Check out this slithering snake craft to help your kids learn about the letter S! Snake crafts will fit right into a Reptile category and help make your life one day easier.
Skills
Types of skills can include math, science, fine motor, dramatic play, social and emotional. Here is how this sheep applies these skills:
Math
Add in math concepts by having your child count how many stripes are on the snake, or having them count the total number of stripes they used to create the snake. You can have the child count the how many stripes have the same color. This will allow you to teach the child A:B pattern! To challenge the child, ask them which color has more and/or less stripes. If you have other animals, you can have the child sort and count animals that fall into the same category.
Science
If you have other crafts with your child, have them classify the snake along with the other crafts. For example, snakes fall under reptiles, where spiders are classified as insects.
Fine Motor Skills
Your child will learn how to use scissors to cut the snake’s stripes and tongue.
Your child will use their pincer grasp to pick up and glue the stripes. If you use googly eyes or sticker eyes, this will also allow them to improve their pincer grasp skills.
Dramatic Play and Social/Emotional
Children can use this snake to slither around making “sssssssss” noises with their tongue OR make “hiss”-ing sounds all day long.
Boundaries
Make sure you supervise your child when using scissors and other sharp items.
Materials
You will use green, orange, and yellow construction paper, markers, scissors, and glue.
S template, green, yellow and orange construction paper
Markers, scissors, and glue
Steps
Firstly, find yourself a nice letter “S” template. Trace the letter “S” onto the green construction paper and cut it out.
Next, give the child a yellow and an orange construction paper. Depending on the child’s cutting skills, have the child cut several thin strips of orange and yellow construction paper for the stripes and set aside. If the child does not have the necessary cutting skills, either guide them or cut the stripe for them. You can also cut the construction paper into one thin long paper and have the child cut it in 1 inch.
Draw a small triangle on the orange construction paper, cut it out for the tongue so that it can make the “ssss” noise, and place aside. Don’t lose it or you will need to cut another one.
Next, have the child draw an eye on the upper right side of the letter “S”. If you have an eye sticker, you can use that instead.
Lastly, have the child glue the yellow and orange strips of construction paper on the letter “S” to create an A:B pattern making sure to leave a space in between each strip to create the snake. For example, yellow, space, orange, space, yellow, space, etc. Don’t forget to glue the triangle to the upper right part of the “S” for the tongue.
Modifications
You can use googly eyes or sticker eyes instead of having the child draw them.
Instead of using yellow and orange construction paper for the stripes, have the child draw the stripes using a marker which will increase their fine motor skills.
Decorate your snake with your favorite color for the stripes.
Use your imagination and decorate your snake however you want with different colors and/or materials.
“Ssssss”-ing around. Come and find me!
This letter craft for kids will motivate your children to create and decorate a snake in their own unique way. Make sure to ssslither along with them.