Fine Motor Follow Up

Let's continue to think about all things Fine Motor.
Let's also continue to think about all things ART!!!!

Yesterday was the beginning of this mini series, prompted + linked to Teach Preschool -- 

now let's continue to consider all things 'finger-fun!'

Let's start at the VERY beginning!

Wiggling our fingers thru amazing surfaces!!

MAKING A MARK ON OUR WORLD!!!!

FINGER PAINTS are ALL ABOUT FINE MOTOR! 
Invest in great finger paint materials!!!!!

What else?
'What else' is one of the best questions you can ask!
It leads you in your growth to direct the children!

CORN MEAL!!
Working in corn meal also gives immediate sensory feedback for those little fingers!
Strengthen all the muscles in the fingers in a happy, open-ended manner.
I expounded on the benefits of 'sensory' exploration as it relates to fine motor in this earlier article.

Fine Motor Fun in the Sensory Table: Developmentally Appropriate Practice!

Your classroom (or family room) can be filled with opportunities to strengthen fine motor.
Think of your sensory table (or large container) as the perfect spot for fine motor exploration!

PUZZLES!!!!
The 'Dollar Tree' store always seems to have a large selection of these extra-thick and foam-like puzzles with popular characters. They are an absolutely delightful way to work those digits! Even though you are constructing a 'puzzle' the pieces all fit together with ease, in the way that you want to construct them: TOTALLY open-ended!

Where else can you take this finger-focus?
Clay, PlayDoh, Gorp -- all great choices!!!

Yesterday I shared the way that one school has the children 'check in'

by writing their name in their notebook. Awesome, right?

Here's another school and their 'sign-in' process.

There are pages around a table with sheets of the names of classmates written out.

Each child must locate their name in the midst of their peers and trace the letters.

READING AND WRITING!!!!

Right from the start!

This is what it looks like in the beginning.

Celebrate every masterpiece of originality!!

LUV'd getting to see all of this emerging fine motor up in Binghamton, NY earlier this winter.
Soon enough those marks start taking shape!
And once that happens, entire stories beging to emerge.

Blink your eyes.
When fine motor exploration is supported.......
before you know it -- amazing collaborations are possible!
This one's from kindergarten children in Tampa Florida.

*LUV* these 'rainbow names' that were made in honor and anticipation of my arrival to Main Street Elementary in Clyde, Ohio earlier this fall for my two-day residency in their midst. These are the work of mature third graders. Genuine work. They were oh-so-proud. The cafeteria was a RIOT of color!!

One final thought for today.......
In this age of increasing use of  'Smart Boards + White Boards'  in the classroom and laptops and i-pads at home, I think it all the more critical that the children "see" their teachers, parents and loved ones actually CREATING print. Be sure that you are integrating print into your day, for your child, children and students to observe!!

 Bet you wanna see the buckets that go with this filling-your-bucket written expressions?

They have a whole 'system' for writing down positive behavior!

If we don't continue to demonstrate by our actions that fine motor skills are worth developing,

how will we ever have master pieces of originality for the future?

Fine motor and the ARTS are totally woven together!!!!

-- Debbie --


++Yesterday I shared my 'vested interest' in all things Fine Motor. Scroll back or click here.
The article + a ton of additional ideas are in my Top 10 List!
I also shared my website promo-code!

Here's the third installment with more ideas in the series!!

***I found a fun new linky over at Funky First Grade. In honor of Valentine's Day.
What do you LUV?

Can you tell from this post what I LUV?

I luv all things travel, movies featuring a locale. Luv to read on the beach -- even a pool will suffice. LUV shopping Target, IKEA, Art stores, the supply aisles of Business Supply stores. I LUV to collect fabrics and snippets, buttons, baubles + bits. Listen to? This may surprise you: SILENCE.... I like it quiet. LOL.
Love to eat? YES! Cookie dough, lasagna and carrots!! There's a meal.
Love to talk about: Fine Motor + Arts: BINGO!!!
 Love to make: RAINBOWS.
Love to travel to: back to Italy, with more time in Reggio Emilia.
LOVE TO TEACH: TEACHERS!!!!!!

Fine Motor Development in Young Children

Welcome to the WORLD OF Fine Motor FUN!!!!!

How exciting to be a part of the huge link-up sponsored by Deborah over at Teach Preschool!!
This is an issue very near and dear to my heart -- on so many levels!!!

