Over the Rainbow to me Pot o' Gold

Just in case you were wondering what to do with all of those toilet paper rolls, here is a great idea! With St. Patrick's Day at your door, use the TP rolls, (which if you're not using for crafts, I hope you are at least recycling - happy environment :) to make a rainbow headed toward a pot of gold. Here's what you need:

1. A wire hanger
2. Toilet paper rolls
3. Tape
4. Paint

Start with your wire hanger -  pull it apart and then make it into an arc. 

Next, line your table with newspapers for your child/student, get an old egg carton and put a dollop of each color separately in it's own egg space - happy environment :) recycling 2 on this project! 

Have your child paint each toilet paper roll a color of the rainbow, set them aside on the newspapers you have laid out to dry.

Once they are dry, have your child help you string them onto the wire hanger. Use tape on the inside of the rolls to help them stay closer together.

To make your pot of gold, follow this link http://www.makeandtakes.com/make-your-own-pot-of-gold. What you will need is:

1. A small terracotta pot or black pot that you may already have (you can use a larger one than shown on this link to fit the entire wire hanger rainbow)
2. Easter Grass - Instead of buying Easter grass, cut up thin strips of green construction paper that you already have at home - happy environment :)
3. This link calls for gold foil wrapped candies; however, instead of candies (since sugar is awful for our children) I used mixed nuts. You can also use jewels or gemstones to look like gold or fake gold.

From an OT perspective, what are you working on?

• Fine motor skills - Even if your child is young, encourage a more mature grasp on the paint brush (instead of a thumbs down grasp or a fisted grasp), as shown above. If your child is older, encourage an even more mature grasp by having them hold with just the pad of their thumb and pointer finger with the paint brush resting on the knuckle of their middle finger
• Visual-Motor skills - Eye hand coordination while painting and stringing the tp rolls
• Bilateral skills - holding the toilet paper roll with one hand and painting with the other; stringing the tp rolls onto the hanger, cutting the green strips of construction paper holding with one hand and cutting with the other
• Cutting - Again, even if you have a toddler at home, encourage a "thumbs up dude" grasp on the scissors
• Color Recognition/Naming - Have fun naming and working on learning colors while painting the rainbow
• Ethics! - Teach your kids about recycling and why it is important! happy environment :)

Happy St. Patty's Day Everyone!