Here is an elementary fine motor and craft activity combined.
Supplies needed:
Paper . Glue . Scissors . Children .
Do you allow your children to cut paper? Ok, have you taught them how to use the scissors -point out, then keep saying open/close. I teach them to aim as if they are pointing.
Point out and say open-close as if an alligator is chomping. I add some tape (scotch, masking, painters – any will do) in the thumb/thumbkin hole, so they know which part of the scissors to place their thumb. The children repeat open / close as they try to point out and chomp like an alligator.
Before I teach scissors skills, I allow children to practice tearing paper (this can begin weeks or days in advance of the scissors skill). Tearing paper, molding with playdough, rolling and pinching materials are precursors to cutting with scissors. It also helps children develop the skills needed for opening fruit snacks, yogurt tubes, and other snack baggies. Fine motor skills are stackable milestone developmental skills children will gain over time.
I allow children to cut paper randomly, with no patterns or marks to cut, just snip and go. Snipping leads to more intentional cutting along the line. After cutting along the line is mastered, go on to introduce a little zig-zag pattern. Then shapes and lastly curves. Leave the curves for last – that is top-notch mastery.
Preschoolers love to cut and create. Set aside some time in your day for the children in your mixed age learning environment to cut, glue and create.
Happy crafting – xoxo Miss Sue
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