Day 6 ~ Christmas Catalogue Cutting
This time of year means one thing for your mailbox, JUNK MAIL! Our house has been over run by Christmas Catalogues so its time to put them to good use! This activity will require a very important skill, cutting!!!! We start supervised scissor practice as young as two in our house and usually start by cutting play dough with blunt scissors. Now that little Miss A is 2 and a half I let her cut paper with safety scissors, always under my supervision! Cutting is a vital fine motor skill and builds strength and control in those little fingers and hands. So don’t be afraid to get out the scissors and get cutting!!!
“With a cut here and a snip there
I am using my scissors with lots of care
What would I like for Christmas this year
There is so much to choose, just look in here!”
Source: asmallsnippet.blogspot.com via PracTips on Pinterest
The Elf is amongst a pile of cut up junk mail!
With a pair of scissors close by and a whole lot of cut up mess!
- Collect some junk mail and catalogues
- You will need scissors, glue and paper or the PRINTABLES provided below.
This activity can involve many different subject areas as a focus and is suitable for children of all ages.
Preachoolers and Toddlers: The focus of the activity will be to strengthen their cutting skills. But you could also.
- Sort items by colour.
- Sort items by age. Toys you had as a baby, toys you play with now, toys you will play with when you are older? (See the Printable below)
- Draw around your child’s hands. Fill the outlines with pictures of things they would like for Christmas.
Maths – Children sort items according to their dollar value. Choose 3 items and place them on a line in order of cheapest to most expensive. (Printable)
History – Children sequence items according to the age you would need to be to use them. (Printable)
Science – Children sort items according to the way in which they move. Items with wheels, items with batteries, items you push and items you pull are all sorted together.
English – Working in a small group can the children find an object for every letter of the alphabet?
- All of these activities have one thing in common. They are a great way of starting conversations about sorting. SOrting is one of the first maths and science skills a child needs to grasp. Later in life, these skills will be sued to classify information, learn division and multiplication, fractions and even ALGEBRA!
- These activities will also prompt many discussions about MONEY!
- What are the symbols we use to represent money?
- Talk about comparing prices between catalogues. Use words like cheaper, more expensive, less expensive, cost more, cost less, dollars and cents.
- What coins and or notes would you need to pay for these items?
Depending on how you complete this activity it can have links to the Maths, Science and History curriculum.
HISTORY – Historical Skills – Chronology, terms and concepts
Foundation: 1.Sequence familiar objects and events (ACHHS015) 2.Distinguish between the past, present and future (ACHHS016)
Year 1: 1. Sequence familiar objects and events (ACHHS031) 2. Distinguish between the past, present and future (ACHHS032)
Year 2: 1. Sequence familiar objects and events (ACHHS047)2. Distinguish between the past, present and future (ACHHS048)
MATHS: Number and Algebra: Money and Financial Mathematics
Year 1: Recognise, describe and order Australian coins according to their value (ACMNA017)