What you'll need:
A base: Apple or playdough
Something to string: Wooden skewer or dry spaghetti
Cheerios
Getting Started:
Turn snack-time into a Montessori fine motor skills activity by threading Cheerios onto a skewer or piece of dry spaghetti secured in an apple. Simply set-up your threading rods in a secure base such as an apple, mound of playdough, or floral foam (we chose an apple so that our activity was almost entirely edible, and has a fun practical life and science application for children). Next ask your child to thread the Cheerios on and off the rods. This activity builds hand-eye-coordination, concentration, and dexterity.
Add on Activities
Math skills:
- Ask your child to count, add, or subtract the number of Cheerios on each rod.
- Using multiple rods, tag each with a number of Cheerios to put on each rod to practice counting skills.
Practical Life:
- With adult supervision and a dull knife, help your child to slice the apple and prepare a snack for the family.
Introduction to Science:
- Take advantage of this opportunity to explore the layers of the apple (stem, skin, flesh, core, and seeds). Count the seeds in your apple and talk about how apples grow.
What it teaches:
Fine Motor Skills
Hand-Eye-Coordination
Concentration
Early Math Skills
Practical Life
Science
