Craft activities for toddlers don’t need to be complicated or elaborate. I think that most importantly they need to be set up in a way that the child can work independently without “help” from the adult so that they can have a sense of achievement as well as ownership of the work.
This variation on the traditional Montessori gluing activity is a way to keep gluing interesting and inviting for toddlers and a chance for them to make a holiday decoration or gift.
I did this activity for the first time when Henry was almost two and a half. I opted to paint the snowflakes ahead of time but painting could be incorporated in the activity as well.
Materials
- Wooden snowflake ornaments
- White paint
- Sequins
- Small jar of glue
- Glue spreader
- String or cotton for hanging the ornament
- Tray for holding everything on
Preparation
- Paint the snowflakes and attach a string for hanging the ornament.
- Set everything up in a tray.
Method
Show the child how to place a small amount of glue on the snowflake form and then take a single sequin and push it down. Step back and let the child do the rest. Let the child decide how many sequins they want to glue, even if it is just one, and let them decide where they want to put them. When they are done find a place to hang it. For more details on presenting a gluing activity, see this post.