Dots...dots…everywhere…
Materials: YouTube, Q-tips, paper and multiple colours of paint.
Main Learning Outcomes: Developing fine motor skills, creativity and early literacy.
Steps:
(1) First, sit together with your child to read the story, “The Dot”, by Peter H. Reynolds. If you don’t have the book at home, you can listen to it by following this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Clpw7PG7m1Q
(2) For this activity place small amounts of several colours of paint into small containers. Cut the Q-tips in half, one for each colour. Now your child can dip the Q-tip into the paint and create a design using only dots on their paper.
Tips: This is an activity for all ages. Toddlers may just try to paint with the Q-tips rather than making dots, but they are gaining good fine motor control. Notice that by cutting the Q-tips in half, the children naturally use (and practice) their pincer grasp to control the Q-tip!