A Little Old School Noodling...

So tomorrow I am rostered to bring the craft to our Tuesday playgroup. I was assigned to dye noodles and cut straws into segments for the purpose of making necklaces. Yes, it is a very traditional craft. How many parents have not had some sort of noodle artwork hung on their refrigerator or around their neck? It may be a little bit old school but this activity is great for fine motor development.

Using the pincer grasp is a very important milestone for young children. First attempts for infants generally occur while they are feeding; picking up a small cheerio or sultana. As infants grow and become toddlers they master picking up small items using just two fingers: the pointer and thumb. Once this is mastered, children can better use their fine motor skills to assist them with mastering hand-eye coordination. It is one thing to pick up a piece of string and a noodle or bead, it is another thing to be able to thread that noodle on the string. A major accomplishment for a young child! So nooodle art isn't just, "the same old noodle art!" It is something really amaing for a child to do. Of course, you can be more creative than noodles as we like to be in our house. You can thread card board tubes with strings, PVC piping with rope; the opportunities are endless. Just use your noodle and think up some creative ways for your child to do some manipulative work.

As I was prepping the craft for tomorrow, Lachlan decided he would like to make a necklace. I let him go ahead and make one because he rarely does the craft a playgroup. As soon as we arrive he chugs his little caboose straight to the train track set with no intention of making a stop at the craft station.

Lachlan threaded a noodle or piece of straw onto the string and after each one he excitedly said, "I did it! I did it!" I suppose after all these years noodles haven't lost their magic!

When the necklace was created to his liking, Lachlan switched gears. He grabbed his yellow hummer and began sticking straw pieces inside of it. I asked what he was doing and he replied, " Now it a passanger car, mommy!" and so it was and he vroom-vroomed it all around the living room. Just another example of how a child's imagination can turn into anything and take you anywhere!