Fine Motor Development

Snail Pipe cleaners

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• Different coloured pipe cleaners
• Wooden ice cream stick
• Craft glue
• Scissors
• Googley eyes

WHAT TO DO:

1. Start by twisting the long stems of differently colored pipe cleaners together. You can just wrap one around the other in a spiral pattern, as shown in the image below. Be sure to join the ends neatly.

Instructions 1 and 2

Instruction 3

2. Starting from one end, roll the pipe cleaner twist towards the center in a tight spiral, leaving no empty spaces. Let the other head stand apart from the spiral – this is the snail’s head.

3. Make a small ‘V’ shape out of another chenille stem and fix it to the snail head. Stick on googly eyes and your snail is ready!

Thanks to Artsycraftsymom.com for this article.

Happy crafting! :)

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Autumn Leaf Craft
WHAT YOU NEED:
x3 Red, orange, yellow Tissue paper, cut into strips
Glue
Scissors
Black kokie
Prestik





WHAT TO DO:
1. Outline the leaf template (see picture below) with black kokie
2. Fill the leaf with the different tissue coloured paper until full
3. Cut out the leaf and Prestik it onto a glass window, it will be fun to see the colours shine

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Easter Craft
Use the Easter craft below as a template:

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Pipe cleaner Pencil Worms


WHAT YOU NEED:
X4 Different coloured pipe cleaners
x8 Googley eyes
Craft Clue
x4 Pencils

WHAT TO DO:
1. Wrap the pipe cleaners around each pencil
2. Before the end of the pencil and pipe cleaner, twist the pipe cleaner into a loop that will form the worm's head

3. Apply the craft glue onto the back of the googly eyes and stick at the loop. Press firm so it sticks but be gentle
4. Allow to dry and add the pencils to a tin where the pencils are kept. Perhaps keep the tin holding the pencils next to your Fine Motor Development box

Happy crafting! :)

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Toilet rolls monsters
On the blog today, a fun craft idea for Fine Motor Development skills. Toilet rolls are a great tool to use for this particular skill. Toilet rolls are used when we take shoelaces and feed it threw toilet rolls. Toilet rolls are boring so why not add some creativity and use them for your next craft project?


WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• x5 Toilet rolls
• Craft paint, different and bright colours
• Coloured paper
• x10 Googly eyes of different sizes
• Craft glue
• White paper to draw on for different facial expressions
• Scissors
• Black marker
• Pipe cleaners of different colours
• Paintbrushes
• Newspaper

WHAT TO DO:
1. Using the black marker, draw different facial expressions on the white paper. The expressions must be easy to cut out
2. Lay down the newspaper on a flat surface  and begin painting the toilet rolls in differnt colours
3. Allow the rolls to dry. Begin gluing two googly eyes* per to roll and glue one facial expression roll
4. Cut the pipe cleaners into different sizes to make "crazy hair" and use the colour paper to cut into strips to also make "crazy hair"
*More can be added if you want
** See the picture above for some ideas:

Happy Crafting!

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Crocodile Peg
What you need:

• Green paint
• x2 Green pegs
• x4 Googly eyes
• Craft glue
• Green paper 
• Paintbrush
• Newspaper
• Scissors 
• Ruler
• Green pipe cleaners

What to do:
1. Place the peg on the newspaper; paint with the green paint and dry for 25 minutes
2. Cut the green paper into strips of 1cm across and 20cm down (1cm x 20cm)
3. Concertina fold the green paper and glue this onto the back of the peg, this is the Crocodile's scaley body
4. Cut the pipe cleans to a length of 4cm and bend them into a "V" shape, this will be the Crocodile's legs
5. Glue on the googly eyes and pipe cleaners for the legs along the side of the crocodile

To watch the video on how to do this, click on the place this URL onto the search bar bnow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=31&v=IcmZLyIZ6bU

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Playdough
Playdough is a great way to assist with Fine Motor Development. If you can afford it, purchase a little playdough kit that includes:
☆ Plastic rolling pin
☆ Plastic shape cutters - The possibilities are endless
☆ Plastic Mat
☆ Fun tools 

Keep the kit in a nice, plastic Tupperware. Playing with playdough is a great activity to do during rainy days. Perhaps also make shaped numbers that can also assist with Numeracy Development. Below is a good recipe to have on hand for basic playdough: (Why purchase when you can make your own?)

INGREDIENTS:
250g Flour - Any type
60g salt
125g of water
3 to 5 drops of food colouring

METHOD:
1. Mix the salt and flour together
2. Slowly add the water and mix until firm
3. Add in the food colouring of any choice
4. Wrap the made dough in cling wrap and place into a closed container

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Puzzle Time!

Building puzzles are one of the most important steps in development and skills that your child learns: (I saw this article and had to share)

PHYSICAL SKILLS
☆ Hand-eye coordination: Your child will develop a keen relationship with what their eyes see, what their hands do and what their brain relates to as information

☆ Gross Motor Skills: Larger puzzles pieces and stacking puzzle games can enhance the large movements of your child to the point where they can work on their own fine motor skills

☆ Fine Motor Skills: Small and precise movements, such as the movement of fingers to get a puzzle piece to the exact right spot is placed can assist with handwriting skills

☆ Cognitive Skills: Understanding the surrounding world - there is no better way for your child to gain understanding of the world around them than by letting them literally manipulate the world around them

☆ Shape Recognition: The first puzzles we use are simple shapes - triangles, squares, and circles. From there more complex shapes to form more complex puzzles

☆ Memory: Your child has to remember the shape of the pieces that fit and don't fit for when they will fit later on

☆ Problem Solving: Either the puzzle piece fits or it doesn't. Your child uses critical thinking skills to solve the puzzle

EMOTIONAL SKILLS
☆ Setting Goals: The first goal is to solve the puzzle, the next goal will be a series of strategies your child comes up with to solve the puzzle. Such as putting familiar shapes or colours in one pile for future reference

--> That is why at Counting Stars Tutoring, I will send home a puzzle to be completed for homework, usually for Friday's homework. Many skills are developed and it is also a good time to spending bonding with your child.