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Catching Worms

Lesson Plan:

​Activity:

Catching Worms

Lesson plan developed by Ms. Erika Geelhoed, BA Ed

Age Group:

Toddlers

* Lesson plan objective and assessment can be adapted to use this activity with  preschoolers.

Objectives:  

Child will:

• practice fine motor skills  
• increase cognitive development
• increase language and communication skills 

Catching Worms

CDA Competency Standard:   

II.4.2a

• Activities and materials encourage children of varying abilities to develop their small muscles
  • ​​​a) Individual fine motor skills are encouraged through a variety of developmentally appropriate materials and activities

Materials: 

• Pipe cleaners
  
• clothes pins
  
• bowl

Procedure: 

Prep for activity by cutting pipe cleaners into one inch pieces and bend them to look like worms. Show the child how to use the clothes pin to pick up a pipe cleaner worm and transfer it to a bowl. Let the child give it a try. As they are working, talk with them about their technique. 

Ask them questions such as:

• “How are you picking up the worm?”
  
• “What kind of animals pick up worms?”
  
• “How many worms did you get? Let’s count together!

Assessment: 

• Observe and record the child’s fine motor skills during the activity.

Note:  Please provide appropriate supervision to the children in your care when completing all activities. You will need to decide what types of activities are safe for the children in your care.  Appropriate and reasonable caution should be used when providing art and sensory experiences for children.  Toddlers require special caution, only use non-toxic materials, and do not allow toddlers to put things in their mouths that are a choking hazard. ​​​

Online Early Childhood Education

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Creativity and Imagination in Infants and Toddlers

Starting at about 18 months, toddlers have better hand-eye coordination than they did at a younger age.  This is a good time to introduce finger paints (or pudding), crayons and chalk.  They can develop their creativity by using paste (water and flour), tearing, cutting and manipulating play dough or shaving cream.  

Mix familiarity with novelty to keep these materials interesting.  Add toy cars or toy people to the shaving cream.  Put out small rolling pins, plastic cutlery and cookie cutters along with the play dough.  Stretching the activity by adding to the basic material stretches the imagination as children figure out what can be done with the new additions.

Creativity and Imagination in Infants and Toddlers