MINI MONDAY: DAD’S DOTTED TIE

Father’s Day may have passed, but there’s always time to show Dad how great he is! Give your dad a special gift with this stunning dot-painted tie – where each dot represents a reason why he’s so great!

Materials

• Cardstock
• Paint
• Q-tips
• Yarn
• Scissors
• Tape
• Pencil

Directions:

• Choose a piece of cardstock and trace a tie
• Use the scissors to cut out your tie
• Use the scissors to cut a piece of yarn. You want this to be long enough that it could comfortably be tied around someone’s neck. Use the tape to attach this to the back of your tie, near the top
  • Note: Depending on the age of your child, these first three steps could be prepared in advance, or you could invite them to complete them independently or with your help!
• Pour different colours of paint on a plate. Dip a q-tip into a colour of paint and use it to create dots on the tie
  • If your child is younger or finds grasping the q-tip difficult, you can encourage them to create dots with their finger instead!
• As your child paints each dot on the tie, encourage them to think about one reason why they love their dad! This could be something they like doing together, something they learned from their dad, a fun memory, something their dad is really good at, etc. As they decorate, write a list to help them remember
• Continue decorating your tie until it’s complete! Once it’s done, leave it to dry
• Once the paint is dry, give the tie to your dad to wear! Be sure to share all the reasons why he’s so special!

Keep the fun and learning going! Can you…

• Use the dots to create an image on the tie?
• Use different colours of paint to create a pattern on the tie?
• Count how many dots you have on your tie?

ESSENTIAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills are developed when children learn to use their smaller muscles, like the ones in their hands, fingers, and wrists. Fine motor skills are used for everything from picking up a utensil to eat, buttoning clothing, and holding a pencil when learning to write. This craft helps to support the development of fine motor skills by inviting children to use their smaller muscles to grasp the q-tip as they decorate their tie!

Interacting with Others
Strong positive relationships and positive interactions between children and adults are required for successful learning for young children. These relationships help your child build confidence and resilience, as well as learn how to communicate, show emotions, and develop social skills. This week’s craft helps your child to think about different traits and experiences that help build positive relationships!

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