Grandma's Clothesline

Children carry clean laundry from the basket to the clothesline (a rope tied low), hang it up with clothespins, and once it's dry, take it down and fold it into the basket. It builds the finger pincer grip combined with moving around and reaching above the shoulders.

How to play

1. The teacher ties the ropes at the kids' chest height and shows how to open a clothespin with two fingers and "bite" the clothes (2 min).
2. Each child practices opening and closing a clothespin on the hem of their shirt and on a scarf (2 min).
3. Hang the laundry: take one item and two clothespins from the basket, walk to the line and hang it up (4 min).
4. The wind blows: everyone blows hard to dry the clothes and waves their arms like the breeze (1 min).
5. Take it down: remove the clothespins, carry the item to the basket, fold it and put the clothespins back in their jar (4 min).
6. Count how many socks ended up in matching pairs and finish the laundry (1 min).

Rules

• Clothespins go on clothes and the line, never on skin.
• One item at a time.
• There's room for everyone on the line: if it's full, find another spot.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: a lower line next to the wheelchair and the basket on the child's lap.
• Weak finger strength: use big soft plastic clothespins, or attach clothes to the line with Velcro.
• Low vision: use items with different textures and put a bell on each end of the line for orientation.

Learning goals

• Strengthen the finger pincer grip.
• Coordinate picking up, carrying and hanging.
• Complete an everyday task from start to finish.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Clothespins: 50
• Jump ropes: 3
• Scarves: 25
• Socks: 25
• Laundry baskets: 3

Teacher tip

Use big wooden clothespins with a gentle spring; test them first, since some pinch hard. Tie the line at chest height: if it's too high, kids get frustrated fast.

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