Copy & Paste: Rockin' It Preschool

My mom has answered my prayers by beginning to homeschool my preschooler, Simon. Of course, Rachel is always present too, so she joins in on some of the more simple work. This afternoon, Simon's 'homework' was to practice cutting to hone more fine motor skills. Initially I was going to print some pages from some of the homeschool websites I've found. Alas, my desktop computer, attached to the printer, is non-functional. So I had to rock it old school. After browsing some homeschool websites earlier this afternoon, I had a few ideas to help with fine motor skills in addition to the 'assigned' work. So, out came the construction paper and markers. 

First, I just cut the construction paper pages in half to make them easier to handle for little hands. Then, I started drawing various shapes. Once I got a few pages drawn, I handed the kids child-safety scissors to let them start cutting on their own. My plan, initially, was for Simon to cut out the shapes, but let's just say his cutting skills aren't very good yet -- at least not for me. So I helped him hold his hands properly and learn to cut long lines instead of short choppy strokes.

Second, I began thinking of what sorts of shapes I needed to create the kids favorite things: tractors and horses. For the tractors, I chose green and yellow as a reflection of Simon's favorite brand. For the horse, I chose purple because that is Rachel's favorite color. I simplified the overall shapes of the favorite things, but still let them be recognizable. I cut the requisite shapes out of the appropriate color. 

Third, I took a fresh sheet of paper, or even paper that had scribbles on it, to be the base for our creations. I outlined the component shapes on the paper in the appropriate arrangement. For Simon's first attempt, I also numbered each outlined shape so he knew the order of application. I helped him with the gluing at first, but gradually faded out of the equation. Rachel's attempts did require a more hand-on approach. 

Fourth, I asked Simon to add either backgrounds or faces to his creation. However, he enjoyed the project so much that he insisted on creating two extra pieces. The beauty of this activity is that the kids didn't know they were learning skills like cutting, gluing, puzzle skills, creative art-work, imagination, following directions, and cooperative play. Here are the finished products.