PL 1.12Using Clothespins
The child squeezes spring clothespins open and clips them around the rim of a basket, then onto a line.
Presentation
Search videos (opens YouTube in a new tab)- 1
Invite the child and carry the basket to the table.
- 2
Pick up one clothespin. Hold it near the open end, thumb on one side and index and middle fingers on the other.
- 3
Squeeze slowly so the jaws open. Release so they close. Show this twice.
- 4
Squeeze again, place the open jaws over the rim of the basket, and release.
- 5
Clip the next pin beside it, working around the rim from left to right.
- 6
Squeeze each pin to take it off and drop it into the container.
- 7
Invite the child to clip the pins.
What catches the child’s eye
- The jaws opening as the pin is squeezed
- A ring of pins standing around the rim
Extensions, easiest to hardest
- Clip pins to colored dots around a card, matching the colors
- Hang cloths on a low line with two pins each
- Use smaller pins with a stiffer spring
Control of error
A pin clipped on badly falls off the rim; a weak squeeze leaves the jaws closed.
Ready to move on when the child…
- Opens each pin with a three-finger squeeze
- Clips pins all around the rim without dropping them
- Hangs a cloth on a line with clothespins
Guide note
Choose pins with a spring firm enough to need effort but not strong enough to pinch hard. Clip pins only onto objects, never onto people.