Witch’s hat string game

String tricks and activities are as old as the hills. Passing them on is a great way to engage with your child and develop their fine motor skills. Watch the video to show you how to create a 'witch's hat' out of string.

What you need:

• 100cm long piece of string, looped and tied together at the ends

Number of players:
1+

Activity:

To make the 'witch's hat' you have to make the Jacob's ladder string figure first. Watch the video to show you how.

Step 1: Start with the string behind your thumbs and pinkies, running across both palms.

Step 2: With your right hand, reach across to the left hand and hook your pointer finger under the string that runs across the palm. Pull your hands apart.

Step 3: Do the same thing with your left hand. This is called "Opening A".

Step 4: Now drop the loops off your thumbs.

Step 5: With both thumbs, reach under all of the strings and hook the string farthest away.  Pull it back toward you.

Step 6: With your thumbs, reach over the first pointer finger string and under the second pointer finger string. Pull your thumbs back towards your body – there will be two loops on each thumb.

Step 7: Drop the loops off your pinkie fingers.

Step 8: Stretch your pinkies over the string closest to them that is on the pointer finger and hook them under the next string that is on the thumbs.

Step 9: Drop the loops from your thumbs.

Step 10: You've made the cat's whiskers string figure, but you need keep going to make Jacob's Ladder.

Step 11: With both thumbs reach across the first two pointer finger strings and hook them under the third string.

Step 12: Pull the string back toward you.

Step 13: Pick up the closest string on the pointer fingers, and hook it over each thumb, but be careful not to drop any loops off your other fingers.

Step 14: Now there are two loops on each thumb.

Step 15: Pull the bottom loop over the top loop and off each thumb.

Step 16: Now there will be two triangular holes between each pointer finger and thumb.

Step 17: Hook your forefingers into these triangular holes.

Step 18: Drop the loops from your pinkies.

Step 19: Turn your palms out and away from you.

Step 20: Congratulations! You've made Jacob's Ladder.

To turn your Jacob's Ladder into a witch's hat:

Step 21: Pull on the top string with your teeth

Step 22: Release your forefingers and pull your thumbs downward.

Step 23: Voila! You have your witch's hat.

• Thanks to our sister company Kidspot Australia for creating the instructional video.