Egg carton threading
A simple fine motor activity using an empty egg carton, great for added literacy or STEM learning.
This is one of those beautiful low-waste activities that turns your recycling into a playful learning tool. Just grab an old egg carton, poke some holes, and offer your child some sticks, string, shoelaces or pipe cleaners to thread through.
You can leave it open-ended or add colours to each hole and turn it into a matching or patterning game. It’s great for developing fine motor and prewriting skills, concentration and hand-eye coordination and a great quick prep option for independent play.
Materials
Prep
Step 1:
Use a pen or skewer to poke small holes in each egg cup.
Step 2:
Colour around each hole with markers or paint for a colour-matching version (optional).
Step 3:
Provide string, shoelaces, pipe cleaners or sticks for threading.
Play
Step 1:
Demonstrate how to post or thread through the holes.
Step 2:
Invite your child to explore freely, or set colour or patterning challenges.
Step 3:
See what patterns, creations or imaginative play they come up with!
Extend
Count and thread: Add numbers to each egg cup and thread that many times into each hole.
Make a face: Turn the carton into a silly creature with eyes and nose and let them “thread hair.”
Letter learning: Write letters on the holes and have them thread in order to spell words. You can use verbal prompts like, “Can you thread through the A? Now the T?” Add phonics prompts if your child is ready.
