Fine Motor Activities::Valentine's Day Themed Lesson::Tweezing Letters

This is the first in a series of fine motor activity videos we are starting.  Fine motor activities are extremely important with preschool age children.  Such important functions such as writing, cutting, and more require the coordination and a certain amount of strength in the small muscles of the hands and fingers.  In addition, fine motor activities require intention and concentration.  The fine motor activities we will post can be modified to make them easier or harder depending on the age and skill of the child.  While I currently teach a two year old class, the majority of my students, aside from those who have just turned two, can tweeze (although my class uses plastic, round-tipped tweezers and pom poms).  This lesson is appropriate for children three and older.  If you have questions about how you can change this lesson for your unique situation please comment or write us!

In the following lesson, students will tweeze letters out of an ice tray as a fine motor activity. Fine motor activities often serve the dual purpose of developing strength and coordination while building concentration skills.

Materials:

ice tray (Valentine's heart ice tray was purchased at the dollar store)

tweezers

paper

red marker

laminator, contact paper, or tape (if you wish to protect the letters)

Preparation:

Cut rectangles that are small enough to fit into each shape of the ice tray and that leave room to maneuver the tweezers in.  Draw a small "V" so that the rectangles resemble the back of a letter.  When placing the lesson out, make sure each heart has a letter in it and place a container (small bowl or condiment cup) to collect the letters as they tweeze them out.

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:

For Younger Children:

You can make it easier for them by using pom poms and plastic tweezers (can be purchased at a discount school supply store).  Here is an example of the easy grip type we use in my class with two to three year olds:

http://www.learningresources.com/product/120033.do?src=GOOGLEPS&gclid=CLTm98LAwrwCFQHNOgodzggAkQ

Penguin Potato Printing

This is a winter potato printing lesson.  I do currently teach a two to three year old class.  My children completed this lesson with amazing results, although we limited it to one penguin.  Some variations of this you could do depending on the level of difficulty your children may need would be to include a background (snow/water).

Vocabulary to Introduce:

printing
acyrlic

Materials:

paper plates

school glue

potatoes

acrylic paint (black, white, and orange)

google eyes

Preparation:

Slice potatoes in half and pair them on plates making sure that one is smaller than the other to fit inside the body for a white belly.  Put white and black paint on the plates, spreading them to correct size with the potato intended for each.  Either place the orange on separate plates or save until the children begin to finish with their penguins.


Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:

A Toddler/Preschool Printing Lesson: Ladybugs and Dandelions

This lesson was developed for a 2's/3's class.  Printing is an excellent fine motor practice for children of this age group.  With this lesson a sponge and stencil brushes are used to create ladybugs in grass with dandelions. 

Vocabulary to Introduce:

printing

Materials:

-white paper

-tempera paint (red, black, green, yellow)

-sponge (cut into a circle)

-stencil sponges

-paint brush

Preparation:

Beforehand hot glue or glue the details of the dandelion petals on the circular cut sponge and allow to dry completely.  Place the green and yellow paint on separate plates.  Red and black paint because of the small volume can be used on the same plate. 

Modifications for Older Students:

If you know the skill level of the students that you work with, you can allow them to paint the grass with a paint brush themselves.  In addition, details can be added to the ladybugs such as legs.

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:



Truffula Trees: An Earth Day/Arbor Day Printing Lesson

The following lesson is inspired by Dr. Seuss' story "The Lorax." With Earth Day and Arbor Day both in April I thought this would be an appropriate story to base a lesson on. Using koosh balls that you can find at any dollar store, children will enjoy the novelty of painting a scene from a familiar and well-loved story.

Vocabulary to Introduce:

printing
recycling

Materials:

-construction paper (blue, green, and white)

-scissors

-glue stick

-tempera paint (red, yellow, purple, pink, white, black)

-small paper plates for paint

-koosh balls (one for each color if you don't want to have to wash in between colors)

-paint brush

Preparation:

Give each child a sheet of blue paper for their background, a half sheet of green and half sheet of white.  Place each paint color on a plate with a koosh but don't forget to include a plate that shares a small amount of black and white for the tree trunks.  

For Older Children:

You can make the picture more complicated by using found twigs for tree trunks painted with white and black paint and using small pieces of bright colored yarn.

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar": A Cut & Paste

This cut and paste lesson is inspired by the work of Eric Carle, a well known children's author and illustrator.  Your students or child will enjoy reading the classic, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and creating their own picture of the caterpillar eating through an orange. 

Vocabulary to Introduce:

illustrator

Materials:

-construction paper in black, orange, green, red, and yellow

purple and yellow oil pastel or crayon

-scissors

-glue sticks

Preparation:

For younger students:  Draw the circles in pencil beforehand.  Do not give them all the pieces of paper at the same time as they will often loose parts when throwing away scraps.  Children who are having a particular difficult time turning their paper to follow the curve of a circle can be shown how to shave small pieces to get closer to the line.

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:

Concentric Squares: A Cut & Paste

This cut and paste lesson is inspired by the abstract geometric work of Frank Stella, an American painter and printmaker born in 1936.  Stella graduated from school at Princeton where he majored in history and painted.  After his graduation he would move to New York where he would begin painting more seriously.  Frank Stella is considered a leading figure of the Minimal art movement.

Vocabulary to Introduce:

minimalism
concentric
geometric shape (square, rectangle, circle)
abstract art

Materials:

-construction paper in bright colors

-scissors

-stencils of squares out of card stock or poster board

-pencils

-glue sticks

Preparation:

For younger students:  Cut squares of varying sizes using an inch difference between each size.  You can place these squares in a container or on a paper plate at the center of the table.

For older students:  Older students can either trace the shape using a stencil or create the square using a ruler depending on the age. 

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:

Winter Birch: A Watercolor Masking Technique

Using masking tape or painter's tape your child or students can create an evening winter scene of birch trees and snow.  The tape is used to mask the shapes of the birch trees and moon, while white crayon or oil pastel is used to draw snowflakes.  A blue watercolor wash is used over the picture.  After pulling off the tape (try to give the wash a few minutes to start to dry so as not to run) black or brown lines can be added as detail to the trees

Vocabulary to Introduce:

masking technique
watercolor wash

Materials:

-watercolor paper

-masking tape or painter's tape

-blue watercolor or watered down tempera paint

-scissors

-white and black crayon or oil pastel

Preparation:

Pre-tear or cut as many trunks and branches as necessary so that all you will need to do is hand them to the child or students to place on the paper.  Masking tape can rip the paper if it is pulled to quickly.  It sometimes helps to stick it to an article of clothing before handing it to the child or instructing them to do it if you can trust them not to fold the tape in on itself.  If you desire, tape off the other colors of paint so that they are not tempted to use them or place bowls  with the thinned tempera between seats placing  a paper towel beneath it to daub excess paint from the brush.

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:

Modifications:

For older children you can allow them to cut or tear the tape themselves.