More Christmas Fine Motor activities

More Christmas fine motor activities, never have enough of these in the pre writing stage if you ask me.

Stamping with ink pad, was a popular activity to create christmas cards, but proved a little more difficult got little hands than I anticipated. I actually added a wooden coaster to the basket showing the children how they could place the stamp on paper, lay coaster on top and apply even pressure with both hands, this proved most successful.

Small bead threading with Christmas colours onto a pipe cleaner. Beads in a small tin to support fine finger muscle strength and manipulation. Initially created only as a fine motor activity but extended to creating patterns.

Father Christmas shaped tin with a large bell inside, initially designed as an infant activity for opening, getting bell out and replacing. But still accessed by the old children and does require a bit of skill opening the tin.

Christmas tag making, by far the most popular activity and I didn't get a photo! Every time I went to take the photo the resources were running out or ran out, and I never managed to get one made in action. I simply supplied old Christmas cards, a pair of scissors, a single hole puncher and curling ribbon. I showed the children the process of cutting their desired shape/ picture, punching two holes and threading the ribbon into one hole and out the other (few of the children can tie knots so I felt it best to focus on the creative process rather than teaching a new skill).

Whilst this was a hugely successful activity it proved challenging to follow the required sequence without support, I was tempted to add a picture instruction card but decided against it as felt it would reduce the problem solving/ thinking element. So by providing the occasional verbal prompt when requested or a reflected question e.g. "what do you think is next?" I was able to support to independence. If I was ever to make picture instructions I would do so in a three page book format that could be turned over to reveal the next stage of the sequence only if needed, rather than proving it to them "on a plate"

This is not a photo of my activity (far too perfect) but felt empty without a pic, so stole it from Crafting a Green World, which is a FABULOUS site full of green ideas, check it out.