Easy Fine Motor Activity for Toddlers: Pasta & Pipe Cleaner
- Farmhouse in the Field
- May 7
- 1 min read
If you’ve got a toddler who loves to keep their hands busy, this easy fine motor activity is a must-try! It uses two things you probably already have at home: dried pasta and pipe cleaners. That’s it! It’s low-mess, totally screen-free, and great for working those little hand muscles.
Bonus: It buys you at least 10 minutes of quiet time (maybe even enough for hot coffee).
What You’ll Need:
A handful of uncooked pasta (penne or rigatoni works best)
A few colorful pipe cleaners
Optional: a colander or strainer for added fun
How to Set It Up:
Grab your supplies:
Set out a small bowl of pasta and a few pipe cleaners. You don’t need anything fancy—this is all about keeping it simple.
Show how it’s done:
Demonstrate sliding a pasta piece onto a pipe cleaner. Then hand it over to your toddler and let them go to town!
Encourage play:
You’ll be surprised how focused little ones get with this! It’s a fun challenge that strengthens hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. You can also twist the pipe cleaners into shapes or thread them through a colander for more variety.
Tips & Variations:
Use different pasta shapes or sizes to keep things interesting.
Add color matching by using dyed pasta or colored pipe cleaners.
Store everything in a zip-top bag so it’s ready for next time!
Why We Love It:
It’s affordable, mess-free, and great for development. Plus, it travels well—just toss the pieces into a small container and take it on the go.
I posted a full video on my TikTok for how we made pasta pipe cleaners!
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