A game that I loved to play as a child. Draw a series of squiggles and loops on the page without taking your pencil off.
Have a go at colouring each section using different colours. The challenge is to try and complete it without the same colour touching.
Did you know that you can make playdough in next to no time from everyday ingredients found in your kitchen cupboards?
This super-easy playdough recipe is the perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon inside. It's quick enough to hold a young child's attention and you only need a few storecupboard ingredients. Little hands can play with the results straightaway, so there's immediate gratification for all involved!
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/playdough-recipe
Wallpaper People
If you've got an old roll of wallpaper, or any other paper for that matter, lie your little one down on it and draw around them. Amazing how long they will spend colouring themselves in afterwards. They might also want to make a wallpaper mum, dad or sibling too. And why not?
If you don’t have any large paper, you could try an old box or chalk outside on the floor.
Making paper chains is a really good way of developing those fine motor skills, practising cutting and carefully sticking the paper together into rings using sellotape or glue.
These could be made using coloured paper, wrapping paper or anything else you have around the house, such as scrap paper that is finished with, newspaper or old plastic bags. Some great homemade decorations for any at home birthdays you have.
Here is a guide to how to create these if you are unsure:
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Paper-Chain
Or you could make some repeated pattern chains:
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Paper-People-Chain
Have a look at this week's Outdoor Activity. While on your nature walk/ scavenger hunt, get the children to have a go at sketching some of the things that they see, they could draw round some objects, do an observational drawing or use their memory at the end of the walk. Drawing is another great way to develop these fine motor skills.
How about challenging them to write some describing words around the outside of the drawing, using their neatest handwriting!
Make Your Own Marble Track
Link for instructions below.
Minibeast Modelling
To go with our topic this term I thought I would include some modelling activities. This one was particurly nice as I haven't seen this approach to doing the wings before. All modelling and art work improves children's dexterity with their fingers and is great fun to do together.
Minibeast Mindfulness Colouring
Colouring is very theraputic and will encourage your child to develop their finger strength and coordination.
Button Threading
Beads will also work, and if you don't have any buttons, have a look in the labels of your clothes. Often spare buttons are stitched into the label. Collect them all up in a button box after your child is done and you still have them on hand as replacements.
Button threading can be made as easy or as hard as your child's ability dictates.
1. Allow your child to thread the needle themselves. This will take patience and good coordination to master but they will be so proud of themselves when they can do it!
2. Make a button necklace- this can be as simple as simply threading on the buttons sideways, or your child can get the beads to sit flat by weaving through multiple holes on the button- encourage your child to think carefully which way the thread will need to come in (behind or in front) for the button to sit correctly.
3. Use some scrap material and teach your child to sew the buttons onto the material. This can start off as simpley practicing the technique but when confident your child can practice making pictures with the buttons such as flowers, or patterns. This is also a really useful life skill to master!