FM.E.50 PULLS A STRING VERTICALLY TO ATTAIN A TOY

In the first item in this sequence (FM.E.33), the child learned to attain a toy by pulling a string horizontally. Pulling a string vertically to attain a toy requires a higher degree of manipulative skill, because the child will be back to square one after any pause. He must release each hand in turn to grasp the string at a lower point in order to keep the object moving upward.

How to Assess

Materials: An interesting object tied to the end of a 60 cm string.

Method: Tie one end of the string to the toy and the other end to the edge of your child’s highchair table, so that it hangs down. Demonstrate pulling the string to get the toy. Give the string to your child and encourage him to pull the string up. The string should be long enough that a single upward movement does not lift the toy onto the table.

Score plus if your child pulls the string and the toys without assistance.

How to Teach

Teach by physically guiding your child to release and take the string as necessary, gradually reducing your assistance.

Playtime and Round-the-house Activities

If your child is standing, he may enjoy playing this game while standing at the wall of his playpen, with the toys hanging down outside. Or stand him at the coffee table, with the toy hanging down the opposite side, and encourage him to pull the toy up and then across the table.

Remembering and Extending

A challenging variation is to have your child pull a soft toy up and out of a long cardboard cylinder. Here he will have to hold the cylinder steady with one hand, so this leads on naturally to the two-handed skills described in FM.E.58. In FM.E.71 your child will be using sticks, rather than strings, to retrieve toys.