Hello Toddler families!
We hope you had a beautiful Sukkot. Here at school we sat with friends in the Sukkah for snacks and lunches, Davening, and a Friday Shabbos party. We enjoyed shaking the Lulav and smelling the sweet smell of the Etrog. We hope you all enjoyed the Sukkot art sent home!
This week we want to share a popular activity in our room - the use of scissors. In Montessori environments, toddlers are taught to use real scissors to cut paper strips, rolls of clay, and string/rope whereas in traditional environments they are not taught until preschool age. Learning to cut and use scissors ultimately helps children develop the coordination needed for handwriting, eating, dressing themselves, holding and carrying small objects, and of course builds focus and concentration.
The children began the year tearing paper into small pieces and later will glue them onto larger sheets. They also tore paper fringed from the end of a larger sheet to expand on that fine motor development. We have now progressed to using loop scissors, special early use scissors with one loop for a palm grasp, instead of two loops for a finger and thumb. We will continue to build muscle control and fine motor development as we move onto cutting items other than paper throughout the year. Slicing through play doh “snakes” and plastic straws requires stronger grasp and skill, and is really satisfying for them!
We are loving spending time outdoors in this cooler weather and have been exploring the way leaves change colors and what nature looks like in Autumn. On your next walk outdoors with your toddlers, explore the variety of shapes and sizes of acorns, the colors on trees, and the crunch of leaves under their feet!
Warmly,
Morahs Megan, Sarah, and K