Welcome back to Jackson Jade's Discovery Center! We hope you're enjoying our Summer Fun activities. This week, we're excited to share three engaging and fun with food activities that not only bring joy but also help children develop and enrich their skills in Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Sensory Processing, and Executive Functioning. Let's dive into our featured activities: Cheese Flowers with Veggies and Dip, Watermelon Paper Plates, and Kiwi Frogs. And check out the end of the post for resource links to items we used in creating these activities!
1. Cheese Flowers with Veggies and Dip Transform snack time into an artistic adventure! Kids will love turning ordinary cheese slices and veggies into vibrant flower creations. It's a fantastic way to make healthy eating fun and visually appealing.
Fine Motor Skills: Creating cheese flowers involves precise movements such as cutting, arranging, and handling small objects. These actions enhance:
Hand-eye coordination
Hand strength
Dexterity
Bilateral coordination
Life Skills: This activity fosters several important life skills:
Communication and Cooperation: Working together and discussing the activity.
Expanding Palate: Trying new foods and flavors.
Confidence: Achieving a creative result.
Reading and Comprehension: Following a recipe or instructions.
Sensory Skills: Handling different textures and experiencing various tastes stimulates sensory skills:
Tactile: Feeling different textures (smooth cheese, crunchy veggies).
Oral: Tasting the ingredients.
Executive Functioning: Following steps to create cheese flowers requires:
Planning: Organizing materials and steps.
Time Management: Completing the activity within a timeframe.
Organization: Keeping the workspace tidy and materials in order.
Get creative with crafting! Kids will enjoy painting and decorating their very own watermelon slices using paper plates. This colorful activity is perfect for sparking imagination and artistic expression.
Fine Motor Skills: Crafting watermelon paper plates involves:
Cutting and Coloring: These activities improve hand strength, dexterity, and precision.
Executive Function: This craft project involves:
Following and Sequencing Directions: Understanding and following a sequence of steps.
Oral Motor Skills: Speaking about the project, explaining steps, and discussing the outcome.
Snack time has never been this fun! Kids can turn kiwi slices into adorable frog shapes. It's a playful and healthy treat that combines creativity with delicious flavors.
Fine Motor Skills: Creating kiwi frogs requires:
Cutting, Peeling, and Taping: These actions improve hand strength, hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and precision.
Executive Function: Making kiwi frogs involves:
Following and Sequencing Directions: Planning the steps from preparation to assembly.
Reasoning and Organizing: Solving problems and organizing the workspace.
Oral Motor Skills: Talking through the process and describing the steps.
Visual Perception: Recognizing shapes and arranging pieces accurately.
Sensory Skills: Handling and tasting the varied textures of the kiwi and other fruits enhances:
Tactile: Feeling the different textures of the fruits.
Conclusion
These engaging activities not only provide hours of fun but also help children develop essential skills across fine motor, gross motor, sensory processing, and executive functioning domains. We hope you and your little ones enjoy making Cheese Flowers, crafting Watermelon Paper Plates, and creating Kiwi Frogs. Stay tuned for more summer fun ideas next week at Jackson Jade's Discovery Center Blog!
Resource Links: Cheese cutters Paper Plates Veggie Cutter
Finger Paint
Σχόλια