Making & creating
Scrunch and toss
- Builds: Squeezing with both hands
- 10 min
- Ages 1–2
- Calm
- A little tidy-up
From the house
- Whole sheets of scrap paper, newspaper or tissue paper
- A box or laundry basket
How to play
- Squash a sheet into a ball with both hands while they watch, and listen to it crunch.
- Hand them a sheet and let them scrunch it their way.
- Toss the paper balls into the box, tip them out and go again.
- Pull a ball open, smooth it flat together, then scrunch it up again.
Fit it to your child
- Easier: Use tissue paper, which squashes easily, and start each ball for them.
- Harder: Scrunch balls in two colors and tape them in a row on paper to make a caterpillar.
Words to use
- scrunch
- squash
- crunch
- ball
- in
Why it helps
Squeezing paper builds the hand strength and finger control they’ll later need to hold a crayon.
Grown-up eyes: Use whole sheets so every ball is big, and take paper out of their mouth if they chew it.