Thursday, 28 April 2016

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Montessori Activity: Homemade Fabric Box



Age: From 2 years old

Objective(s): To refine the child's sense of touch through matching fabrics according to the texture by feeling with the child's fingers.

Materials:

1. The Fabric Box contains different pairs of fabric such as:
  • Cotton
  • Wool
  • Jute
  • Silk
  • Linen
  • Velvet
  • Satin
  • Leather
  • Rayon
  • Demin
2. 1 blindfold (optional)
3. 1 mat

Presentation:

1. Mix the pile of fabric randomly.
2. Take the 1st piece of fabric from the top of the pile.
3. Feel it with your hands.
4. Take the next piece of fabric from the pile and compare if they are the same through touch.
5. If they are not the same, i.e. they don't match, put the 2nd fabric aside to the right of the pile.
6. Continue to compare one fabric at a time until a match is found.
7. Place the matched pair on the top left corner of the mat.
8. Continue matching in the same manner until all pairs are found.
9. After your child has gained sufficient experience, use the 3-Period Lesson to teach the name of each fabric.
10. To increase the challenge, use a blindfold for your child to rely solely on his touch to match the pair, instead of sight (optional)

Video Demonstration:


Here is a video demonstrating the above presentation:




This video shows another way for the child to work with this material:



Additional Information:

I did not introduce this to J, when he was a toddler. It was too much work, and I am not good at making things. But I would like to do this activity with Baby.

I am currently on maternity leave, waiting for the baby to arrive. As such, I have attempted to make my own Fabric Box. I cut out the pieces from unwanted clothes, scarves, towel, etc. I re-used a wooden box, which came with chocolate, to store the fabric.

It has taken me the whole night yesterday to make this. I am glad I have completed it.

References:

http://www.infomontessori.com/sensorial/tactile-sense-fabrics.htm
http://www.montessorialbum.com/montessori/index.php?title=Fabrics
http://teachingfromatacklebox.blogspot.dk/2013/08/montessori-fabric-matching-part-1.html

Pictorial Demonstration:


Mix the pile of fabric randomly.


Take the first piece of fabric from the top of the pile. Feel it with your hands.


Take the next piece of fabric from the pile.


Touch and


compare if they are the same through touch.


If they are not the same, i.e. they don't match, set the second fabric aside to the right of the pile.
Take the 3rd piece of fabric from the top of the pile.


Feel it with your hands.


Compare if they are the same through touch.


If they are not the same, i.e. they don't match, put the end piece of fabric aside to the right of the pile.


Take the 4th piece of fabric from the top of the pile.


Feel it with your hands.


compare if they are the same through touch.


If they are the same, place the matched pair on the top left corner of the mat.


Continue matching in the same manner until all pairs are found.


Return the fabric back to its box after use.

After your child has gained sufficient experience, use the 3-Period Lesson to teach the name of each fabric.

You can also make this activity more challenging by using a blindfold for your child to rely solely on his touch to match the pair.

How to Make This Materials:

Our Montessori Fabric Box is homemade:


They are made from the materials from old clothes, scarves, cloth bags and towels.


I use the Montessori metal inset as a template for the size. 


Each fabric piece is 10 x 10 cm. 


I use an old chocolate wooden box to store the fabric.


Place the fabric box in a tray, ready for the child to bring to the table or mat:-)


This is how it looks like inside :-)


Our fabrics consist of:
1st column: Spandex, towel, net and felt (focus on providing a clear difference in texture)
2nd column: Satin, cotton, polyester, linen (focus on providing the increasing degree of coarseness)
3rd column: Silk, Thai silk, another kind of silk & bath cloth
Last column: Demin

I did not have velvet at home, thus velvet hasn't been included.

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