor Pumpkin Activity Using Hammers

October 27, 2014 by Sheryl Cooper

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Inside: Grab your wooden hammers because today you are going to learn how to put together a pumpkin activity that strengthens fine motor skills!

When was the last time you handed a hammer to a preschooler? Hmm?

Now, I’m not talking about a real hammer, one that adults would use. I’m talking about wooden hammers that are the perfect size for small hands. You know those children who love to move, move, move? This is the activity for them.

They will actually stop and focus.

And stay there for quite awhile.

In fact, you might need to let them know when it’s time to move on, if necessary.

My point is that this is THE go-to activity every fall that our busy kids love, with a bonus that it also strengthens fine motor development (getting those hands ready for writing) and hand-eye coordination.

How to Put Together a Fine Motor Pumpkin Activity Using Hammers

 

 

Watch this activity in action with our 2 year olds!

How to Put Together a Fine Motor Pumpkin Activity Using Hammers

Disclaimer: This is not an original idea. It’s been tried and loved by preschoolers for years.

However, it’s always a new experience for our preschoolers. Many have never hammered anything, let alone hammering tees into pumpkins!

We also love this activity because it is very meaningful. Our preschoolers had recently gone on a field trip to a local farm, picking out pumpkins to take home. We also had our pumpkin carving Dad’s Night, where the children were able to experience cleaning out and carving pumpkins. They have explored pumpkins inside and out. Now, they get to hammer into them!

 

What you will need first: pumpkins!

 

Fine Motor Pumpkin Activity

 

We went on a class field trip to a local farm where we learned about different kinds of pumpkins. We were able to choose one to take home.

 

Fine Motor Pumpkin Activity

 

What else you will need:

 

  • Hammers –

    In the past we’ve used kid plastic hammers, but this year my co-teacher got the idea to order crab and lobster wood mallets. Wow! What a difference! The preschoolers could handle these much easier! However, smaller hands might do best with kid hammers since they are smaller and lighter.

  • Golf tees

And that’s all you need! Don’t you love activities that require just a few items?

 

Fine Motor Pumpkin Activity

 

The process:

 

Fine Motor Pumpkin Activity

 

Show your children how to use their helper (non-dominant) hand to hold the tee on top of the pumpkin. Show them how to hold the hammer with their dominant hand.

 

Fine Motor Pumpkin Activity

 

It takes a few tries to get the coordination going, but once they do, they keep going!

If you do have a child who is having a hard time getting the hole started, you might want to hammer a few holes in the pumpkin first, and then have the child push the tee into that hole and start hammering. It gives them a little “head start”.

 

Fine Motor Pumpkin Activity

 

 

The other nice thing about this activity is that it can be done for multiple days. Simply pull the tees out and start again!

 

 

Fine Motor Pumpkin Activity

 

 

Fine Motor Pumpkin Activity

 

 

 

Looking for more fall kids activities?

 

  • Fall Art for Toddlers
  • A Collection of Fine Motor Activities for Fall
  • Pine Cone Painting
  • Fall Painting Activities

 


 

How to Put Together a Fine Motor Pumpkin Activity Using Hammers

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Filed Under: Fall Activities, preschool, Preschool Fine Motor, Toddler Fine Motor Tagged With: fall, fine motor, preschoolers, toddlers

About Sheryl Cooper

Sheryl Cooper is the founder of Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds, a website full of activities for toddlers and preschoolers. She has been teaching this age group for over 20 years and loves to share her passion with teachers, parents, grandparents, and anyone with young children in their lives.

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Comments

  1. Dawn Tomsik

    November 22, 2014 at 2:20 pm

    Hi Sheryl,
    I love love love your idea on hammering golf tees into a pumpkin however, it’s now late November and pumpkins are no longer available. What else would you suggest in order to do this task with my nine 2 year olds?
    p.s. I LOVE your site!

    • Sheryl

      December 3, 2014 at 9:08 pm

      Hi Dawn! Next time you have a nice chunk of styrofoam (like what is used in packaging), invite your 2 year olds to hammer into them. They love it! Also, they love to hammer tees into play dough. Have fun!

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