Threading beads onto feathers is such a wonderful way to get your toddler or preschooler building their fine motor skills. The bright beads and pretty feathers are bound to get their attention.
Older children can learn from this threading activity too. In fact children will build their skills as they grow!
Threading beads onto feathers can build:
- Fine motor skills
- Pattern recognition
- Color recognition
- Basic math skills
- Nature appreciation
The feather and bead threading set up
This activity is so simple to set up, all you need is feathers and beads.
Pick beautiful bright beads and pretty feathers too. Do make sure the beads you choose are big enough to thread on the shaft of the feather.
We already had beads and used a few of the feathers we had collected and stored in our nature craft play space.
Place the beads and feathers on the table so that your child can see all the materials available to them. If they are little, model the activity first. If they’re older, you could leave a feather with a few beads on it. They’ll soon get the idea.
Threading for fine motor skills
The bare basics of this activity help to build those important fine motor skills. Kids love to gently thread beads onto the feather with their fingertips. What you should really love about this activity, though, is that it slows the world down.
Children are being brought up in a high-tech, fast world. There are always things to see and do, Â places to go. Children need moments that let them focus on only one thing.
This activity does just that. It’s relaxing and is perfect for much-needed quiet time after a busy day.
When you’ve finished threading beads onto feathers try threading beads on sticks too.
Thread beads onto feathers for color recognition
Once they’ve had a peaceful time threading beads on to the feathers, see if they can recognize the colors they’re threading. Practice makes perfect and the repetition within this activity will help cement their knowledge in a fun hands-on way.
Feather threading to learn patterns
Is your child ready to move to the next level? Now it’s time to learn patterns..
Start teaching your child AB patterns and then move onto ABC patterns. They will love picking their colors and making patterns on their feathers. The feathers end up looking lovely too!
Threading beads onto feathers to build math skills
If your children have competent fine motor skills, recognize colors and patterns, the next skill to master is basic math. Grab a ruler and ask your child to place beads at different measurements apart. Try 2cm, 1 inch and 5cm apart!
Don’t we all love simple activities like treading beads onto feathers that can be used over and over again, in many different ways. Kids will love learning and growing up with feather and bead play.
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