So, I ran across this really neat sting pen play set in the grocery store and brought it all the way to the check out line to find out it was $20. Way too much for a little plastic pen. I studied the design of it for awhile and then put it back on the self. Once I was at home I made one for myself out of objects I already owned. This is what I came up with. It consists of one spool of thread, a toothpick, and a squeeze bottle. I dropped the spool into the bottle, stabbed it through the center with a tooth pick (to hold it away from the bottom of the bottle), and threaded the thread through the opening of the squeeze bottle.
This is the activity pattern I made to use with the string pen. It is a sheet of blue foam with dots of velcro teeth glued to the surface. As you press down on each dot the thread sticks and then you can draw the thread onto the next dot.
