Teaching Writing and Pencil Hold

Young children when they begin to write they face a hardship in holding the pencil. As a parent we will not be able to guide them in a proper way. That's where Maria Montessori brings in hands on approach in young children for it prepares the child's pencil control for writing in several ways.Pre-writing activities designed to prepare the child’s hand for handwriting can be found throughout the entire Montessori classroom.parents can help the children making these activities at home.

Practical Life – Tools
Activities include tonging, tweezing, stringing, and twisting.

Materials: pasta different shapes,tweezers/tongs..two similar containers,and a tray.

Preparation:

• place the bowls in a tray.
• put a handful of pasta in the left side bowl
• place the tweezers/tongs in the middle of the bowl
• bring the work to the floor or to the child size table n chair set
• show the child to transfer the pasta from left to right with the help of tongs
• then back to right to left.
• left to right concept indirectly helps the child prepare for reading and writing.

you can use beans,big beads, etc.Make sure you have an eye on the child so that it doesn't put the things in the nose. these activities surely help the little finger get trained to hold the pencil later.“Little fingers” include the thumb and first two fingers – the same ones that hold a pencil.

Art – Coloring and Painting

When a child started to color or draw most of the parents doesn't appreciate it rather they think that its a scribble.what the parents and the child may not know is, when the child uses art materials for free expression, he is gaining important writing skills. The marks at first appear random, then with maturity, become more controlled and purposeful. Letters, as well as shapes, will start to appear. Lessons in this area focus on the proper use of the various art media, including markers, pencils, chalk, and paintbrushes. Scissors activities also provide pencil control.

Practical life Exercises

In a Montessori Method Practical Life activities are very important.Practical life Exercises are are Exercises the child can learn how to do living activities in a purposeful way.The purpose and aim of Practical Life is to help the child gain control in the coordination of his movement, and help the child to gain independence and self confidence.Practical Life Exercises also aid the growth and development of the child’s intellect and concentration and will in turn also help the child develop an orderly way of thinking.Practical Life Exercises also aid the growth and development of the child’s intellect and concentration and will in turn also help the child develop an orderly way of thinking.Below are some of the activities you can help your child with.

Practical Life Areas
Dressing oneself
Knowing parts of the body
Putting on jacket and zipping it
Hanging jacket on low hook
Putting clean clothes in drawer
Washing hands & drying hands with paper towel & throwing towel away in the trash
Blowing nose and throwing away tissue properly

Table manners
Setting the dinner table
Cleaning up spills with a sponge
Polishing shoes
Fastening clothes on a line with clothes pins or pegs
Using scissors with skill
Washing linen or dolls clothes on a wash board (you can buy these at a hardware store)
Learning home address and phone number
Pouring beans, rice, sugar, etc. without spilling
Pouring liquids without spilling
Sitting on the line
Sitting next to the line
Walking on the line
Carrying objects without dropping them
Carrying liquids without spilling
Walking without knocking into furniture or people
Dancing without knocking into furniture or people
Putting materials, books, and toys away on the shelves
Working carefully and neatly
Dusting and polishing exercises
Sweeping with small broom and dust pan
Flower arranging
Caring for plants
Caring for animals
Folding napkins, towels and own clothing
Simple use of needle and thread
Use of tweezers, tongs, eyedroppers, and locks
Small hammer and nails to make wood projects out of scrap lumber
Weaving and bead stringing
Sorting Beads
Braiding
Stamping
Modeling with clay
Cutting and pasting
Simple cooking and food preparation and baking with mom or dad

Here are some favorite kitchen activities:

Using an old fashioned egg beater or whisk
Sifting flourScooping flour, sugar, salt, etc. with large and small scooperswashing vegetables and fruit, peeling with a vegetable peeler
Spreading (like peanut butter on a cracker)
Stirring mixture
Basting with a large turkey baster
Using a ladleOpening and closing lids
Screwing and unscrewing lids on jars
Dishwashing and washing table with a sponge