Clothespins can be used when playing a card game, such as Uno or go fish, in the classroom to help young students hold their cards and practice their fine motor skills. Give each student several clothespins and a spiral-bound notebook that will stand up under the weight of the pins and game cards. Have the students clip their cards to the top edge of the notebook using their clothespins and then remove the needed cards by squeezing the clothespin when it is their turn to play.
Invite students to see who can pick up the most objects with a clothespin in this activity. Prepare a box of materials that includes a clothespin and several small objects, such as a cotton ball, a pencil and a bead, and have students place the items on the floor or a table. See how long it takes them to clean up by picking up each item with the clothespin before placing it back inside the box. Students may complete this activity as a race against themselves, or you can provide several boxes for students to compete against one another.
Improve students' fine motor skills by letting them hang clothes on a line with the clothespins. Hang a clothesline in your classroom or create a portable line by securing the line to the handles of a serving tray. Provide students with clothespins and an assortment of doll clothing or fabric strips they can hang on the line. Challenge older students by having them sort the clothing by season, color or type, such as shirts, pants and shorts. Closely supervise younger students' movements around the clothesline to prevent accidental choking or other injuries.
Use clothespins in educational matching games to help build fine motor skills. Select a skill for students to practice, such as matching uppercase and lowercase letters, and write a single uppercase letter on each clothespin. Write lowercase letters on a sturdy piece of card stock or on the outside of a box or coffee can and have students match the letters, clipping the clothespin over the correct spot. Have students practice counting skills by clipping the correct number of clothespins to a paper plate or container with a number written on it.