During these months, children learn to fold paper in half, make pencil/crayon marks and begin to build a tower of eight cubes or blocks. Activities that strengthen and train the muscles in the hands and fingers are important skills in learning to write. Bringing all five fingers together in order to hold a pencil/crayon takes time and coordination. In this activity, your child will develop her fine motor skills by stringing beads.
- large 1- to 2-inch beads
- string
- pipe cleaners
- masking tape
Step 1: Provide large beads and string. Be sure to use beads that won’t pose a choking hazard for your young child.
Step 2: Show your child how to pull or string the beads onto the yarn or string. Help your child tie the ends in order to make a bracelet or necklace.
Step 1: Use larger square beads. Square beads are easier to grasp than round ones.
Step 2: Use shoestrings and masking tape to make the string firmer to grip and help the ends of the string stay together.
Step 3: Use pipe cleaners to provide a thicker, textured “string” that can help the process of beading easier.
Step 1: Provide a variety of large beads in different shapes and colors.
Step 2: Before stringing beads, invite your child to sort the beads by shape or color.
Step 3: Ask your child to find a specific bead in a certain color or shape and pull the string through.
