Daily at Home Project: Fine Motor Activities and Let’s See Where a Dot Can Take You!

by | Mar 25, 2020 | At-Home Enrichment | 0 comments

Please find below our daily SolBe Family update letter containing helpful resources and exciting projects to explore while we all do our part to stay home during this pandemic.

March 25, 2020

SolBe Families,

Hoping you are making your way through the week. Our yoga partner KidPowerment is hosting virtual yoga classes this week (options for older kids as well, for any SolBe Older Siblings looking for fun!). Your kiddos will recognize the lovely and charming Christyn from class at SolBe. Playful Warrior Yoga is this Friday, March 27 at 11:00 AM and is free.

Something for parents only

If you are in need of a laugh…The Magnet Theatre in NYC is streaming their mainstage improv show every night- something different! Another sort of entertainment: Yale is offering one of their popular courses on “The Science of Well-Being” for free through Coursera. Probably too time consuming, but worth a mention!

Project of the Day Infants & Toddlers: Fine Motor Activities for from HappyHooligans

Option 1: Pom Pom Drop

“Provide an ice cube tray or a jar for the baby to transfer fluffy pompoms into.  This toddler activity helps develop pincer grip and hand dexterity. Your baby will also explore shapes, sizes and sorting.”  We have excess pom poms at SolBe- if you would like to try this at home but do not have the materials, please let us know and we can add them to food pickup bags (email Marlo).

Option 2: Cork Drop

“Set a bowl of corks next to a small mouthed jug.  As your baby transfers the corks to the jug, they will examine the texture, size and shape of the corks, and strengthen fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. This activity can be set up on the floor, but I often set it up on a coffee table, so the baby has to stretch and reach to use it. This makes it a gross-motor activity as well.”

Project of the Day Toddlers & Preschooler from Silvana: Let’s See where a Dot can Take You!

Suggested book: The Dot by Peter Reynolds (You can also find it on youtube or click this link)

Today, our invitation is to have a moment to read with your children. We like to use “with” instead of “to” because we see this opportunity as a time for active interaction, engagement (in all of its shapes and forms—sometimes when we think our child is not paying attention is when he is doing it the most!) bonding, inquiry and wonder.

This book is quite special as it shares the impact we as educators, parents, or caretakers have on our children. Sometimes, it takes just one person at one specific moment, to make a lifelong positive impact on our life.

After reading the story: Let’s See Where a Dot Can Take You!

Materials

  • Paper
  • Markers, paint, dot paint
  • Brushes (or use your fingers, feet, or elbows!)
  • Invite your child to make their own “dot artwork”. Let him use his/her fingers, brushes, or dot paint. Invite him/her to start with one dot and expand into what his imagination can think of!

Reflections for Parents

  • When presenting the story, give your child the autonomy to start reading as he wishes! For example, sometimes we can start the story backwards! From the last page, all the way to the first one.
  • Model questions throughout the story: “I wonder….”
  • For older children, invite them to create a different ending. Ask your child: “What if the story continues?” “What would happen next?”
  • When creating the artwork, celebrate the process: “I notice how you are using different colors!”
  • Invite your child to sign his/her work: Now, sign it!
  • Find a nice place to display his/her creation

More resources to follow in the coming days. Feedback and more ideas welcome, as always!

Be well and stay healthy!

The SolBe Team

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