The basic lines and shapes, like circles and crosses, that children learn before letters. Mastering these strokes makes learning to write the alphabet much easier and less frustrating.
For this activity, you can use many different types of stencils to trace.
Provide the child with different stencils and have him/her trace inside or outside the stencil.
The child can also finger-paint inside these stencils.
If the child has difficulties with bilateral hand use, you may want to tape the stencil to the surface the child works on.
Put a small amount of paint on a sheet of construction paper.
Let the child hold an ice cube using the thumb, index finger, and middle finger only.
Have the child move the ice cube over the paint and spread it on the paper.
You may also use powder paint for this activity.
You can use the Colored Ice Cubes activity to make the ice cubes for this activity.
For this activity, use a gallon size Ziplock bag.
Place approximately 1/2 cup of tempera paint in the ziplock bag, remove air and seal. Work the paint around until it filled the bag.
Have child make lines, shapes or letters by moving his finger along outside of the bag.
As an alternative, you can use shaving cream mixed with food coloring instead of the tempera paint.
For this activity, you need to use blue, orange, and yellow construction paper. You would also need to use a single hole puncher.
On a piece of blue construction paper, draw a square (in a size that will fit inside the ziplock bag) with wiggly lines. Ask the child to cut the square that you drew and stay within the wiggly lines (thickness of the line depends on the child’s skills and development).
Draw a fish on the orange or yellow paper and have the child cut it out. Depending on the child’s skills, you can have the child trace a picture of a fish or draw his own fish.
Glue the fish onto the blue sheet. Ask the child to draw eyes, fins, gills, and mouth on the fish and add any plants on the blue paper. Use a hole punch to punch bubbles in the blue paper (coming out of the mouth of the fish and above). Place the blue sheet into the ziplock bag. Place the oats on the table or in a small shallow plate and ask the child to pinch the oats and drop into the bag, to represent the floor of the tank. Repeat this activity a few times, until there is enough oats on the bottom of the bag. Seal the bag nice and tight.
In a container full of sand or in the sandbox, have the child imitate you drawing shapes using a straw or large stick.
Let him/her try holding the stick in either or both hands.
