Toddler activities with clothespins
4 activities in the library use clothespins, for toddlers aged 23 to 36 months: 1 starting 18–23 months and 3 starting from 24 months. Spring clothespins open with a squeeze and clip onto edges, which builds finger strength and a thumb-and-finger pinch. They also connect to a real household job: hanging laundry.
Updated
Clothespins: 4 activities to try
Safety: Check that every spring is firmly attached; throw away any clothespin that comes apart, since a loose spring is a small part.
4 activities
- Clothespin-Knob Box Puzzle 23–32 months · 5–10 min · Indoors · Calm You cut two big shapes from a box lid and clip a clothespin on each as a handle, making a homemade knob puzzle your child lifts out and fits back.
- Clothespin Clip on an Egg Carton 26–36 months · 5–10 min · Indoors · Calm Your child squeezes spring clothespins open and clips them onto the edges of an egg carton, building pinch strength and finger control.
- Clothespin Count on the Bucket 26–36 months · 5–10 min · Indoors or out · Calm Your child squeezes clothespins open and clips them around the rim of a bucket while you count together, then unclips them and drops them inside.
- Sock Hang-Up on the Basket 26–36 months · 5–10 min · Indoors · Calm On laundry day, your child clips matching pairs of clean socks to the rim of the laundry basket with clothespins, like hanging washing to dry.
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Clothespins at a glance
| Activities | 4, 2 on the low-prep menu |
|---|---|
| Ages covered (corrected) | 23–36 months |
| Focus time | 5–10 minutes |
| Main domains | 3 fine motor and 1 practical life |
| Where they happen | 3 indoors and 1 indoors or outdoors |
| Quickest start | Clothespin Clip on an Egg Carton, 5–10 minutes |
Every activity with clothespins
Sorted by the first month each one fits (corrected age for children born early). Quick picks: for a calm moment, Clothespin-Knob Box Puzzle; with no prep at all, Clothespin Count on the Bucket.
| Activity | Ages | Minutes | Domain | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clothespin-Knob Box Puzzle | 23–32 months | 5–10 | Fine motor | 5 min |
| Clothespin Clip on an Egg Carton | 26–36 months | 5–10 | Fine motor | 2 min |
| Clothespin Count on the Bucket | 26–36 months | 5–10 | Fine motor | None |
| Sock Hang-Up on the Basket | 26–36 months | 5–10 | Practical life | None |
How each activity uses clothespins
- Clothespin-Knob Box Puzzle (knob puzzles, 5–10 minutes): Cut a circle and a square, each palm-size or bigger, out of a box lid and clip a clothespin on each as a knob.
- Clothespin Clip on an Egg Carton (squeezing and rolling, 5–10 minutes): Clip one clothespin to the carton edge while your child watches: "Squeeze, open, clip."
- Clothespin Count on the Bucket (squeezing and rolling, 5–10 minutes): Clip one clothespin to the bucket rim and say "One!"
- Sock Hang-Up on the Basket (household helping, 5–10 minutes): Help them hold the pair while they squeeze and clip the clothespin.
By age
18–23 months: 1 activity, 5–10 minutes. From 24 months: 3 activities, 5–10 minutes.
Starting 18–23 months
Starting from 24 months
Words that come up
Across these activities you will model “circle”, “square”, “fits”, “turn it”, “squeeze”, “open”, “clip”, “pinch”, “one, two, three”, “all on”, “all off” and “pair”. Say one at the moment it happens, then pause for your child's turn.
Safety with clothespins
- Check that every spring is firmly attached; throw away any clothespin that comes apart, since a loose spring is a small part.
- Show your child how to hold the ends so fingers do not get caught in the jaws.
Prep tips
- Choose large wooden or plastic clothespins with a soft spring.
- Clip them to a thick edge, like a box or basket rim, at first.
No clothespins? Use instead
- Large chip clips.
- Big plastic hair clips with no small parts.
- Peeling painter's tape tabs for pinch practice.
Combine it with
Clothespins are most often paired with bucket (1 activity), cardboard box (1 activity) and egg carton (1 activity). The skills practised most: squeezing and rolling (3), matching (2) and colors and shapes (1).
Often combined with
Skills practised
Frequently asked questions
What can a toddler do with clothespins?
4 activities here use them, for example Clothespin-Knob Box Puzzle (23–32 months), Clothespin Clip on an Egg Carton (26–36 months) and Clothespin Count on the Bucket (26–36 months). 2 are on the low-prep menu: no prep and 10 minutes or less.
Are clothespins safe for toddlers?
Use them only with an adult close by. Check that every spring is firmly attached; throw away any clothespin that comes apart, since a loose spring is a small part. Show your child how to hold the ends so fingers do not get caught in the jaws.
What can I use instead of clothespins?
Large chip clips, big plastic hair clips with no small parts or peeling painter's tape tabs for pinch practice can stand in for most of these activities.
What ages are activities with clothespins for?
They cover 23–36 months of corrected age: 1 starting 18–23 months and 3 starting from 24 months.
Related
Monitoring, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about any concern. Our sources and method.