This post may contain affiliate links. That means we may make a small commission on items purchased through links in this post at no extra cost to you!
Snack time just got a lot more exciting, mama! This pipe cleaner cereal threading activity for toddlers will get them working those gross and fine motor skills all while having a yummy snack. Nothing motivates a toddler more than food!
What’s in this post:
- What Will You Need?
- How To Assemble Pipe Cleaner Board
- Some Notes On Cereal
- Adapting For Different Abilities
- The End
What Will You Need?
In preparation for this pipe cleaner cereal threading activity, you will need the following items:
- 4-5 pipe cleaners
- A piece of cardboard
- Packing tape or duct tape (any strong tape will do)
- O shaped cereal
Pipe Cleaners
There are so many different brands to choose from, and you can also pick them up at any craft store or even Walmart. I found these pipe cleaners on Amazon that worked great.
Make sure you get thin pipe cleaners. If they are too thick, it will be more difficult to thread the cereal onto the pipe cleaner.
Cardboard
You can use a number of different boxes here. If you have an empty cereal box, cut off the large front panel or disassemble a cardboard box and use one of the panels. Any box will do.
If you have a clipboard, you could also utilize that in place of the cardboard. The only downside to the clipboard would be that those tiny toddler hands can rip the pipe cleaners off in a flash. Taping the pipe cleaners down will ensure the activity lasts a bit longer. We all want a longer lasting activity!
Tape
Your tape needs to be heavy duty. Packing tape or Duct tape are ideal here. If you use Scotch Tape, the pipe cleaners will come off too easily.
Cereal
Any type of O shaped cereal will do the job. I used a fruity flavored cereal to add to the cute and tasty factor. The colors are so happy! My toddler loved the colors, too. And those flavors! So good.
How To Assemble Pipe Cleaner Board
It doesn’t get much easier than this! Simply take 4-5 pipe cleaners and space them evenly apart on the cardboard.
Wrap about 1/4-inch of the end of each pipe cleaner over the top of the cardboard. Wrapping the pipe cleaners over the top will help keep things secure. See the visuals for an example.
Using your strong tape, place the tape on top of the pipe cleaners, and wrap tape around the cardboard a few times. Press the tape firmly onto the cardboard. Make sure it’s very secure.
And that’s it! You’re ready to begin threading some yummy cereal onto the pipe cleaners.
Some Notes On Cereal
I’m not going to dive too deeply into this topic, but I do think it’s worth noting some important issues when it comes to cereal.
You may have heard in the news that some cereals contain glyphosates which come from weed killers used by farmers. It’s NOT good for our kids.
You might also think that you have to buy a super expensive cereal in order to avoid the glyphosates. Fortunately, there are a couple of options that won’t kill your wallet in the process.
I was able to find a brand called Cascadian Farms that was very economical compared to other brands.
Some other great, clean options are:
- Lovebird (pricey but VERY clean)
- 365 Organic Morning O’s
- Nature’s Path Organic Whole O’s
Cascadian Farms is the cheapest, glyphosate free option I could find. If you know of more, let me know in the comments!
Adapting For Different Abilities
Not every toddler will be threading their own cereal, and that’s ok! My 2-year-old son had a little trouble doing it by himself.
You can differentiate for any ability.
My little guy had trouble getting the cereal onto the pipe cleaner. Instead of threading the cereal himself, I threaded the cereal onto the pipe cleaners and let him pull it off. He LOVED that option. I also put the cereal onto the pipe cleaner to give him a little head start, and he pushed the cereal the rest of the way up.
If you have an older toddler, you could increase the challenge by creating a color pattern with fruity, colored O’s. And if you trust your toddler to keep beads out of their mouth, you could also let them thread big beads instead of cereal.
You may have to adjust things a bit depending on the age you’re working with. That’s ok! The whole point is to have fun and get those little fingers moving.
The End
That’s a wrap! I hope you loved this pipe cleaner cereal threading activity.
Did you try it? How did it go? What worked/didn’t work? What creative spin did you put on it?
Let me know in the comments. I always love hearing from you!
Till next time!
Did you love this post? Share it on Pinterest! And be sure to check out these other great toddler activities!
Animals At The Carnival: FREE Printable Coloring Sheets
FREE Printable Toddler Activity: 15 Page Under-The-Sea Dot Sticker Activity Pack
4 thoughts on “Pipe Cleaner Cereal Threading Activity For Toddlers”