I will tell you right now, that I do indeed have a bias on this issue and I'll share that shortly.
I have been clicking away, taking LOTS of photos on this topic to share!!

So here we go.................... let's get started!

Let's take a look at what fine motor development looks like over time!

Here's a bulletin board I saw last spring at the Early Childhood Education Program 
on our US Army Base at Camp Darby in ITALY!!!! 
Yes, I had a two week tour to FOUR European Army bases last spring!!!!!
[Here are the 45 blog posts on those insights.
Here are the 18 blog posts on my day in Reggio Emilia, Italy.]

How brilliant is this bulletin board idea pictured in the collage above? 
Use the work of the children in your program to illustrate this progression.
What an AWESOME way to help parents see what comes next!

So how do we help children along this progression? 

Magic Markers at the Easel for Open Ended Possibilities and Exploration

I was just recently in Thibodaux, Louisiana and was able to see the children as they arrived for the morning to their classrooms. The children walked in the door and went over to the tables to 'sign-in' for the morning. Simple notebooks had been placed on the tables with pre-written names to 'trace'. 
Children selected a marker and got to work.

Preschool Children 'Sign-In' Upon Arrival to School

Display Examples of Fine Motor Work in the Classroom

Create Purposeful Writing Opportunities

Make "Old School" Blackboard Writing Available

Classroom Activity Trays Set up to Strengthen Fine Motor Muscles

These "Montessori-Activity Trays" were one of the choices available for self-selection in Thibodaux. Two simple bowls displayed neatly upon a tray, filled with popcorn seeds and a 'melon-ball' utensil, available from the dollar store, and you have oodles of opportunity for strengthening a 'tripod' hold --a three finger grasp, which will transfer easily to crayons, markers and ultimately pencil and pen.

My interest in strengthening Fine Motor stems from many places: 

• as a Fine Arts Aficionado 
• as a former elementary Art Teacher
• as a picture book illustrator
• as an appreciator of children's growth (GeeGee) 
• as a listener to of teacher's frustrations
• as a consultant + contributor to Zaner-Bloser's*  ECE curriculum

I have so much more to share on this topic, be sure to come back tomorrow for more.

The sequel. Continued. Part II.
Here's the third installment in the series.

But before you go, I need to explain my 'bias.'
Yes. I am a some-time consultant for Zaner-Bloser, the company that's been devoted to fine motor development for OVER A CENTURY is located in Columbus Ohio!!! They 'discovered' me at a Greater Columbus Arts Council's Artist in the Schools Annual Fall Show Case and went on to commission me to create the album of songs for their PreK + K programs to under-gird their Fine Motor programs. They went on to license the same 12 song back to allow me to create, "Debbie's Ditties 6: The Hand Writing Mix."

Yup. I have a vested interest and absolute bias in believing that children need to learn to develop their fine motor skills. I'm not one of those new-age-techo lovin' folks thinking all we need to do is teach key-boarding skills to every two year old. (OK so that's a tad sarcastic.) 

I've read the documentation that writing out one's thoughts is beneficial -- for creativity, for memory, for retention -- for all sorts of reasons. My friends over at ZB would LUV to tell ya more! They JUST sponsored the first national symposium on Hand Writing in Washinton DC with every expert in the field sharing from their research!!

My album for ZB contains a dozen 'handwriting' songs and dances. It starts off with the title track: "SKY-WRITING" which is full of rocket ship sound effects and robot voices to especially engage + invite young boys into Fine Motor exploration. It is my personal experience that 'boys' as a stereo-type have challenges and less motivation to conquer fine motor, so I wanted to especially reach out to them thru the various examples in the song: "you can draw me a baseball bat." 

 The simple premise behind the song is that if we can 'picture' letters in-the-sky and write them 'way-up-high' (in the air) we are more likely able to transfer them to paper later. The title track is all about playful visualization of letters.

That's a picture of teachers working on their "Slant Dance." The dance is a bit of YMCA, with some Macarena-feel and a slight reminder of the 'Chicken Dance.' Easy to do, memorable and brings our physicality to the making of strokes.

Here's a YouTube from my very favorite song on the album. You'll LUV it. I promise and be singing it in your sleep! Print directionality!!

I have a promo code opportunity for a discount, whenever you order my materials on the web. If you use the term "Great" (grass roots efforts are terrific) at check out you will receive a 10% discount on your order. 

Then please tell others you think my products are GREAT!!!

