Safety Pin Necklace
by
Barbara Sher 
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You might not think of safety pins as a good toy for children, but they can be. Learning how to make a large safety pin open and close takes concentrated effort. If it’s done right, there is enormous satisfaction. If done wrong, they know it right away. Ouch. If your child is too uncomfortable with the possibility of getting poked, use paper clips instead. If they (and you) are up for the challenge, go for it. Learning takes risks.
Directions
Place the Get a packet of large size safety pins. Carefully show your learner how to open and close the pin. Make sure she is looking closely at the way the pin hooks behind the tip so it fits into the exact right spot in order to stay closed and how to squeeze the pin so that the point gets out from under the tip to open. Hook one safety pin into the bottom of another and close it. Take another pin and put it in the bottom of the last pin. Keep doing this until a chain is formed that can be worn as a necklace.
Variations
If your safety-pin-necklace-maker is older, get a packet of small beads so that she can put the beads on the pins and make a fancier necklace.
Benefits
Concentrated and focused energy is practiced here as well as fine motor control. Add beads and you add creativity. Since they can wear their success as a necklace, they get to get admiration too.
Barbara Sher M.A.,O.T.R, an occupational therapist and author of nine books on children’s games. Titles include EARLY INTERVENTION GAMES, SPIRIT GAMES and EXTRAORDINARY PLAY WITH ORDINARY THINGS.
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This post originally appeared on our November/December 2012 Magazine
