Hello everyone,
Hope you're doing well! 💙
I have to admit that in the last few months (meaning 2022 year) I have been very busy, disoriented, disorganized and our homeschooling time hasn't been exactly what it should have been.
And learning time with my 3 yrs old was little and I only could focus on preparing ahead some activities to do and play time that included some skills to develop.
Still, we did had our learning time. Day by day life gives us plenty of moments to teach our children different things, from math and science, nature and environment to social skills and emotional growth. And sometimes I felt that this is enough, if I dont have energy to do it other way!
Today's activity is one of those I mentioned above. It requires almost no time to set up (if you have already colored pasta) but still, your kid can have a great time with it.
Fine Motor Skills, Color Recognition, Patience development, Creativity and Logical Thinking are just a few of the Learning Benefits children can get with this activity..
Threading is the 'base' here, with this activity.
In a few words, threading is a great activity to help children develop fine motor skills essential for being able to draw, write, do up buttons, tie shoelaces, open lunch boxes and more. Threading also helps to develop eye-hand coordination and concentration skills.Children learn mathematical concepts such as counting and sequencing. Children learn language skills as they name colours. [source here]
The thing is: You need to color some pasta. BUT if you really can't do it, you can also use regular uncolored pasta.
Feel free to use whatever type of pasta you have at home that maybe can replace these penne pasta.
How did we make these Penne Pasta to be so colorful and vivid? It's very easy, please read this post DIY Rainbow Pasta for Sensory Play and more. You need food coloring and some winegar.
 |  |  |
|---|
But the simplest way to color some pasta quikcly, just for this activity, is to use CARIOCA. They work perfectly for coloring pasta.
So, to make these little rainbow arcades, you need PLAYDOUGH, PLUSH WIRE (craft plush iron wire) and COLORED PASTA.
Threading Activity. Little rainbow
I explained my little one what he has to do. It was his choice to assemble these little rainbows. He could have chosen to put the pasta by color (as he actually did) or combine them and have more rainbows with colored pasta on each.
He also needed to form the playdough balls.
Then the real struggle began! haha It wasnt hard to put the pasta through that plush wire but still, for a 3 yrs old isnt as easy as it is for us. It requires some patience, dexterity, concentration and determination.
Now those fine motor skills are really at work!
He was frustrated at times for not being able to put pastas in their place. They would either fall apart or he would dropped the wire and all the work was for nothing and then he had to start again. And so on.
 |  |  |
|---|
But in the end, it was all worthed! He was so proud of his work!
 |  |  |
|---|
 |  |  |
|---|
In the end, after we were done with the rainbows, he asked for some numbers! Here's what came up next. I gave him some straws and his playdough number shapes.
With this acitivty you can also work on children's language skills. You can come up with some new termn or practice another language. You can try some math by counting, multiply or substract the pasta peaces, In general, when using this kind of toys, you can do whatever you can think of. Open toys, thats how they're called.
If you want, check out our old post here, it is similar with this one.
Pasta Threading Activity for Toddlers .
Thank you for reading, hope this is useful for you!
Love, missdeli 💛
