This is one of my favorite projects for the Christmas tree. Kids of most abilities will be able to make the project with some help as necessary. Manipulating the materials develops small motor coordination.
Age: 3 and older with help for younger kids or those needing assistance.
Materials needed:
Pieces of felt in various colors at least 4 inch square in size
Blunt tip scissors
A hole punch
A long sturdy ribbon or yarn
Twist ties to hang animals on long ribbon
Cookie cutters in animal or Christmas shapes
A soft pencil or ballpoint pen for tracing shapes onto felt
To make:
Spread out all the materials on the work table. Have a sample chain made up so kids can see what it looks like when finished.
For each animal shape, lay a cookie cutter on a piece of felt. Hold the cutter firmly on the material and trace around the cutter with a pencil or ballpoint pen to make the animal or Christmas shape.
Using blunt tip scissors cut out the shape.
Punch a hole near the top of the shape.
Repeat making shapes for the length of the ribbon chain.
Tie the shapes onto the long ribbon or yarn with twist ties or small lengths of yarn.
Hang the animal fabric chain on the Christmas tree, or drape across a window or anywhere.
This is a very durable fabric chain and if you use up your scraps of felt or stiff fabric you'll have hardly any cost. This is bound to become a tradition and passed on to the next generation. What fun!
For offline reading
Kinesthetic Math and Language Lessons -
YouŽll find 33 beginning and advanced kinesthetic math and language lessons in 78 pages for kids of all abilities in grades K-6, including teaching all ages the one-hand alphabet with large photos of the letter shapes.
And, for ages 2 to 5, more than 10 kinesthetic learning lessons, plus rhythms, dances and exercises in this workbook Rhythms and Dances for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Article by Susan Kramer
