PLEASE read the dimensions prior to purchasing. You know your child best. This is not a product that fits all.
Montessori Fine Motor Activity, Matchstick Color Drop, Toddler Montessori Activity, Color Sorting Game, Color Matching Toy
This product was designed to help children refine their fine motor skills; therefore, many parts are intended to be small.
The size of the product focuses on strengthening the hand muscles while simultaneously promoting independence. The fact that the child can put the sticks through, take the lid off, and put it back on without assistance helps them with their self confidence and prepares them for writing.
Children go through a schema when they love posting activities? How does posting help children? Posting activities foster dexterity, hand-eye coordination, as well as the ability to voluntarily release an object. This activity also teaches cause and effect – I do something and something happens (e.g. noise when drop toy into an object). It also teaches about object permanence – if I can't see something, it's still there. The different colored sticks with corresponding colored holes on the lid encourages color matching and recognition. The children learn so many from this basic activity.
While it may seem small in an adult’s hand, it is actually a good size for a child to hold and work on independently.
Toddlers love to put sticks through holes. I designed this activity by watching my toddler play with actual toothpicks and enjoying putting them through holes and then dumping them out. I felt she needed an activity safer than the toothpicks. In the beginning the child may put the dowels through holes without considering the colors. Then the child will try to match the colored sticks to the colored holes. Because the container gets filled, the last 2-3 sticks may prompt the child to shake the container to have the sticks drop inside. The child develops fine motor skills when trying to pick up the sticks and putting them through holes. In Montessori, we follow the child and we want to nurture and enhance their current stage of development. Some Montessori activities use materials that may seem "not appropriate" for age (like real scissors given at an early age), however, every child develops differently, every child's interests appear at different ages. This activity is specifically designed to be fun, colorful, and allow children to work on their fine motor skills. This is a Montessori posting activity where the child takes one stick and places it through the hole. This was my original design and purpose. Children love Montessori posting activities. However, children have a mind of their own and discover different uses for the same materials. The activity can be extended to threading/weaving. This Montessori inspired weaving activity was shown to me by my child who found a threading needle in my office, took the lid from a box, and started weaving through the holes. I love how open ended this box is. The children are very creative and they find new ways to use materials if they're not constantly guided, but instead, they are allowed to explore with supervision , of course. The child can thread a shoelace through the holes, again working on their focus and concentration. The box can also be used in sensory bins. The lid can be used to sift small sensory bin filler, such as rice.
The cotton bag offers an easy way to pack the activity and go. This activity has come in very handy while waiting at the doctor's office, while flying, at restaurants, and during car rides.
Set Includes :
(1) Cotton Muslin bag for easy storage and travel.
(1) box 2-3/4" Diameter x 2-5/8" Tall. The removable lid has colored holes. The lid will fit loosely.
(12) "match sticks" painted/ stained in 6 colors. Each stick is 2 inches tall.
I will include 6 additional sticks (one per color) in case some get lost.
ADD ON 24 sticks - If you choose this option, you will receive an additional 24 sticks. So you will receive the 12 that come with the set, 6 that I include for free, and an additional 24, for a total of 42 sticks.
The sticks are a CHOKING HAZARD and we don’t recommend it for kids who still mouth toys. Recommended for 2+ year old children.
I use either Stockmar watercolors or AP certified non toxic acrylic paint for the sticks.
These wooden toys are small and we always advise ADULT SUPERVISION.
This product is CatsCraftsToysLLC's ORIGINAL Creation and CatsCraftsToysLLC holds all Copyrights.
A note about wooden toys:
Wood is a natural material and has unique markings. We sand and smooth toys before painting, but we do not do so after painting. As a result, the wood may show variations in grain, texture, and all these are considered beautiful occurrences and not defects. Our wood toys are uniquely perfectly imperfect. Enjoy the feel and texture that make your toy unique!
Please contact us with any questions.
© CatsCraftsToys 2018 © All rights reserved by artist. No transfer of rights is implied with the purchase of a Cat Crafts Toys listing. Each toy is an original design by CatsCraftsToys and is not to be reproduced.
