Summer Sun Threading Activity for Kids

Help your toddlers and preschoolers develop fine motor skills with this Sun Threading Activity. This is a fun and easy fine motor play idea to try during a Summer or weather themed unit.

Disclosure: Adult supervision is required for all activities at all times.

The Summer break can be tough on parents who aren’t used to having their kids home every day. If you’re trying to get ready for this Summer, then start with these Summer activities for kids. Or invest in the Summer Activity Pack, which is filled with educational ideas for young kids.

More Summer Themed Fine Motor Activities to try

Are you trying to improve fine motor skills with some summer fun? These summer play ideas are perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.

1. Ice Cream Sweep
2. Sun Scissor Skills Activity
3. Sea Animals Playdough Mats
4. Sun Number Matching Fine Motor Activity
5. Watermelon Counting and Fine Motor Activity

For more ideas, take a look at these 15 Summer Fine Motor Activities for Kids.

Materials Needed

1. A paper plate
2. Yellow paint (optional)
3. A hole punch
4. 4 Yellow and orange pipe cleaners
5. Yellow and orange beads

How to make a Sun Threading Activity

1. Paint your plate.

This step is optional. You can decorate your plate however you like, or not at all.

If you don’t like the idea of painting, you can always color in the plate using crayons. Or just buy a set of yellow plates to use instead.

2. Punch the holes.

Use a hole punch to make several holes around the edge of the plate. If your kids’ hands are strong enough they can always help you with this part of the project.

3. Cut your pipe cleaners into 2 – 3 inch lengths.

For me, this meant just cutting my pipe cleaners into ¼. But of course, you can make the rays of your sun as long or as short as you like.

4. Attach the pipe cleaners to the plate.

Thread one end of your pipe cleaner through the holes, and bend them over. Attaching them to your paper plate.

If you don’t have pipe cleaners you can always try using regular string or yarn for this activity. I personally prefer using pipe cleaners, because they aren’t so floppy and it’s easier for my kids to get the beads to thread.

5. Collect your beads and enjoy playing.

I used two different colored beads, the same as the colors of the pipe cleaners. Having two different colors meant that I could get my children to practice patterns and color matching.

How to Play

1. Pick up a bead in one hand and a pipe cleaner in the other. 

2. Thread the pipe cleaner through the hole in the center of the bead. 

3. Push the bead along the pipe cleaner until it reaches the base, where the paper plate sun is attached.

What You’re Learning

Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills refer to the small muscles in the hand and fingers. Developing these skills are important in being able to write when the kids go to school, as well as being able to complete tasks independently. (For example, dressing and feeding themselves)

Picking up the beads, and threading them onto the pipe cleaners are all going to help young kids develop:

1. Pincer grip
2. Hand-eye coordination
3. Dexterity.

Math

There are several different Math skills you can work on with this simple sun threading activity.

Counting – count how many rays the sun has, or how many beads you have used. This is a great way to practice counting to 10 or to 20, as well as one-to-one correspondence.

Color Matching – Thread the yellow beads onto the yellow pipe cleaners and the orange beads onto the orange pipe cleaners. Matching colors is an early math concept that toddlers and preschoolers can easily master.

Patterns – thread the two different colored beads into an AB (e.g. yellow, orange, yellow, orange) or AAB (e.g.yellow, yellow, orange) pattern.

Science

Talk to your kids about the sun and any interesting science facts you know about it. You can discus things like:

1. What is the sun?
2. Why is the sun important for our planet?
3. Where does it go at night?
4. Where is the sun in relation to the other planets?

Sun Safety

Playing with this sun threading activity is a great opportunity to talk to your kids about sun safety. Discuss sunscreen, hats and the other things we do to make sure that we are protected from the sun’s rays.

Are you going to try this Sun Threading Activity with your kids?
Don’t forget to pin the idea for later.

Print the Instructions

Sun Threading Activity

Print

Make a paper plate sun where you can thread beads onto the rays. This threading activity is a great way to help young kids develop fin emotor skills through play.

Materials

• A paper plate
• Yellow paint (optional)
• A hole punch
• 4 Yellow and orange pipe cleaners
• Yellow and orange beads

Instructions

How to make the sun

1. Paint the paper plate yellow.
2. Make a series of holes around the edge of the plate using a hole punch.
3. Cut your pipe cleaners into 2-3 inch lengths.
4. Attach the pipe cleaners to the plate.

How to Play

1. Pick up a bead in one hand and pipe cleaner in the other.
2. Thread the pipe cleaner through thehole in the bead.
3. Push the bead along the pipe cleaner until it reaches the base.

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