I found these alphabet sponges at Dollarama with the intention of using them for painting but we didn't have time for that today so I had to think of something with less prep and clean up. Using tongs is a great way for kids to practice some fine motor skills.
Supplies: alphabet sponges, tongs, bucket
I didn't give Monkey any instructions and I was curious about what he would do. Well first he told me that the tongs I gave him were "too hard" and he went and put them away in the kitchen. Then he got the play tongs he has from his toy barbecue because "these are squishy Mommy". Then he started picking up the letters with one hand and putting them into the tongs and squishing them until they were as small as he could get them. I encouraged him to use only the tongs to pick up the letters but he kept going back to using his hands, so we'll have to keep practicing with them!
Eventually Monkey started picking up the letters and saying their name and sound. I tried to play a little game with him... Can you find the __? ...but it was tricky! The letters were not all sitting the right way that he would recognize in the bucket - some we're on their sides, or upside down and backwards - and this definitely confused him. Regardless, he liked this activity and when I thought he was done with it and I was tidying up he asked me to leave it out and played again.
Mar
The simplest things often make the best toys!
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