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Tugging Box

Math & Sciences

14–18 months

Time to pinch and pull. A child’s natural response is to grasp objects and see what happens. The tugging box will help develop your child’s pincer and palmar grasp while introducing them to the concept of cause and effect. 

Materials

  • Medium size cardboard box 
  • Various lengths of string, yarn, ribbon, pipe cleaners, etc. 
  • Pen or sharp object 
  • Sticky tape 
  • Coloured pens, pencils, or crayons (Optional) 

Set-up 

  1. Use coloured pens, pencils, or crayons to decorate your tugging box. 
  2. Use pen or sharp object to puncture multiple holes throughout the box. Spread the holes evenly and do not make them too large. 
  3. Thread your string, ribbon, etc. through 2 to 3 holes in multiple directions. Knot each end to prevent your child from pulling it out completely. 
  4. Tape the box closed. 

Time to play 

As your child begins to tug on one end of the string, they will see that it begins to lengthen, while the opposite end shortens. Encourage them to pull in multiple directions and watch as they begin to apply more force through natural curiosity. 

Increase the fun 

Fill the tugging box with rolls of string or ribbon and let your child pull it through until they reach the end. 

At Learning Jungle, we believe all children are capable, confident and full of potential. Co-learning empowers your child to take initiative. Encouraging child participation and engaging in open-ended, thought-provoking conversation throughout play is important for healthy child development.

Conversations with your child

  • Let’s decorate your tugging box 
  • Pull the pipe cleaner all the way through 
  • Now pull the string the other way 
  • What happens when we pull on the middle? 
  • Try pulling with both hands 

We would love to meet you

We currently have 51 locations in 5 countries. Our child care facilities offer tours throughout the year.
We invite you to visit a location near you.