FM.E.70 FOLDS PAPER IMITATIVELY

In this activity, the child must use both hands together in a complex series of actions, in order to achieve the desired result.

How to Assess

Materials: Pieces of paper about 15 cm by 25 cm.

Method: Take a piece of paper and say ‘I’m going to fold the paper’. Demonstrate, saying ‘Over and rub’. Hand a piece of paper to your child and say ‘You fold the paper’. Give 3 tries.

Score plus if your child folds the paper over and makes a crease of 8 cm or more without physical or verbal help in 2 out of 3 tries,

How to Teach

This skill involves a sequence of actions. Fold some sheets of paper yourself, paying close attention to the various actions involved. Then help your child to perform the actions, saying ‘Over and rub’. Give a demonstration each time.

Repetition is the key to teaching this skill, so that the child learns the rhythm of the exercise.

Gradually reduce first your physical help and then your verbal help, until your child can fold paper with only a demonstration to help him.

Collect old wrapping paper to make teaching sessions more interesting. Many children also enjoy playing an ‘open and shut’ game with the folded pieces of paper.

Playtime and Round-the-house Activities

This skill has several applications in art activities. Place thick paint (of several colours) in the centre of a piece of paper, fold it over and open it up to see the beautiful butterfly. Or let your child paint with runny paint, and fold and rub to make an interesting pattern. Your child can transform his folded paper into cards for special occasions.

Remembering and Extending

You can extend the imitation component of this activity by folding, and then folding the same piece of paper again.

Once the idea of folding is firmly established you will be able to omit your demonstrations.