Nearly there...

I have recently purchased a new item to help complete my Nutley story sack. The natural wood acorn and tongs is a Montessori type activity. By using small wooden beads, or you could even use acorns depending on the time of the year it is played with, children are encouraged to use the tongs to pick up the items and place them onto the acorn base. This fine motor skill activity helps to build the small muscles needed in little hands to eventually hold and control a pen/pencil and write. The tongs require a pincer grip to successfully pick up a small item and place it accurately.

As well as fine motor skill activities, such as putting clothes peg around the edge of a plate, it is also very important to create opportunities for children to build their shoulder and arm muscles too. Through larger gross motor movements, like climbing, twirling ribbons, using large paint brushes with water to mark make on outdoor walls and patios, children's upper body muscles are developed which will also support and help control the child's fine motor skills.

The other new item is actually an old jigsaw puzzle that my two daughters had when they were little, they are now 23 and 21. I am a bit of a hoarder and as this was a favourite toy of the girls, it is something that I have had tucked away for some time. I love the colours and the illustrations of the animals.

Once I have found the perfect factual tree book my story sack will be complete. I have really enjoyed pulling it together and hope I will be lucky enough, one day, to read my book and play with the items with my future grand children.

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