Finger Gym

 As a result of the aftermath of Covid-19 lockdowns in Melbourne, when children returned back to Kindergarten, I noticed that many of them lacked the fine motor skills that they would have otherwise developed. Therefore, in response, I implemented a program called "Finger Gym" that focused on fine motor development, hand-eye coordination, scissor skills and concentration. Finger Gym was also a valuable pathway towards developing finger muscles and pre-writing skills.

Picking bottle caps with tongs

Threading beads onto skewers

Rubber bands and thumbpins

 

Finger gym with rubber bands

One of my absolute favourite finger gym activities. However, there is a bit of prep work involved. Luckily my centre had loads of the wooden bark and I had to ask one of my tradie parents to put the nails in. A pack of rubber bands from the grovery store and we're good to go! The children loved putting the rubber bands around the nails and making different, complex shapes.

It's Space Week!

Space themed sensory trough

Pretending to be astronauts! Rocketship role-play area

How do craters form on the moon?

Smash the asteroids!

Numeracy: Counting alien eyes

Finger Gym: threading pipe cleaners through the asteroid

Literacy: forming space words

Space exploration table

Space exploration table

Space exploration table

Space exploration table

Loose parts play: create a constellation

Star themed playdough

Finger Gym: Can you pick out all the stars?

 Space Week is always a very exciting week in the Kinder Room. A week long (usually more!) of rich learning experiences. In 2022, Space Week included many opportunities for play such as role play, literacy, numeracy, Finger Gym and sensory play. In addition to all the above activities, my colleagues and I also set up an obstacle course for "astronaut training", an asteroid hunt in the outdoor yard space, listening to the planet song and painting planets. It was such a fun, project-based learning experience for all of us!

Finger Gym

Placing corks in an egg carton using tri-grip tongs

 As a result of the aftermath of Covid-19 lockdowns in Melbourne, when children returned back to Kindergarten, I noticed that many of them lacked the fine motor skills that they would have otherwise developed. Therefore, in response, I implemented a program called "Finger Gym" that focused on fine motor development, hand-eye coordination, scissor skills and concentration. Finger Gym was also a valuable pathway towards developing finger muscles and pre-writing skills.

I love using tongs and recycled materials for finger gym!

Threading straws through pipe cleaners

Threading wool through straws

Using tongs to place bobbins into a recycled tray