Peel Your Own Bananas!

These Peel Your Own Bananas are a favorite snack of ours.  They are simple, healthy and a great way to integrate a fine motor skill activity into our daily routine.  For more fun ideas for fine motor skill activities check out:http://www.loveplayandlearn.com/2012/09/the-ultimate-list-of-fine-motor-skills-activities-for-children.html

Instructions


Slice just through the skin along the length of the banana.







Slice bananas into rounds.

Butter Your Own Bread
We have also been having the kids butter their own bread... after a few months they're actually getting the butter on the bread rather than eating it right off the butter knife!  Be sure to have the butter at room temperature to help the process.

Watercolors
Painting with watercolors inspires a gentle approach in art class and helps develop creative thinking, reinforcing their ability to engage with the world in new and novel ways.  Watercolor painting involves using a small brush which supports pincer grasp development... this aids in their long-term ability to write, manipulate tools and perform other small movement based tasks essential to every day life.

Tonging and Pouring
The kids use tongs to serve their tomato salad at lunch and practice pouring skills with cornmeal. 

Such a sweet friend!

Need to keep your little one busy while you're cooking in the kitchen?  Have them transfer cornmeal from pitcher to pitcher or play with an old eggbeater in water with a drop of soap.

After all that fine motor activity, it's important to get the kids working on their gross motor skills too!