alphabet
What You Need
craft sticks | scissors (adult-use only) | glue (squeezable or stick) | construction paper | washable markers
What to Do
• Cut several craft sticks crosswise into halves and fourths (adult-only step). After cutting them, sand any rough edges.
• Write capital letters on the paper so that your child has an example to copy.
• Give your child various sizes of craft sticks, and encourage him to make “stick letters” by arranging the pieces of craft sticks on the construction paper. Note : Letters with curves will be more challenging to make, but encourage him to try to use small pieces of craft sticks to form them.
• He can glue his letters to the construction paper, and then give them time to dry.
• Once the glue is dry, he can use markers to trace around his “stick letters” on paper or decorate the letters.
More Fun!
• Use sticks to write names or words that are interesting to your child.
• Your child may need you to write the letters on his paper so he can place the craft sticks directly on the lines.
Paper Flowers
Develops your child’s scissor skills, and strengthens her
eye-hand coordination
What You Need
thin, 8 ½” X 11” copying paper in various colors | child-safe scissors (sharp enough to cut thin paper) | chenille sticks
What to Do
• After your child selects the paper for her flowers, help her use the scissors to cut the paper in half to form an 8 ½ x 5 ½ rectangle.
• Demonstrate how to accordion-pleat the paper, starting on the long side of the paper. Help her as needed.
• Ask her to hold the pleated paper while you help her wind one end of a chenille stick around the center of the paper.
• She can separate layers of the paper by gently pulling the paper apart at the edges of the flower.
More Fun!
• Place the flowers into a piece of Styrofoam and then inside the “Painted Flower Pot” (see Painted Flower Pots on page 116) for a beautiful gift or decoration.
Where Is Thumbkin?
Develops your child’s eye-hand coordination and his ability to move individual fingers (finger isolation)
What You Need
No materials needed
What to Do
• Sing the song “Where Is Thumbkin?” and demonstrate the related hand movements as you go.
• Show your child how to hold his fingers down to help isolate one finger for movement.
Note : The middle and ring fingers are typically the hardest to isolate and individualize. Your child may need to hold down the other fingers until he masters this new motor pattern.
More Fun!
• “This Old Man” is another good fingerplay that gives your child the opportunity to develop his isolated finger-movement skills as he displays each number (For example, “This Old Man, He played 1” (and so on).
Clay Writing Board
Helps your child establish an effective grasp of writing tools and builds her finger strength
What You Need
small cookie sheet or pizza pan | modeling clay (single color works best) | stylus (a wooden or metal tool used to make indentations in clay (available at craft stores). Make your own stylus by using a pen with the ink barrel removed or a chopstick
What to Do
• Invite your child to help you spread modeling clay evenly over the cookie sheet, so that the clay is ¼” or ½” thick.
• Show her the stylus and explain that it is a tool that artists use to make marks in clay.
• Show her how to use the stylus to write letters or draw shapes on the “Clay Writing Board.” Demonstrate how she can use her fingers to “erase” the letters in the clay by tracing them with her index finger and pressing the clay into its original flat shape.
• Encourage her to write her name, letters, or shapes in the clay. If necessary, help her by writing the letters first and then letting her trace over them with the stylus.
Cotton Swab Painting
Improves your child’s grasp strength
What You Need
cotton swabs | tempera paints | shallow containers for paints | paper (no larger than 8 ½” x 11”) |
What You Need
craft sticks | scissors (adult-use only) | glue (squeezable or stick) | construction paper | washable markers
What to Do
• Cut several craft sticks crosswise into halves and fourths (adult-only step). After cutting them, sand any rough edges.
• Write capital letters on the paper so that your child has an example to copy.
• Give your child various sizes of craft sticks, and encourage him to make “stick letters” by arranging the pieces of craft sticks on the construction paper. Note : Letters with curves will be more challenging to make, but encourage him to try to use small pieces of craft sticks to form them.
• He can glue his letters to the construction paper, and then give them time to dry.
• Once the glue is dry, he can use markers to trace around his “stick letters” on paper or decorate the letters.
More Fun!
• Use sticks to write names or words that are interesting to your child.
• Your child may need you to write the letters on his paper so he can place the craft sticks directly on the lines.
Paper Flowers
Develops your child’s scissor skills, and strengthens her
eye-hand coordination
What You Need
thin, 8 ½” X 11” copying paper in various colors | child-safe scissors (sharp enough to cut thin paper) | chenille sticks
What to Do
• After your child selects the paper for her flowers, help her use the scissors to cut the paper in half to form an 8 ½ x 5 ½ rectangle.
• Demonstrate how to accordion-pleat the paper, starting on the long side of the paper. Help her as needed.
• Ask her to hold the pleated paper while you help her wind one end of a chenille stick around the center of the paper.
• She can separate layers of the paper by gently pulling the paper apart at the edges of the flower.
More Fun!
• Place the flowers into a piece of Styrofoam and then inside the “Painted Flower Pot” (see Painted Flower Pots on page 116) for a beautiful gift or decoration.
Where Is Thumbkin?
Develops your child’s eye-hand coordination and his ability to move individual fingers (finger isolation)
What You Need
No materials needed
What to Do
• Sing the song “Where Is Thumbkin?” and demonstrate the related hand movements as you go.
• Show your child how to hold his fingers down to help isolate one finger for movement.
Note : The middle and ring fingers are typically the hardest to isolate and individualize. Your child may need to hold down the other fingers until he masters this new motor pattern.
More Fun!
• “This Old Man” is another good fingerplay that gives your child the opportunity to develop his isolated finger-movement skills as he displays each number (For example, “This Old Man, He played 1” (and so on).
Clay Writing Board
Helps your child establish an effective grasp of writing tools and builds her finger strength
What You Need
small cookie sheet or pizza pan | modeling clay (single color works best) | stylus (a wooden or metal tool used to make indentations in clay (available at craft stores). Make your own stylus by using a pen with the ink barrel removed or a chopstick
What to Do
• Invite your child to help you spread modeling clay evenly over the cookie sheet, so that the clay is ¼” or ½” thick.
• Show her the stylus and explain that it is a tool that artists use to make marks in clay.
• Show her how to use the stylus to write letters or draw shapes on the “Clay Writing Board.” Demonstrate how she can use her fingers to “erase” the letters in the clay by tracing them with her index finger and pressing the clay into its original flat shape.
• Encourage her to write her name, letters, or shapes in the clay. If necessary, help her by writing the letters first and then letting her trace over them with the stylus.
Cotton Swab Painting
Improves your child’s grasp strength
What You Need
cotton swabs | tempera paints | shallow containers for paints | paper (no larger than 8 ½” x 11”) |
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