Penny Flick Game

This is a quickly organized social and fine motor game with an easy to find material, pennies.

Partner two children across from each other or have children sitting around a circular table.

Directions

Give each child a penny and show them how to move the penny along the table by flicking their index finger with their thumb or pushing it with just their index finger or the side of their thumb. They can use whatever finger method works best for them. The method doesn’t matter. If you do the partner method, have players sitting across from each other flick their pennies towards each other trying to get them to touch.

If you use the group method, have all the players flick their pennies into the center of the table and try to get the pennies to bump into each other.

Variations

1. Set up two objects, such as two cups or just two other pennies, a short distance away from the flickers as “goal posts.” The players have to flick their pennies between the two objects. Keep making the “goal posts” closer together to increase the challenge.
2. Use straws, spoon handles, or tongue depressors, popsicle or craft sticks as hockey sticks, call the penny a “puck,” and bat the puck back and forth between the players.
3. Make a line of pennies and have the player try and hit each penny and knock it out of line.
4. Make a line of pennies with at least an inch of space between them and have the player try and flick his penny through each of the spaces. Make the first space the largest and each following spaces progressively smaller.
5. Show children how to place a penny on its edge, give it a little push and watch it roll. See how far it can go without falling over.

What is Being Learned

Children are engaged in back and forth play where they are either taking turns or are playing simultaneously.

The small muscles of the hand are getting a workout in this game and children are learning how to grade the energy output of those muscles to produce the desired results.

Modifications

Children who have difficulty controlling their fingers would do better if they used the second variation of a “hockey stick.”

If the child might put small objects in his mouth, use objects too big to swallow such as poker chips, quarters or large bottle caps.

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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