In October and November Singakwenza ran two workshops for our Educare students. Common recyclable materials were used to make simple toys and equipment for gross motor and fine motor development in pre-school children.
Understanding the physical development of children between the ages of 3 and 6 years is one of the essential pillars of the Siphakeme Educare course. Pre-school teachers must know how a child develops physically and what is expected of a child by the time he/she enter Grade 1. Playing games is essential for this development and is a source of great joy and fun for the children.
Gross motor development
This is developing abilities to control the large muscles used for walking, running, jumping and other skills. In the workshop:
Balls were made using bread and grocery bags – large ones for playing soccer and small ones for skittles and for learning to throw and catch.
A simple set of skittles were plastic bottles.
Ball catchers made from 2 litre milk bottles.
Ring tossing or hoopla sticks made from 1 litre yoghurt containers and the inner roll from paper kitchen towelling; the yoghurt lids cut to make the hoops.
A skipping rope made from plaiting together bread bags.
Egg boxes and other empty containers became trains, buildings, roadways, schools and homes etc
Preparing to work
Hoopla
A skipping rope from bread bags
Egg box train
Fine Motor Development Workshop
Fine motor movements involve the coordination of small muscles in the hands and fingers. Strong fine motor skills are essential to complete tasks such as writing, cutting, using a fork or spoon, threading beads, moving puzzle pieces, doing up zips and buttons, and tying shoe laces. Development of these muscles starts in early childhood and it is very important for pre-school teachers to understand this development and how they can help the children in their class to develop the necessary skills for learning in Grade 1
Dropping a match down a straw
Caterpillar on a pull along rope
Balls made from bread bags
Thank you Singakwenza for showing the students how to use waste materials to make toys and teaching aids for the classroom. We look forward to you joining us again next year for these workshops and adding one on numeracy. (See www.singakwenza.org.za)