Cubes on a vertical dowel

Cubes on a vertical dowel ask for one movement and then repeat it: lift a cube, bring the hole over the dowel, let go. Because the dowel stands upright, gravity finishes the movement for the child, which is why this is usually the first threading work a baby succeeds at. A cube that is not lined up will not drop, so the material says no on its own and the child turns the wrist and tries again without being told. Every repetition trains hand and eye together, the pincer grip and a first sense of order. For children under three, and a step towards the threading work where the dowel no longer stands upright and the hand has to do all of it.