So I will continue to wander in and out of classrooms looking for amazing photos of happy fine motor to share!! AND OF COURSE I have an ENORMOUS collection of hundreds of pins/links over on Pinterest of all things Fine Motor. In fact, I just opened it to collaboration so it will be growing + growing!!!

LAST NIGHT I opened a whole can of worms and asked if teachers 'fix' the artwork of their students. I even have a "whistle-blower" on the subject. Keep scrolling down to yesterday to read that AMAZING article. Here's that link.  And all of this fervor has grown out of my article over at our collaborative blog, PreK + K Sharing -- over the article I wrote about the difference between process and product in Children's Art.

Talk about PASSION!

-                                                                   -- Debbie --

This article was added to the blog hop at Fridge-worthy Friday.

Response to Process vs. Product

I am so fortunate to visit in and out of buildings, programs, schools, centers and libraries! [You know my motto, "Have guitar, will travel!"] There's always something new to see and with my blog(s) and Pinterest now, I have a platform for sharing what I observe on the road. 

My recent article over at our collaborative blog, PreK+K Sharing, has stirred up a LOT of comments, feelings and insight regarding the creative process and children. For me to receive a dozen comments on a post is AMAZING!! But to be approaching two dozen lengthy responses in a couple days really turns my head around! To read the heart-felt expressions written in the comments department is incredible. 

One teacher left this sentiment, "Great post on a very conversational topic! I got into trouble in the very first school I worked at because I put children's art into the take home folders that wasn't "perfect". Those pieces were removed and replaced with carbon copy art work." 

I have a feeling that she's talking about this sort of snowman work, where the head is floating precariously away from its foundation. Perhaps this is the sort of project that would have been deemed unacceptable for the take-home folder in her first place of employment?

If you work with young children are you ever tempted to:

• "fix" a child's artwork to fit the parental or program's expectation?
• "tidy-up" a child's project to make it look more like the model?
• "fluff" a child's efforts to meet your own sensibilities?
• "wiggle" a child's wet project before it dries?

Does your program have those sort of expectation of you as a teacher?

I think that the snowmen pictured above are an example of the middle ground of process vs. product..... perhaps more toward the product end of the continuum. The whole creation of the snowman is formulaic as a base foundation. There are precut pieces that require some 'assemblage.'

These were created by 3 year olds. The actual placement of noses and feeties et. al.  were obviously child-directed. The snow fall of white paint is obviously open-ended and child directed and the one 'process' componant of the finished pieces. Does this please the parent need for refrigerator products and still give some room for each child's interpretation? What do you think?

Here's a heart-breaking response written from a parent's perspective: 

"I love your article, process is the only way to recreate children who are courageous enough to be creative...when my daughters were in "middle" school they were in an art class and asked to create a certain type of picture, they both worked very hard and were very proud of their accomplishment....unfortunately their art teacher didn't view the art with the same lens...my girls never tried the creative process again, art needs to be a process of wonder not a grade to fit the criteria of someones agenda."

This response from a favorite Art teacher really concerns me dramatically:

"Kids don't like when their work looks DIFFERENT, and I swear it's this whole "teach to the test" mentality. Everyone needs to pass the test. There is a right answer and a wrong answer. If their artwork looks like the teacher's then they're doing the project right. If their work looks even a teensy-weensy bit "off", it's wrong. Kids are intimidated by Art---if they can't draw, they aren't good. That is why I make SURE that I do TONS of different media (weaving, clay, wire sculpture, collage, scribble, splatter, cute, glue, drawing, etc) so that the students see that they are successful in SOME SORT OF MEDIUM, not just drawing.

I understand their frustration, and I understand HOW they got to that point, unfortunately. I've seen a huge shift in creativity in the past few years, since the FCAT (in my state, fill-in-the-blank-with-your-state's-version-of-the-standardized-test-here) has pressured SO many students to come up with the RIGHT answer. Students don't think analytically anymore, they're totally product-oriented. It's a sad transition.   (I edited here for brevity..... there's more to read in her original comment.) 

I knew that it was very different for 'me' to be expressing an opinion in my article, and  I anticipated that there would be a variety of responses to the examples I shared, but I can promise you that I had no idea to anticipate the types of responses that have been shared to this point. I am so proud that Amy Ahola started my engine with her kick-off on her article, "We Love Paint"  and then held my hand behind the scenes to help me step-up-to-the-plate on the issue. It seems there's plenty of room for conversation here. 

