Feed The Monster { Fine Motor + Color Game}

DIY toys are my favorite toys! And fine motor skill toys are my second favorite, so if you can have both of them in one toy that is a double win for me.

Feed the monster is all about working eye-hand coordination and cognitive development. All you need is a tin can and some Popsicle sticks.

DIY toys are fun and easy to make. You can use it as an opportunity to teach more than one lesson at a time. Create a few of these monsters with different size shapes for the mouth to increase the challenge.

Toys that offer a learning opportunity are toys that your child will use more often than those which don’t. This is why I love open-ended toys and toys that offer that type of fine motor skill and cognitive development. This DIY Toy does just that!

This game is also a great game to practice color recognition. Around one year old, you can start introducing sorting and learning colors and this is a super fun activity to do just that!

My son has played with this toy since he was 10 months old and he is two years old now and still enjoys it. We have created challenges to keep his interest.

So how can we make a toy at home that can work on fine motor skills? well, simple! all you need is two things.

Materials Needed

  • Popsicle sticks (colors are optional but encourage for toddlers who are learning their colors)
  • Container with a soft lid (like the oatmeal tub, or Cheetos tub)

Oh, yes, you will need scissors to cut the mouth and paper to create the eyes.

Objective: Use a hands-on learning activity to work on fine motor skills

fine motor skills toys for toddler and baby

HOW TO PLAY: 

  • Collect a container with soft lid, it can be a box of oatmeal, yogurt, or like me a box of Gerber puffs.
  • Cut half a circle on the lid to create the mouth using scissors.
  • Create some eyes cutting two circles on a white piece of paper and color two black dots in each fo the pupils
  • Glue the eyes to the lid over the mouth.

Feed the Monster: Game for Babies

The idea of the game is to place the Popsicle sticks inside the container. 

Do the I show you, we do it, now you do it technique.

Show your baby how to insert the Popsicle sticks into the container.

Do it together. Let your baby insert some, and now you insert some. Play together and celebrate together when your baby is doing it correctly.

Independent play. Now, that your baby knows how to play, it is time for you to step away but keep an eye at a distance, let him/her figure it out, investigate and independently play.

Variations:

Feed the monster doesn’t have to be played with just popsicle sticks. You can feed him anything! Your baby doesn’t want to eat? feed the monster first, then offer the next spoonful to your baby and see how quickly he/she starts accepting food.

Invite your baby to play by handing him/her out each stick and “feed the monster” 

fine motor skill toy

Feed the Monster: Game for Toddlers

The idea of the game is to place the popsicle sticks inside the container. For toddlers, this is a great game to learn colors.

Do the I show you, we do it, now you do it technique.

Show your toddler how to insert the popsicle sticks into the container. You can name the color each time you grab one stick and place it inside the monster. Let your toddler insert some sticks and see if he can identify the color. Say “Can you feed the monster the YELLOW stick”

Do it together. Let your toddler insert some sticks as you name what color they picked. then take turns. Play together and celebrate together when your toddler is naming and feeding the monster.

Independent play. Now, that your toddler knows how to play, it is time for you to step away but keep an eye at a distance, let him/her figure it out, investigate and do some independently play.

Variations:

Feed the monster doesn’t have to be played with just popsicle sticks. You can feed him anything! pom-poms, scoops of rice or pasta, and even small carrots. Anything goes!

For more Low Pre Activities, check these out