Letters in Clay
This hands-on activity will improve your child's handwriting and fine motor skills. Nicola Salvatico, our teacher consultant, explains: "Creating good habits is always easier earlier in life than later. That is why helping your child learn proper handwriting techniques in kindergarten is a great start.
Often children's fine motor skills are underdeveloped and need some assistance to help promote appropriate grips and letter formation. Therefore, warm-up activities such as this one are a fun and wonderful way to strengthen their hand muscles on the outer part of the palm and the inner part of the hand between the pointer finger and thumb. Your children will enjoy exercising and have a ball!"
What You'll Need:
- One to two pieces of clay
- Highlighter
- Crayon or marker
- Paper
Here's How to Do It
Write a letter of the alphabet on paper with a highlighter. (Your child's first initial works well to start.) Take the clay and model how to roll a long, skinny snake out of the clay. Let your child roll the clay. (This helps to build those small muscles that aid in fine motor skills). Have him make the letter you wrote out of the clay.Then have your child write over the highlighted letter with a crayon or marker, or have him write the letter next to the highlighted one.
