Folding

For ages: 2, 3, 4

Skills: hand-eye coordination, fine motor control, concentration, order, independence

Materials:

One basket containing five square pieces of cloth, each about 5 or 6 inches.

Each cloth has the following stitching:

1. One line down the middle

2. Two intersecting lines

3. One diagonal line

4. Two diagonal intersecting lines

5. Without stitching

Presentation:

1. Invite the child to fold.

2. Grasp the basket with two hands and carry it to a table.

3. Place the basket in the upper left corner of the table.

4. Gently grasp the top cloth (cloth 1 listed above) and place in the middle of the table. Smooth material.

   

5. Trace the fold line by running index and middle finger of dominant hand from left to right along the stitch.

6. With index finger and thumb of both hands, grasp the bottom corners of the cloth and fold in upward direction.

7. Smooth by using tracing fingers along fold.

8. Place the folded cloth in the upper right corner of the table.

9. Obtain second piece of fabric and place it in front of you. Smooth fabric.

10. Look at fabric. Trace stitch with fingers from left to right.

11. Grasp bottom corners with two finger grasp and slowly bring to top. Match upper corners.

12. Smooth using tracing fingers along fold.

13. Turn material 90 degrees counterclockwise. Trace stitch from left to right.

14. Grasp bottom corners and bring slowly up to match top corners. Smooth using tracing fingers along fold.

15. Place folded material on top of first fabric in upper right corner of the table.

16. Obtain next piece of fabric (with 1 diagonal line) and place it in front of you. Smooth fabric.

17. Trace the fold line by running index and middle finger of dominant hand beginning at top left corner and ending at bottom right corner.

18. Grasp bottom left corner and slowly bring to top right corner making sure the corners match. Smooth along fold.

19. Place folded cloth on top of the other folded cloths.

20. Obtain next piece of fabric (with 2 diagonal lines) and place it in front of you. Smooth fabric.

    

21. Trace the fold line by running index and middle finger of dominant hand beginning at top left corner and ending at bottom right corner.

22. Grasp bottom left corner and slowly bring to top right corner making sure the corners match. Smooth along fold.

23. Place folded cloth on top of the other folded cloths.

Points of Interest:

Appearance of the material, color and texture of the cloth, sight of contrasting stitches, sight of cloth changing shapes from squares to rectangles and/or triangles while folding, using stitches as guidelines, fifth piece of cloth to be experimental for the child, and becoming aware of capabilities.

Control of Error:

• Seeing unevenness of stitch and or fold, unevenness of corners, wrinkles or ripples in the cloth, stitch and fold do not correspond, stitching lines guide the types of folds, and stitching is a contrasting color to the fabric.

Language:

• stitch, fold, trace, color names of cloth and stitch, square, rectangle, triangle

Variations:

Different colored cloths, different folding lines on cloths, cloths in different sizes or shapes.

Extensions:

Fold towels, napkins, mats, blankets, and other rectangular or square articles, fold an apron, fold articles of clothing in different shapes, fold clothes and pack a suitcase, fold napkins in interesting shapes (flower, fish, star, turkey, Christmas tree, etc.), and Origami.

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