AFTER DINNER UP-DATE!!!! I pinned the picture of the two stop-lights above on my Pinterest PreK board and asked a question in the description area. What I intended by that was to invite people here to answer. LOW + BEHOLD there are currently nine 'lengthy' comments over there! (In my Pinterest addiction, I've never seen nor instigated anything of the sort.) 

Here's a whistle-blower's response from the Pinterest comments: 

I'm sorry, but I'm a preschool aide, and I've worked with a lot of teachers that "fix" the kids projects to make them look "better". The teacher I am with now, and I, only help when necessary (like squeezing glue bottles, tearing tape, etc.) I find it somewhat unusual that none of the teachers or aides or parents that have commented have admitted to "fixing". I guess none of the guilty parties want to comment about it! But, there are teachers out there that do it! 

Oh WOW! An insider's experience.  A Preschool WHISTLE-BLOWER! She's seen it!

Originally I was going to write this post and tie together the white added snow flakes in the preschoolers Art to the white design elements in the elementary school Art below, but that whole concept got thrown out with the bath water. I had already made this collage. So enjoy it for what-its-worth.  I'm am just 'whelmed' by all of this! 

What's your experience?
Where do you fall on the continuum?
Process?
Product?
Which prepares you most for 'the real' world'???

--Debbie --

I am so eager to hear your feedback!!!
And come back tomorrow -- I've got a big article to share on Fine Motor Development, with specific suggestions!

Article linked to Link & Learn Also lined to Kreative Resources.

Little Red Paints her Sleeves

        All this talking and blogging and thinking and writing 
about 'painting' reminded me of the UFO
(UnFinished Object)
that I never quite got finished-up sharing on here. 

**If you missed my lengthy, first-ever, op-ed piece yesterday on
Children + Art: Process vs. Product
you're just a click away from PreK+K....

The discussion after my observations has also been fascinating!!!
I'd welcome your participation + insight over there.
Please come share your experience with:
children, paint, Art and creativity!

                                   This is our little princess, "Little Red" playing with paints.
                                  I'm LUV'ing getting to watch her expression with our time together.

--Give me a minute and I'll do a flash back and show you how and why this all got underway.

                Really what I wanted to convey here is the great delight of a three year old
                                                   when given permission and opportunity with paint.

 

                                         YES!!!!! Purple would be fun here, too!!!!!

                                          Here's the link back to the first part of this chapter.

   It has to do with a thrift store oxford button down shirt to match GeeGee's new vest!!

                                                             Get out your paints!!!! 
                              Have fun together!!!

                                                                      -- Debbie --

HEARTS + ARTS!!! Collaborations + AHA!

THIS IS SUCH AN AMAZING DAY!!!!!!
I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH!!!!!!

Six months ago I was determined to 'learn' how to connect my little-blog-in-the-cave
to the wider world. Today's a RED letter day on so many levels!!!!

Today is all about the power of the ARTS!!! Today is my monthly installment over at PreK+K Sharing..... and I'm on a bit of a rant on the ARTS: "Process vs. Product." Here's the link to that article -- for my insight, training, bias, experience + opinion.

• Amazement #1: I have started a collaborative blog with over thirty 'authorities' each contributing an article every month. WOW: PreK+K is growing crazy!
• Amazement #2: I have been adopted into a sorority of sorts -- all bloggers on kids, crafts, Arts, parenting and they're HIGHLY organized as you'll see.
• Amazement #3: I can copy + paste enough HTML code to participate in this amazing fund raiser for the American Heart Association!!!!!!

Now sit down for an amazing story on the power of the Arts!

Today's post is one of love and courage. It's the story of hard work, collaboration and imagination. The story is that of a sweet four year old with a heart-story of her own. It's the story of Ellie-JO!!! The specifics are here to get acquainted.

She's been through numerous open-heart surgeries with more on the horizon. She needs our help.

Over 70 bloggers have come together on behalf of Ellie and so many others with heart-stories. We have created a collaboration of HEART Art projects to inspire. There are over 100 hearts in an e-book collaboration brought together from the brilliant mind of Jamie over at Hands On as We Grow (that's her link above with Ellie's story)..... who just happens to be related to those big bright sparkling eyes above.

Jamie's timing was 'perfect' in asking for heart project contributions as I had just been given those amazing heart-shaped DREAM catcher-weavings from my friends in Kindergarten over in Caitlin's classroom, following my Author-Visit to their elementary. Caitlin blogs over at Kindergarten Smiles. Here's a reminder photo, but you can go back in time to my article on Martin Luther King, Jr. to see more.

