With the summer fast approaching, it’s time to get in gear for some summer crafting fun! Exercise fine motor skills while weaving mats shaped as your favorite undersea creatures!
The Sealife Weaving Mats pack provides a great start for children who are honing their fine motor skills. There are 4 different shapes–a dolphin, fish, seahorse and shell–for your students to choose from. The colorful and heavy card paper is great for weaving as it holds its shape while students experiment with the over-and-under method of passing strips through the slots.
You can tape the paper strips down to prevent them from sliding as you weave them across the slots. The paper strips are cut into wave-like formations to add to the design of your woven shape.
Remember to alternate the start of the weaving so that the strips are started either one slot over or behind each row. This will ensure that you get that neat brick-like pattern as the weaving continues.
Once your students have finished creating their woven design, they can hang the finished pieces up on a display wall or take home. To extend the weaving activities even further, try out some of the tutorials below:
• Make weaving strips from Color Diffusing Paper! This special paper allows watercolors to blend together to make new interesting color designs. Wait until the paper dries, then cut it up into strips and use it to make your own colorful painted weaving mat!
• Turn a woven placemat into a windsock with this activity! Details here!
• This activity is for more advanced weaving, but is a great exercise nonetheless! Use beads and string to turn an ordinary paper plate into an extraordinary piece of art.
• Once your students get really good at weaving, make some functional items including this basket! Students can use the baskets for storing or organizing important tools such as pens, pencils, erasers, rulers and calculators inside their desks.
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