The preschool years are ripe with opportunity to discover the world and prepare children as learners.

Along with building certain physical skills, like the pincher grasp used in writing, children also need ways to develop their sequencing abilities, focus and concentration skills. Here are five activities (free downloads) that are easy to implement at home and in the classroom.

5 Montessori Activities

Sponge Transfer: Children love any activity that involves water and this water ‘play’ will help them develop increased concentration, hand eye coordination, a sense of order, independence and the ability to sequence an activity. Download here.

Dry Pouring: Coordination of movements, concentration, sense of order, independence, learning sequence of an activity. Learning sense of responsibility, developing positive self image, balance, and hand eye coordination. Download here.

Tweezers/Tongs: Great activity for developing the three finger hold needed for writing, the pincher grasp, while strengthening hand muscles. Doing this on a regular basis helps children develop hand eye coordination, concentration and sequencing a series of steps. Download here.

Locks and Keys: Coordination of movement, concentration, sense of order, independence, learning sequence of an activity. Learning sense of responsibility, developing positive self image, balance, and hand eye coordination. Download here.

Lego Building Blocks: Lego building blocks are an excellent activity for preschool children.  They come in a variety of sizes, allowing children to progress to smaller sizes as their hand eye coordination and aptitude allow. Download here.

What is your child’s learning style?  There are three basic learning styles; visual, tactile, and auditory.  Take the test and get immediate results: Is your child a visual learner? 

Bette Fetter Founder and CEO of Young Rembrandts and Author of Being Visual [email protected] Follow Bette on Twitter