Saturday 7 April 2012

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Montessori Activity: Measuring Playdough with Ruler


Idea from Tot School

Age: From 4 years old

Objectives:
1. To familiarize your child to the function and use of a ruler.
2. To teach measuring with ruler.
3. To practise cutting and fine motor skills.

Materials:
1. 1 ruler
2. 1 Table knife
3. 1 playdough
4. 1 tray

Directions:
1. Explain to your child the length of the ruler, that it is 30 cm long.
2. Ask your child to roll out the playdough into a long piece to match the length of the ruler (periodically encourage your child to compare her playdough to the ruler to see if it is as long as the ruler.)
3. When the playdough reach the corret length, line it in-line with the ruler.
4. Demonstrate by cutting the playdough into 2-cm pieces by slowing moving your knife to the 2-cm mark and lower to cut the playdough.
5. Put aside the 2-cm piece and bring the playdough in-line to the left side of the ruler again.
6. Encourage your child to try.

Additional Information:
It is the Easter holidays, and I find my activities running out at a much faster rate. It is at night. Joshua is asleep, and I am now indulging in my hobby to setting up activities for Joshua. Nothing makes me more alive and happy than doing all these! I found this fantastic activity from another Blog mom called Tot School, who found this activity from a book called Montessori at Home by John Bowman. This activity is probably too advanced for Joshua, but my objective is not that he knows what 2 cm is, but that he gets familiarize with the function of a ruler, and have fun exploring it with playdough. I am excited to let Joshua try it tomorrow.

Here is another good book by John Bowman on fun and educational activities:

References:
- http://totschool.shannons.org/?p=4158
- Montessori at Home by John Bowman

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