I'm excited to share our 8 Montessori patriotic USA flag activities with you! These activities are on our Montessori shelves this week for Little Bee to independently learn and play with. He really enjoys manipulating small objects for pouring and transferring. All of these activities can help a child develop their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

Stars & Stripes Fine Motor Activity

This is an easy activity to set up using a recycled spice jar and toothpicks. I added the star stickers for decoration to the outside of the jar and red toothpicks to emphasize the stars and stripes found on the USA flag. Little Bee enjoyed carefully poking the toothpicks into the holes at the top of the spice jar. Once the jar was filled with toothpicks, it became a fun musical instrument to shake making a clacking sound. (In the photo below, Little Bee holds his beloved ostrich to keep him company as he works.)

Patriotic Owl Counters

Little Bee is fascinated with counting numbers lately. He can count to 10 and is beginning to understand the concept of numbers. For example, he is beginning to understand that the number one equals one object.

I found these fun patriotic owl counters on the Blessed Beyond a Doubt blog. These printables are meant to be used as a counting card game using a clothespin or candy to place on the correct number at the bottom of the card. However, to simplify these counting cards for a toddler, I cut the numbers at the bottom off and used them as counting objects with a wooden number instead.

Red, White, & Blue Pony Bead Transfer

Little Bee loves to play with small objects. He is almost 2.5 years old and uses the small objects carefully. He doesn't put them into his mouth. Please note that small objects, such as beads, can be a choking hazard. So please always use small objects with young children with caution and keep an eye on them at all times.

Little Bee loves transfer activities of all kinds. My husband lovingly jokes that Montessori transfer activities have taught Little Bee to transfer everything! He transfers his oatmeal in the morning from one bowl to the next using his spoon. He loves to transfer his water from one cup to another cup. Needless to say, Little Bee had a blast transferring red, white, and blue pony beads from one pouring container to the next. Then he repeated the activity over and over again! 🙂

Flag Patterns

These flag pattern printables from the Gift of Curiosity blog are great for learning spacial recognition. I found out that this activity is best for a preschool aged child. Little Bee is 2.5 years old and found this activity too challenging. He had more fun waving the flags around the room!

Dot Painting with Sponge Dabbers

This is a wonderful do-a-dot flag printable for using Q-tips or sponge dabbers and paint for practicing fine motor skills. I found this 6 pack of various sizes of sponge dabbers at Walmart. Little Bee enjoyed using a sponge dabber to transfer red finger paint to each white dot on this fun flag printable. He was careful to find and paint every white dot. This activity is wonderful for hand-eye coordination and practicing the pincer grasp.

Sorting Flags by Size

This is a simple activity for learning size sequencing and matching objects that are the same. The flag printable, in the photo below, concentrates on sorting flags into small, medium, and large sizes. I demonstrated to Little Bee where the small, medium, and large flags were to be placed, since he can not read the words yet. He returned the demonstration by matching and correctly sorting the flags by size.

Bead to Flag Tweezer Transfer

This bead to flag transfer activity was one of Little Bee's favorite activities. In the photos below, you can see how much concentration Little Bee had for picking up the beads with the tweezers and transferring the beads carefully to the white circles on the flag printable. I was really impressed with his ability to use the tweezers for picking up the beads! Maybe he will be a surgeon one day...

Flag Canvas Art

Little Bee stands proud as he holds his completed USA flag canvas masterpiece that he helped to decorate and paint. To learn more about how to duplicate this easy kid friendly craft, please visit USA Flag Kid Painted Canvas Art.

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