The cup-and-ball is a traditional children's toy that typically consists of a wooden ball attached to a cup with a length of string. In this activity, you'll create your own inexpensive cup-and-ball toy out of recycled materials from around the house! Your child will delight in trying to swing the ball into the cup, and will improve her fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination in the process. Although the cup-and-ball is a simple toy, there are countless games you can play with it. Try the ones listed at the end of this activity, or encourage your child to invent her own.
What You Need:
- Small plastic water bottle
- Thin string (preferably made of nylon)
- Small golf ball-size plastic whiffle ball with holes
- Duct tape
- Scissors or small utility knife
- Thin foam sheets with adhesive on one side (optional, available at craft stores)
What You Do:
- Cut off the top of the plastic water bottle with the scissors or utility knife, leaving a bottom piece about 3-4" tall. This will be your cup.
- Create a small slit in the rim of the cup for the string to go through.
- Cut a 26-30" length of string. Have your child thread one end of the string through the slit from the outside of the cup to the inside.
- Tie a small knot in the loose end of the string, then tape the knot to the inside of the cup.
- Have your child place a piece of tape on the other end of the string to give it stiffness and prevent it from fraying.
- Thread the string in through a hole in the whiffle ball and out through an adjacent hole. You may need to use a thin utensil like a screwdriver or knitting needle to push the string out the second hole. Once the string is threaded through the two holes, tie a knot (preferably a slip knot) to secure the string to the ball. Pull the string taut to make sure the knot is secure.
- Cover the outside of the cup with a sheet of the adhesive-backed foam (optional). The foam provides extra grip so the cup doesn't slip out of your child's hand during play.
- Now that your cup-and-ball is complete, try the following games:
- Tick-Tock (beginner): This beginner’s activity is a good base for learning other tricks. Let the ball hang down as low as it will go. Begin swinging the ball back and forth like a pendulum. The smoother the swing, the better the control.
- Up in a Cup (beginner): Begin playing Tick-Tock, then use the swinging action to try to get the ball to land in the cup. See how many times your child can do it.
- Upsy Daisy (beginner): With the ball touching the ground, pull the cup up quickly and try to catch the ball.
- Popcorn (beginner): Begin with the ball in the cup. Move the cup up and down to make the ball pop up out of the cup and then fall back in it, like popcorn.
- Walk the Puppy (intermediate): With the ball on the ground, begin walking, dragging the ball behind you (as if you're pulling on a dog's leash). While dragging the ball, quickly swing your arm up in front of you to make the ball fly up in the air, then catch the ball in the cup.
- Around the World (intermediate): Start by playing Tick-Tock. Using a little more force and speed, swing the ball all the way over the cup and back around, then catch it in the cup.
- Upside Downy (advanced): Turn the cup upside down and balance the ball on the bottom of the cup. With an upward swing of the arm, toss the ball up in the air, then turn the cup right-side up and catch the ball as it descends.
- Rock-a-Bye Baby (extreme): Start by playing Tick-Tock, swinging the ball from left to right in front of you. When the ball is on its upward arc, place a finger on the string about halfway between the cup and ball to change the ball's path. As the ball swings upward and the string wraps over your finger, try to catch the ball in the cup. The trick to this game is finding the right spot on the string to place your finger.
Once your child has mastered these games, encourage her to invent her own!
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