Golf tees are a hidden gem! Yes, they are useful for golfers, but they were also a staple in my kindergarten & first grade classrooms! They are the perfect size for little hands & the benefits of using them are endless.
Golf tees are the most perfect tool to help strengthen fine motor skills while you learn & play. The size of them is more manageable for young learners & help to place their fingers in a pincer grasp, which is used for writing.
Here are a few of our favorite ways to use them!
Play Dough Push:
Materials:
Golf tees
Play dough
Sensory tray or mat
How to:
Take your dough & smoosh it into a ball; this is also SO amazing for strengthening fine motor skills.
Grab the golf tees & push them in. Pull them back out & repeat.
Why this is great:
This activity is low prep & low pressure for kids. There are no rules, no expectations & can be done over & over again.
The sensory benefits paired with the fine motor work is incredible! Kids can smoosh & push & poke & pull...all things that work their fingers & hands. Those same fingers & hands will get stronger for when they have to feed themselves, zipper their coats, tie their shoes or write their name.
Want to extend your learning?:
Count the golf tees after you push them all in.
Call out a certain number & push that many in.
Roll a die, count the dots & push that many golf tees in.
Start with 10 golf tees in the dough. Roll a die & subtract that many to find the difference.
Roll two die & push the golf tees in, practicing addition.
Pom Pom Balance:
Materials:
Golf tees
Play dough
Pom Poms
Sensory tray or mat
How to:
Take your dough & flatten it onto your tray; this is also SO amazing for strengthening fine motor skills.
Grab the golf tees & push them in. You can pick how many: for younger kids, start with 2-4 & increase for older kids.
Take a pom pom (look at that thumb & pointer finger working together!!) & balance it on top of the golf tee. This is trickier than it looks!!!
Why this is great:
This activity slows kids down & helps them work on important skills such as balance, coordination & patience.
The materials used are simple but impactful!
Want to extend your learning?:
Call out a certain color, find it & balance it. This is a great way to work on color identification as well.
Work on patterns while you balance.
Practice sorting by color.
See how many you can line up before one falls off.
Pool Noodle Push:
Materials:
Golf tees
Pool noodle
Wooden mallet
How to:
This is a great no-mess, low-prep, impactful activity! Grab your pool noodle & push the tees in!
Use your fingers to push them in or use a wooden mallet.
Why this is great:
This activity is a perfect way to practice bilateral coordination (using both hands to do an activity). While they push or hammer with one hand, they need to hold the noodle with the other.
It is cost effective: grab a pool noodle from the Dollar Store, cut it up into pieces & multiple kids can do it at once!
Want to extend your learning?:
Write letters, numbers, shapes or sight words on the pool noodle. Call one out- search, read & poke!
Cut the pool noodle into slices. Challenge kids to build a tall tower using the pool noodles and the golf tees.
Foam Golf Tee Poke:
Materials:
Golf tees
Foam block
Wooden mallet
How to:
This is similar to the pool noodle activity, it just uses the foam instead!
Use your fingers to push them in or use a wooden mallet.
Why this is great:
This activity is a perfect way to practice bilateral coordination (using both hands to do an activity). While they push or hammer with one hand, they need to hold the foam with the other.
It is cost effective: grab a piece of foam from the Dollar Store & you are ready to go!
Want to extend your learning?:
Write letters, numbers, shapes or sight words on the foam. Call one out- search, read & poke!
Egg Carton Golf Tee Push:
Materials:
Golf tees
Egg carton
Wooden mallet
How to:
We love using what we have at home & egg cartons make a great base for this activity!
Use your fingers to push them in or use a wooden mallet.
Why this is great:
It is so versatile! You can let kids hammer away or add some purposeful academic instruction while they play.
This is safe away to help kids release their big emotions!
Want to extend your learning?:
Write letters, numbers, shapes or sight words on the egg carton. Call one out- search, read & poke!
Letter Formation:
Materials:
Golf tees
Play dough
How to:
Flatten your play dough on your tray or mat.
You can either show kids a visual or have them work off memory, depending on their skill level. Have them use the golf tee as a pencil and poke holes to create the letter.
Why this is great:
This activity practices writing skills without having to pick up a pencil!
It is engaging, fun, hands-on and strengthens fine motor skills as you learn.
It is low-prep & high impact.
Kids get the added benefits of sensory play as they work on the academic skills!
Want to extend your learning?:
After you write the letter, smoosh it back together and write the lowercase letter.
After you write the letter, brainstorm a word that begins with that letter.
Do this same activity with numbers, shapes, sight words or your name.
Letter Golf Tee Poke:
Materials:
Golf tees
Play dough
Marker or pencil
Construction paper
How to:
Flatten your play dough on to your tray or mat.
Write a letter on a piece of construction paper & place it on top of the dough. Using your golf tee, poke holes while you trace the lines.
Why this is great:
It's sensory play, its fine motor skills, its academics...it's pure magic!!
It's engaging for kids & offers them a multi-sensory approach to learning.
Want to extend your learning?:
Write letters, numbers, shapes or sight words on the paper & practice those as well.
Use the poked papers to form a book. Next time you practice, trace the holes with your finger & say the name of the letter & its sound.
When you are done, draw a picture of something that begins with that letter.