For a few weeks I've noticed a child trying to imitate tracing and writing clear letters. Watching, I was reminded of the Montessori Metal Insets. The metal insets are recommended for children ages 4-6 as they help children with the formation of letters. The metal inset guides the child's pencil and helps him/her gain the control required to write letters correctly and neatly. A child also works on hand-eye coordination and correct pencil grip while using the insets.
As each child is different, all children will not have beautiful letters at the same stage. This takes practice and readiness. If a child is not ready (i..e the fine motor skills are not yet fully developed), then we must be patient until the child is ready. We observe, and when we see that readiness appear, we present opportunities for the child to practice and master a particular skill insha'Allaah.
While observing the child I mentioned in the beginning of this post, I wondered if I could make metal insets out of cardboard because the child is not ready for writing (age wise) but is showing a clear interest in tracing and writing letters. It was an experiment - to see if I could make them - and here is the result:
I also made a strip to help the child draw straight lines (vertical or horizontal) and even though my cutting was a bit off..hehe..the lines still come out straight alhamduillaah!
This video shows what the metal insets look like
These were fun to make and are not meant to replace the metal insets but they are very sturdy, they gave the child the practice they showed interest in with tracing, and they had fun and really liked them alhamdulilaah.
Enjoy insha'Allaah!
Check back later today to see who won the last Learning Roots giveaway!
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