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You are here: Home / Fine Motor Activities / The Teaching Turkey

The Teaching Turkey

November 19, 2016 by Amy Smith

Looking for ways to “sneak” in some academics into craft time?  This Teaching Turkey game combines the fine motor skills needed for a craft project with the academic practice of a school lesson!  Your child gets to dress the turkey with “knowledge” feathers to make learning fun and motivating! Once your child has mastered the knowledge feathers, swap them out for more advanced ones so that this activity can be used to grow along with your child.

Incorporate academics like shapes, colors, letters, and numbers into this kids' turkey craft to transform it to a learning game.

 

Ideas for the Feathers

Early learning skills- Draw shapes to work on shape identification or use colored paper to work on color identification

Literacy Skills- Write letters on the feathers for letter identification or spelling practice

Math Skills- Write numbers on the feathers to work on number identification and addition/ subtraction skills, or have your child arrange the feathers in a pattern (i.e. red, blue, red, blue, red, etc..) for pattern practice.

The teaching turkey

 

Materials Needed

the-teaching-turkey-

Paper feathers- Draw your own or download this free feather printable page: feather-printable

Styrofoam block (mine was 5″x 5″)

Lollipop Sticks

Tape

Crayons/Markers

Construction paper for decorative turkey face (optional decoration)

Brown Paint (optional to paint the turkey)

 

How to Play

Start by constructing the turkey (have your child make the turkey for fine motor skill development).

 

The teaching turkey

Paint the stryofoam block brown (optional) and allow it to dry

Design the feathers to fit the academic level of your child.

Cut the feathers out and tape each feather onto a lollipop stick.

Have your child identify the learning concept on the feather as they poke it into the turkey

 

the-teaching-turkey-action-edit

After all of the feathers have been placed in the turkey, pull the out and play again.  Update the feathers to new learning concepts once the old ones have been mastered.

 

Grab these few supplies and make your own teaching turkey today for “gobbles” of learning fun!

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Filed Under: Fine Motor Activities Tagged With: crafts, learning activities, Thanksgiving

Disclaimer

Kids Play Smarter is a blog about general ideas, theories, and concepts related to the field of occupational therapy and the growth and development of all children. The information presented on this blog is not intended to serve as or replace occupational therapy services for your child. The information on this blog is for entertainment, informational, and educational purposes only. This blog is not meant to replace formal professional consultation or evaluation from a qualified clinician. All children need to have the approval of a physician to participate in physical activities, including those described on this blog. In addition, children need to be supervised by a responsible adult at ALL times when completing activities that are illustrated and described on this blog. The author of this blog is NOT responsible or liable for any damage, injury, accident, illness, death, or adverse reaction due to participation in the activities described on the website.

Welcome to Kids Play Smarter

Amy Smith I am an occupational therapist with over 10 years of experience working with children. I created this website to offer parents, teachers, and therapists FREE ideas, strategies, and activities that they can do with their children to improve their fine and gross motor skills, handwriting, academic learning, and regulate their sensory system all while "playing" (just playing smarter)! Read More…

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