Pipe Cleaner Play for Learning Colors

This activity is designed to help Autistic children or children with learning disabilities and slow fine motor skills learn how to read and identify colors by using pipe cleaners, a Sharpie, and tape.

• Step 1: Gather about six pipe cleaners in assorted colors: blue, red, green, yellow, and purple. Gather other materials: masking tape, blue beads, red beads, green beads, yellow beads, and purple beads (with large enough holes to be strung onto pipe cleaners).
• Step 2: Tape a 3 inch piece of masking tape to one end of the pipe cleaner to make a flag.
• Step 3: Write the color name corresponding to the color of the pipe cleaner; i.e., a piece of masking tape with "red" written on it would be taped to a red pipe cleaner.
• Step 4: Ask the child to string blue beads onto the blue pipe cleaner, red beads onto the red pipe cleaner, etc.