I am always on the hunt for fun ways to add a little bit of learning to my daily activities with my kids. With winter still holding strong for at least another month or so it is important to find things, we can do inside.
This clothespin letter match activity is perfect for a cold winter day when you are looking for an activity with very little supplies and easy set up.
The best thing about this activity is it is using supplies you probably already have laying around the house! All you need is clothespins, a paper plate, and a marker.
It is also perfect for toddlers all the way up to preschoolers and is a perfect activity to not only stave away the melancholy of winter but to also help to strengthen hand and finger muscles for your toddler and/or preschooler.
This activity also incorporates several cognitive and language skills as well- making it the perfect choice for anyone looking for fun and educational activities to complete with their kids.
Items You Will Need:
- Clothespins
- Paper Plate
- Markers
What To Do:
This activity is so simple to set up and complete! All you need to do is write the uppercase letters A-Z on a paper plate and the corresponding lowercase letters a-z on the clothespins. Alternatively you could write the lowercase letters on the plate , and the uppercase letters on the clothespins.
For the youngest of toddlers you may wish to write the same case (either lower or upper) on both the clothespins and the plate. Making it a bit more age appropriate to complete.
Once you have the activity set up you can hand your toddler or preschooler the plate and lay the clothespins out. Encourage your child to squeeze the clothespin and connect to the matching letter on the plate.
Skills This Activity Addresses:
Our kids are learning every single day, by exploring and observing the world around them. At this age toddlers and preschoolers learn primarily through play. Play is the best way to help your kids develop the skills and concepts they will need as they grow.
Children can learn to problem solve, identify colors, shapes, letters, and numbers, measure, count and more – just from everyday playing activities.
In this clothespin letter match activity your toddler or preschooler will have the opportunity to practice and strengthen the following skills:
- Language – Letter identification is an important part of language skills. Your little one will be learning to identify and discern letters as they match the letters on the clothespin and paper plate. You may also choose to name words that start with the letter as you go along which will introduce new words into your little one’s vocabulary.
- Cognitive– Matching the letters, and problem solving will work your toddler/preschooler’s cognitive ability.
- Fine motor- As your child squeezes the clothespin and connects it to the paper plate they are developing and strengthening their fine motor skills.
How To Incorporate Language
Your child will no doubt pick up language skills during this activity as they are learning to recognize, match, and discern letters. However you can add even more language skills by doing one or more of the following:
- Point to a letter and ask, “what letter is this?”
- Ask your child, “What color is this letter?”
- Give your child the opportunity to tell you what sound the letter makes.
- Point to a letter and ask, “what word starts with this letter?”
- Describe the activity to your child while completing. Use words such as open, close, on, and off.
How to Incorporate Cognitive Skills
Give your child the chance to problem-solve. If your little one is trying to learn how to clip the clothespin onto the plate, resist the urge to show them the “right way” immediately. Give your child a chance to problem solve and figure it out on their own. The ability to adapt and problem solve will help your child in all developmental areas in life.
How to Incorporate Fine Motor Skills
Giving your child a chance to work on, develop, and strengthen fine motor skills will assist your child as they learn to complete more complex tasks such as writing. You can use this activity to strengthen fine motor skills easily.
- Give your child the clothespin and ask them to open/shut.
- Let your child clip the clothespins onto the plate without help if possible.
- Encourage your child to transfer the clothespin from one hand to another.
Your child will have an amazing time completing this clothespin letter match activity, and if you are looking for even more letter matching activities be sure to check out the following:
Printable Winter Letter Matching
Have you tried this activity with your toddler or preschooler yet? How did they like it?
