Festive Fine Motor Skill Fun: Paper Chains!



It's that time of year! A recycling box full of unwanted catalogues and children wanting Christmas craft ideas.


Once I've flicked through them, if I even get time for that, I pop them straight into the recycling bin, making a mental note to remove myself from the umpteen mailing lists. 

That is, until last week when Natty was off school due a sudden bout of bed and pyjama-covering vomiting. Clearly not able to go to school but jolly and chirpy in herself, we decided to settling down to a spot of Mummy and daughter making and doing.

The plush paper booklets, fliers and leaflets lay on the kitchen table as we ate our breakfast, promising ever more original gifts for the neighbour, teacher, pet dog... 

AHA! I thought. They were all in festive colours, silvers and greys with touches of red and green splurged on them. They would make perfect Christmas decorations: paper chain material! 

In the past I have bought costly paper chain making kits, the sort where your child ingests copious amounts of glue, licking the ends to stick them together. They look lovely but... we would have a go at making our own, for a fraction of the cost.

You will need:
unwanted Christmas catalogues
scissors or a guillotine
stapler 



I cut the paper into roughly similar widths and lengths then Natty began looping the strips through each other and holding them in place while I stapled them together. I was struck by how fiddly this was and what a super little exercise for developing her fine motor skills. Her Occupational Therapist would have been proud!


She even demanded to do it all by herself. The stapler was a little stiff for her small hands but with a bit of help she got the hang of it. 





The results were better than I could have imagined, we made meters of the cheap decorations over a few days. And more importantly Natty learnt a new life skill and she was kept occupied while getting over her tummy bug.





Happy Christmas artsy crafty creating!


Check out our Christmas Pinterest Ideas here. 

You might also like to read Painting a Triceratops: Fine Motor Skills Development here. Or try Christmas pretzel biscuits here.


8 comments:

  1. Such a great idea! I loved making these as a child!

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    1. Yes, they are nostalgic aren't they. And all for the price of a few staples... :)

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  2. They're brilliant Hayley. I love the concentration on Nats face too. Occupational therapy and fun? That's impressive!

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    1. I looked again, and yes she is so engrossed isn't she. Lovely when something so simple can bring such joy. Thank you for popping by x

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  3. Now that is a very good idea. Must try that with my tribe! She was concentrating so beautifully and it must be a lovely sense of achievement for her, especially when she sees them hanging up to decorate for Christmas!

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  4. A lovely activity, and she is concentrating so hard! She must be so proud of her creations :) #SSAmazingAchievements

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  5. Aw lovely, well done Natty! Christmas is fab for developmental fun, all that making and doing, and sensory paradise of sights, sounds, smells and tastes. I'm finding it much easier to find appropriate activities for Lawrence all of a sudden. It should be Christmas all year round xx

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  6. I have never thought of using the books before, last year I brought the Christmas paper! I love the photos, she really wanted to get the hang of that stapler. Well done Natty on learning a new skill.

    Thanks for linking up with Small Steps Amazing Achievements :0)
    x

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