Montessori Valentine Kids Activities such as this colander threading DIY is an amazing fine-motor exerciser to promote small muscles of the hands, dexterity, concentration and bilateral coordination.
Montessori Valentine Kids Activities at home need not be expensive or require a laminating machine and a paper cutter. It took me less than a few minutes to prepare this Valentine Heart and Colander fine-motor activity. Besides, I am sure we all have a colander in the kitchen somewhere. And since love is in the air, we are using red heart flower-pot picks, but you can also use red (or any color) straws, pipe cleaners, or wooden heart picks.
YOU’ll NEED for this Valentine Colander Threading:
- a colander
- a styrofoam block
- heart picks
My heart picks were a bit long for the colander’s hight, so I had to cut them to the correct length.
Make sure that your colander has round holes and that picks are small enough to fit into those holes.
This easy-to-prepare threading activity is great for toddlers and preschoolers to develop fine-motor control.
Growth comes from activity, not from intellectual understanding. – Dr. Maria Montessori.
Montessori Valentine Kids Activities
Montessori Valentine Kids Activities such as this colander threading DIY is an amazing fine-motor exerciser to promote small muscles of the hands, dexterity, concentration and bilateral coordination.
Also, this simple DIY Montessori-Valentine’s Day activity for great for home or classroom.
Insert picks through the holes and into the styrofoam block so that picks stay put.
Adrian, 4 years old, had a lot of fun with this threading activity. If you have a toddler, on the other hand, make sure your picks are safe or offer pipe cleaners for a fun fine-motor activity that is toddler-safe.
You can also add a math twist to this activity by encouraging your child to count picks as s/he is inserting them. Or count backward as the child is removing picks or even do a simple addition/subtraction activity. “If you remove one pick, how many would be left?”
At the end of the activity, to emphasize the intrinsic motivation or not an extrinsic reward, I would say something like: “You really worked hard at this; you much be proud of your work!” instead of “Great job.” You want your child to feel own accomplishment, rather than showing your own favoritism or opinion.
As a variation, offer pipe cleaners to shape like hearts, inserting both ends into colander’s holes.
“Mommy, this one is for you!”
Never help a child with a task at which s/he feels he can succeed … The child becomes a person through work. – Dr. Maria Montessori.
We had a lot of fun setting up this simple and inexpensive way to use Montessori at home. I hope you will have fun too!
Practical Life Activities
Practical Life Activities lay the foundation and develop the skills the child will need for all other academic areas! Real-life lessons such as folding, using a spoon, buttoning, cleaning and more, will help your child develop bodily coordination, focus, independence and a sense of order, thus facilitating immensely in the future academic lives.
Please, always supervise your children.
For more on Valentine’s Day activities for preschoolers.
See HERE a roundup Valentine Activities For Preschoolers.
Download my NEW eBOOK ~ THE BASICS ~ Bringing Montessori Home Birth till Age 6
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