Gross Motor Skill : Scooping Foam Alphabets/Balls (Water Play)

Gross motor skill is as important as fine motor skill, this time I decide to do something simple for my little one to train her little arms.

For this activity, there's not much to prepare and set up is kind of effortless, however as it involves water, parent/guardian need to provide 100% attention.

Toddler's Age : Approximate 27 months old. (Probably suitable from 18months?)

Materials:

• Fishing Net ($2 from Daiso)
• Foam Alphabets n Numbers / Bath Toys / Balls / Sponge
• Tub/Pail
• Water

Steps:

1. Wash Tub, "Fishes" and Fishing Net

2. Fill Tub/Pail with some water.

(In order not to waste water I actually let her play this fishing game after she have taken a bathe and the water used is actually from her tub time! PS I don't give her tub time everyday.)

3. Put the "fishes" in, hand the net to child

4. Name items you want him/her to scoop.

Example: A yellow ball, or a pink alphabet, or a lego piece, or alphabet X.

I don't think LO have ever seen a fishing net but once she lay her hands on it she automatically knew what to do with it. I am impressed and at the same time felt somewhat lacking? I called out colours or alphabets and she took them out correctly and really quickly too!

*Increase difficulty by increasing quantity of toys and also try putting more toys varieties.

To make it more interesting, I would give different instructions instead of asking for the items directly.  Like asking for a particular alphabet, then maybe next ask for any item of a particular colour, follow by just name of a toy (e.g. a ball, a lego), or any alphabet in a particular colour, or even name a shape! She needs to look at the items and pick up the one that fits what I describe/request.

Do you have any gross motor skill activity to recommend? :)

Fine Motor Skill : Alphabets Wooden Peg Level 1

I am always looking out for things that helps my little one develop her gross and fine motor skills.

Inspired by this post, I decide to do something simple for my little one to train her little fingers and work on her fine motor skills.

Toddler's Age : Approximate 27 months old.

Materials:

• A5 Paper
• Printer
• Wooden Pegs (1 pack of 28 Big ones, $2 from Daiso)
• Pen/Marker to write on the Pegs
• Laminate Pouch and Laminator (optional*)

Steps:

1. Print out all 26 Alphabets on a piece of A5 paper.

( I choose A5 as it's easier for my toddler to handle.)

2. Laminate the A5 paper.

(Optional, but good to have as the paper will not tear that easily so you can reuse it many times!)

3. Write each of the 26 Alphabets on both sides of the Wooden Peg and you're done! :D

It's her first time seeing wooden pegs and touching them so she was naturally really excited! I had to quickly show her how I pegged 1 peg on so she can start "playing".

She fumbled for her 1st wooden peg as she couldn't really press on the tiny peg and I help by showing her how the peg works again.

For the 2nd peg she wanted to give up and ask me to put it in for her. I refuse and told her she can do it. She tried again a few times and managed to put it in.

By the 3rd peg she is able to do it with me as the "assistant" holding on to the laminated paper for her to peg it.

By the 5th peg she could hold the paper and put the peg in herself.

After the first few pegs she decide to peg random alphabets instead following the list. Eg. she choose letter S to peg on letter S and I just let her be, as long as she complete the task properly it doesn't really matter which pegs she decide to peg first..

Finally done with the whole set of 26 alphabets! She got distracted a few times but managed to complete it with me monitoring/encouraging her.

This is fun for my toddler and yes she can regconise most of the alphabets, even with my ugly handwriting! She did mistake my L for 7 and U for N though. Would probably let her play a few more times before I give her the Level 2 wooden pegs. :D