Cognitive Development (Exploring SaMe and Different)
An activity for older toddlers
Materials
- training chop sticks - large pom-poms -bowls of different colors -paper plate
Materials for modifiers -tweezers -real chopsticks -plastic counting blacks -buttons
Modifiers
For an easier challenge -Replace the chopsticks with tweezers -Replace pom-poms with plastic counting blocks
For a trickier challenge -Replace the training chopsticks with real chopsticks. -Replace pom-poms with buttons
Follow-up Ideas
- You can change this activity so the children are sorting objects by shape, letters, animals, and/or numbers. You can do this by replacing the pom-poms with plastic letters, numbers, counting bears, ect.
-Glue the children's pictures to owl cutouts with magnets on the back. Have the children put their own owl on the board every morning. Talk about how unique everyone is.
Originating Idea
Not only does this activity have children utilize their fine motor skills in a unique way, but this sorting activity encourages to start seeing the differences between similar objects. In addition, by setting this activity up so that students must share the pom-poms and bowls, the students are gaining social-emotional skills.
How to Make It
At the table, the teacher will place four sets of training chopsticks around the table. She should then set up the bowls. Then she will place the paper plate in the middle of the table and fill the plate with pom-poms. The teacher should make sure the students can reach all the bowls and pom-poms from where they're sitting. If not, she needs to put out more bowls and plates with pom-poms.
How to Implement Activity
At the end of circle time, the teacher should pull out her own set of color bowls, pom-poms, and chopsticks. Then she will say, "Today we are sorting these pom-poms using chopsticks! We're going to put the same-colored pom-poms into the same-colored bowls. Watch me!" Then she will demonstrate how to sort the pom-poms into different bowls with the chop sticks. She will then talk about the other small work activity before splitting the children into two groups of four and sending them to their designated table.
The children will begin examining the chopsticks. They may pick them up and look at -them for a period of time before using them to interact with the pom-poms. Then, the children will try to pick up the pom-poms using the chopsticks. This may take a couple tries for the children to get use to the training chopsticks. Once they figure out how to manipulate the training chopsticks, they should start sorting the pom-poms with the chopsticks.
The teacher should ring the bell and sing, "Five more minutes and then we're going to change groups!" After five minutes, the teacher should ring the bell again and announce, "It's time to change groups!" The children should change groups so the second group has a turn with the activity. Once the second group has had their turn, give the same five minute warning. After five minutes, ring the bell and announce, "It's clean-up time! Time to put your centers away!" The teachers should help the children put the center away and then help them get their coats on for recess time.