Over 100 such ideas have been brought together as a thank you for your $5.00 donation to the American Heart Association in an 'eBook-version' or it is also available as a softbound book for your coffee table.

Here's a look inside at just a few of the ideas you'll see featured from fellow bloggers.

Here's where you contribute 5 dollars to the American Heart Association and you receive the e-book:

Or here's where you purchase a soft-bound version -- of which $5.00 is donated to AHA.

US $20.00

Order the Printed Version

Or you are most welcome to make a 'direct-donation' to the American Heart Association in any amount you choose!!!!

Craftprojectideas.com is contributing $1 for every ebook sold this month!
That means in addition to your $5 donation by purchasing the The Heart eBook, Craftprojectideas.com will donate another $1 on your behalf (up to $500!)! Hop over to the Craftprojectideas.com Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Craftprojectideas) and tell them a BIG THANK YOU for being so generous!


 

Giveaways are going to be happening every day from now until the 14th! There's more than one some days, so be sure to check them all out! These giveaways are from The Heart Project Bloggers who are very generously donating their projects (from The Heart Book!), or something related to their heart project. There are also a couple special giveaways from Melissa & Doug, Fudoo Boards and CraftProjectIdeas.com! Be sure to check back each day to enter that day's giveaways!

 Fundraiser Auctions:

♥  All proceeds of each auction will go to the AHA  ♥

Melissa & Doug -  4 Trunki with Teddy Bear Auctions!

1. Trunki with Teddy Bear, ends Feb 10
2. Trunki with Teddy Bear, ends Feb 10
3. Trunki with Teddy Bear, ends Feb 10
4. Trunki with Teddy Bear, ends Feb 10

Fudoo Boards - 3 Fudoo Board Kits for Auction!

1. Fudoo Board Kit, ends Feb 10
2. Fudoo Board Kit, ends Feb 10
3. Fudoo Board Kit, ends Feb 10

hands on : as we grow	♥	A Little Learning for Two	♥	Among Many Blessings
Angelique Felix	♥	At Home with Ali	♥	Broken Treasures
Busy at Home	♥	Busy Kids Happy Mom	♥	Carrie Saindon's Photo Journey
Child Central Station	♥	Classified: Mom	♥	Classroom Magic
Creative with Kids	♥	Creativity My Passion	♥	Critters and Crayons
De Tout et de Rien	♥	Dilly-Dali Art	♥	Dinosaurs & Octopuses
Excited 2 Learn	♥	Hand Over the Cookies	♥	Handprint & Footprint Art
Happy Hooligans	♥	Heart Journey	♥	Imagination Soup
Jamie's Jumble	♥	Kitchen Counter Chronicles	♥	Kreative Resources
Let Kids Create	♥	Little Illuminationss	♥	Living Montessori Now
Loudness of the Lambs	♥	Love and Lollipops	♥	Mama, hocemo nesto da pravimo
Mama Pea Pod	♥	Mama Smiles	♥	MemeTales
Messy Kids	♥	Mindful Meanderings	♥	Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Mommy Labs	♥	Mommy Perks	♥	Mum Paints Lives
Mummy Mummy Mum	♥	My Creative Family	♥	NurtureStore
One Artsy Mama	♥	Peace Love & Rainbows	♥	Play Dr Mom
Putti Prapancha	♥	Rainbows within Reach	♥	Reading Confetti
Ready. Set. Read!	♥	Red Ted Art	♥	Sense of Wonder
Share & Remember	♥	Stacy Molter	♥	Sun Hats & Wellie Boots
Teach Preschool	♥	The Artful Child	♥	The Chocolate Muffin Tree
The Craft Barn	♥	The Educators' Spin on It	♥	The Golden Gleam
The Imagination Tree	♥	The Iowa Farmer's Wife	♥	The Joy of My Life
The Kids Fun Review	♥	The Outlaw Mom Blog	♥	The Preschool Toolbox
The Seeds Network	♥	Toddler Approved

******That's the list of all the blogs who have contributed a heart or two to the collaboration -- complete with a direct link to their site!!!! Our fun-goal is to see if we can raise $1000 by Valentine's Day with our collaborative efforts. How can you participate? Of course through your direct support, but also by pinning and tweeting and sharing these links with your friends.

I'm so glad that I have been able to come out of my cave and contribute!
 --Debbie --