Hello, Toddler Families.  

This week we are looking at fine motor skills and strengthening! As you've likely seen, almost all of the work on our shelves have a fine motor component to them.  Some of our fine motor activities are intentionally stored in a safe manner so that our friends who are not ready to use these materials independently take them to a Morah for help. Examples are scissors in a zippered pouch or small erasers in a closed container with a screw-top lid. This allows the Morah to give the child a one-to-one lesson on how to use these materials and a reminder of which friend is using which work. 

As your children show the ability and maturity to be able to use the materials safely and responsibly, we give a lesson on how to open the container so the work can be done independently. Many parents might worry that teaching the children how to open these types of containers will make things easier for them to “get into” at home and school. We assure you that where there’s a will, there’s a way and they WILL figure out a way! By teaching them that there are appropriate ways to use the materials BEFORE teaching the way to access them, we are giving them the right skills at the right time. This helps them foster their independence at their own pace.  

Some of the other works in our classroom that help with fine motor skills are water droppers, pouring work, small paint brushes, puzzles, lacing wooden beads onto string, paint sticks, a the tzedakah button dropping work. There are so many ways you can and probably already are working on these skills at home! Brushing teeth, self-feeding, building with blocks, painting, and even turning the pages in a book are all great practice for fine motor skills. This fine motor work helps facilitate pincer strength and gets your children ready for writing!

Simplicity in a toddler Montessori classroom aligns with the philosophy of respecting the child, fostering independence, and creating an environment that supports optimal learning and development.  It allows toddlers to thrive in a space that is carefully designed to meet their unique needs and abilities and as we enter into this new year, it is a beautiful time to foster this concept and growth! 

If you have any questions about how you can further help your child at home, or about anything we are doing in the classroom, feel free to ask.

Warmly,

Morahs Megan, Sarah, and K