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Glow-in-the-Dark Bead Maze

Jul 3, 20133,562 views
Fine Motor Activities
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Fine Motor Activity : Glow in the dark bead maze Save

by TurkeyMom in Fine Motor Activities

Ages3–6 yrs
Prep10 min
Activity30 min
Leveleasy
MessLow
Works for1:1 · Small group

Kids poke neon pipe cleaners into a Styrofoam sheet and thread glow-in-the-dark beads onto them under a black light. They make patterns, beaded 'necklaces' and arching maze structures.

⚠️ Safety first

  • Small beads are a choking hazard. Supervise closely and keep them away from children who still mouth objects.
  • Pipe cleaners have wire ends that can poke. Bend sharp ends over if needed.
  • Don't let kids look directly into the black light. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the lamp.
  • Styrofoam can crumble into small bits. Don't let kids put pieces in their mouths.

Before the kids arrive

  • Set up a big cardboard box with a black light on top, or plan a dim room.
  • Save a Styrofoam sheet or foam packaging, and an empty egg carton.

Steps

  1. Set the black light on top of a big box, or dim the room.

  2. Put the glow beads into an empty egg carton, sorted by shape and size if your child wants to.

  3. Poke the neon pipe cleaners upright into the Styrofoam sheet.

  4. Turn on the black light and thread beads onto the pipe cleaners to make patterns.

  5. Thread beads onto a loose pipe cleaner to make a beaded necklace of sorts.

  6. Bend the beaded pipe cleaners into arches and push both ends into the foam.

  7. Keep building glowing structures and mazes with more pipe cleaners and beads.

Tips

  • It wasn't completely dark when we did this, but the glow was still good enough to get a squeal out of my child.from the author
  • Sorting is optional. My 4-year-old point blank asked why she needed to sort when I gently suggested it.from the author
  • It was pretty tricky getting the smaller beads through the pipe cleaners. Offer bigger beads to younger kids.from the author
  • If you're working with more than one child, go for a larger foam block. Repurposing packaging material keeps it frugal.from the author
  • Let it wander: our fine motor activity quickly became a building activity.from the author

Make it your own

  • Turn it into a building activity by making arches and structures from beaded pipe cleaners.
  • Make beaded pipe cleaner necklaces.
  • Use the same big box as an outdoor art studio, rain forest small world or glow art box.

The story behind it

By TurkeyMom · July 2013
Fine Motor Activity : Glow in the dark bead maze
Today we share a classic fine motor play idea, beads and pipe cleaners, which surprisingly we have somehow managed to miss.
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Glow-in-the-Dark Bead Maze: the original post

Today we share a classic fine motor play idea - beads and pipe cleaners which surprisingly we have somehow managed to miss. Since all the fine motor practice needed are tied into many of the kids crafts we do, we haven’t created any dedicated fine motor activity.The last intentional fine motor activity we shared was our frugal stack up structures for baby.

Fine Motor Activity : Glowing bead maze

  • Glow in the dark beads
  • Pipe Cleaners
  • Styrofoam Sheet
  • Black Light

Our glow in the dark beads came in different sizes and colors and glowed pretty good under black light. Considering that it was not completely dark when we did this fine motor activity that glow was good enough to elicit a squeal of my child. I placed our glow in the dark beads in an empty egg carton so that my kid can sort them by shape and size if needed (for the record she didn’t and point blank asked why she needed to sort when I gently suggested sorting by shape ) fine motor beads The pipe cleaners were just bright neon colored ones which was a perfect addition to this glowing fine motor activity. My 4 year old attached the pipe cleaners to the Styrofoam sheet. If I were working with more than 1 child I’d go for a larger block for the addition place. To keep it frugal it is better to re purpose your packaging material -more space no money spent!

fine motor activity with beads

The step was the glowing part! She got to create patterns with the beads while getting much fine motor practice. It was pretty tricky getting the smaller beads through the pipe cleaners.

beading

But she did manage to create a beaded necklace of sorts.

beads necklace

She threaded the beads on a few pipe cleaners and then bent the pipe cleaners and attached them to the styrofoam sheet. Since this part was so much fun she quickly moved on to creating structures with the pipe cleaners. The fine motor activity became a building activity.

pipe cleaner maze Just so you know, we did this fine motor activity inside a big box with a black light on the top. The same box was used as an outdoor art studio, rain forest and a glow art box. The most popular use for our big box - throw ball painting.

glow dark flashlight

I purchased my supplies at a craft store. Here are similar items that will work. Each image is clickable

Glow in the dark beads Styofoam Sheet Pipe Cleaners

Black Light

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