sfinemotor

FINE MOTOR ACTIVITIES/CUTTING PRACTICE STAGE: Tearing
From Stormie:
Art Center: September Bulletin Board Border:
In advance, measure the border of your bulletin board, divide it by the number of children in the class, then cut border strips for each child to decorate. (Use a store-bought one as a pattern for scalloped edges.) During free choice, children tear bits of red, blue, and yellow scrap paper (colors of the month), then glue them on their borders. Some bits will be small, some will be large, and individually, they won't look like much, but once you border your bulletin board with them, they look great! As the children work, discuss the colors with them. (Sure, store borders are easier and I've given in many a year, but this activity provides an inexpensive small motor activity and classroom decor at the same time.)
Variation: Instead of a border strip for each child, put out four large strips (one for the top, bottom, and two sides of the bulletin board) for the children to decorate as a group. The advantage of this is: There's not as much stapling to do when you hang it.

Another September "tearing" activity that could be on-going for the whole month as a free choice option: Provide scraps of paper in apple colors for gluing on white apple cutouts.

Other Fine Motor Options for September:
*Provide theme related puzzles
*Provide dressing boards that give practice in self-help skills such as zipping, lacing, snapping, buttoning, and so on

Small Manipulatives Center: Have paper trash items? Place them in a small box or basket for children to "tear" before throwing them away. Why? Just to get that fine motor skill practice.

Snack: Have children "break" crackers for placing into a bowl of soup.

Creative Drama for Fingers: Let's pretend to: Play a piano; Scratch an itch; Be a crab; Be twitching bunny ears

Language Center: Put out fat and skinny pencils for pre-writing practice (otherwise known as "scribbling").

Please share your "tearing" and other fine motor ideas by e-mailing me at stormie@preschoolbystormie.com

From Kari Kjer, Alexandria, Minnesota:
Alternative Strips (variation to Stormie's border idea above): If you don't have time to cut strips, use adding machine paper.
Reminder from Stormie: I've seen lots of adding machine paper at thrift stores.

From Janet Petersen, Beardstown, Illinois:
Poster Board Border: Dear Stormie, I have adapted your child-made bulletin board border in this way: I have the students tear selected colors of construction paper and glue the pieces onto poster board. I draw lines 2 3/4" apart on the back, run it through the laminator, and cut it apart on the lines. You are right, this is a wonderful and inexpensive border. We have received many compliments. By the way, my 3 yr. old students love working on this "project" too.

From Julaine N:
Great Wall Tree: Tearing: I cut out a big tree trunk and put it on my wall. Then I taped clear contact paper on the wall above the tree trunk in a tree top shape (at children's eye level). I taped it on with the sticky side out. Then the children tore green "leaves" from construction paper and stuck them on the treetop. And since we are doing the theme of "Apples," they tore roundish "apple" shapes from red construction paper and put them on the tree as well.
To extend the project into the theme of "Fall," I put contact paper (sticky side out) along the bottom of the tree and the children tore red, orange, brown, and yellow "leaf" shapes to represent leaves that fell off the tree.

From Kimerly Gaines:
We put out a container of pipe cleaners for children to practice making "bendie" people-friends :-)
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Reminder from Stormie: If you would like to begin collecting ALL my current classroom ideas (each on a 4 x 6" index card), as well as new ones that I create, you can do so by ordering my "Activity Cards." Click here to check them out.

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