Presentation
Recommended Age: 4 years and onwards
Purpose: Mastery of the hand in using and controlling a writing instrument (both in keeping within limits and lightness of touch) and refinement of the writing hand. Through work with the Metal Insets the child develops a sense of geometric design and stimulates their artistic sense.
Level of Parent Involvement: Low, this presentation requires the adult to model how to fill in the shapes from the metal inset book with wide lines, then the child works independently
Prerequisites
- The child must be able to hold and manipulate a pencil
Materials
- Metal inset book (see resource pack)
- Coloured pencils
- Pencil sharpener
Preparation
- None
Steps
- Invite the child to the activity letting them know that you have a metal inset book to show them
- The child may get their coloured pencils and a sharpener
- Bring the book to the child table, invite the child to sit down, sit to the right of the child if your right hand is dominant
- Take the book and choose a shape
- Choose a pencil, picking it up and demonstrating correct pencil grip
- Starting from the left side fill in the shape using one continuous vertical set of lines, curving the line at the top and bottom of the shape to go up and down as required until the entire shape is filled in (see video)
- Invite the child to choose a shape and fill in with wide lines in the same way
Variations
- The child fills in their shape with narrow lines, let the child know “I am going to see how close together I can make my lines”, show the child how to fill in the shape as above leaving as little space as possible between the lines
