Dandelion Snail Threading Board is great outdoor fine motor activity for preschoolers and kindergarteners! This is perfect for spring or summer days when your lawn or park are covered in dandelions!
Dandelion Crafts
This year summer came early! We had a week of summer like weather in early May, something we don’t usually get. It was so nice that I was able to break out our kiddie pool and let the kids splash around in it! It also meant that the dandelions that we normally get in spring were around for super warm weather. Our lawn was covered with them but in the past I don’t get the opportunity to really use them in crafts or activities because the weather isn’t the best. Not this year!
I am excited to be able to share with you one of our favorite activities that we have done using these yellow beauties!
My kids just love picking the flowers especially my youngest daughter and they all love blowing the seed heads. This is a great way to replenish them after picking a few flowers. Also be careful of bees when you are picking as bees also sometimes enjoy dandelions.
Looking for more Nature inspired Crafts? Check out this list for kids:
How to Make A Dandelion Threading Snail Board
- Grab a piece of cardboard and trace the outline of a paper plate with a pencil.
2. Draw the body of a snail. Color the shell and body using paint sticks. This is a great part to let your preschooler or kindergartner actually help you set up the activity. Allow them to color in the snail with you or let them do it completely on their own.
3. This part should be done by an adult. Use a screwdriver to punch holes all over the snails shell. For younger toddlers, only punch 5 holes. If they request more, you can always punch more for them. For preschoolers, you can punch out as many holes as you believe they will be able to complete.
Make the holes big enough to fit a dandelion stem through easily.
My daughter loves picking dandelions and will regularly hand me bunches and bunches of them to hold for her so I punched quite a few holes. You don’t need to do this many for your preschooler.
Note: When I first did this activity, I initially didn’t color in the snail shell. I went back and coloured it blue before letting my kids thread the dandelions in it.
4. Take the snail threading board outside and to a field filled with dandelions and invite your little one to pick the flower with stems (the longer the stems the easer it is to thread) and them use them to decorate the snail’s shell.
What To Do with the Snail Threading Board when they are done
Dandelions don’t save well so take a picture and have them pull out the dandelions when they are done. If your toddler or preschooler isn’t into destroying their work right away, you can save it and pull them out later.
But be sure to save the snail threading board!! You can use it to thread or poke other items such as q-tips or other flowers!
Age Suitability
This activity is good for kids 3 years and up. My kids are 4, 4, and 7 year old. Younger toddlers will need assistance.
Mess Level
This is a mess level is extremely low. It is to be done outside on a nice day.
Difficulty to Create
Easy.
Skills Developed
Colour recognition, language development, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, imaginative play, creativity.
Supplies for Dandelion Threading Snail Board
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- Cardboard
- Paint Sticks
- Pencil
- Large googley eyes
- Glue
- Small screwdriver
Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids
Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.
Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.
Toddler Homeschool Program
I am currently developing a new Toddler Homeschool Curriculum called Play2Learn Toddler Homeschool Program. Be sure to sign up for my newsletters so that you get first dibs when it is released!
WILL YOU MAKE THIS DANDELION SNAIL THREADING BOARD WITH YOUR KIDS? SAVE IT FOR LATER!
