Linked to Montessori Mondays at One Hook Wonder.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Salt Box for Letter and Number Writing
I have used a salt tray for Bear to practice writing ever since I read about it when she was 18 months (she first used the tray to draw and copy lines and shapes). However, the tray was messy. I couldn't leave it out on the shelf or her friends would get into it and I would find salt (or sometimes sand) all over the carpet. Education of Ours motivated me to change my salt tray to a salt box after I saw her post picturing it.
My box was found in the wooden section at JoAnn's. It was inexpensive and I had a 50 percent off coupon. It measures 7 inches by 7 inches and is a little over 1.5 inches deep. It has a hinged lid on which I can store the letter or letters I want her to work on. When she opens the lid, she can then put the letter on the inside of the lid to look at.
Love this idea! We use jello powder sometimes and I have been looking for a way to save it without spills.
ReplyDeleteDoes J-Jo use this too?
ReplyDelete@Kylie - Not yet. Maybe when he's 2 in a few months. He is SO different from Bear. She was fine (and interested) at 18 months drawing lines and circles in the salt or sand. He would probably just fling it!
ReplyDeleteOh, I like this idea (and an excuse to get a pretty wooden box to paint :))
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I've really wanted to get a salt tray for my youngest, but with 4 kids, I don't want to constantly be cleaning salt out of the carpet. This is a perfect solution!
ReplyDeleteAwesome idea-- I love that there is a lid!
ReplyDeleteI love this idea! Bet my kids will enjoy it, too =)
ReplyDeleteThat's the perfect container! And just so you know, Pita Pocket, who's 3, would just fling sand all over too! Kids are so different, aren't they? Thanks for linking to Montessori Monday.
ReplyDeleteThanks for responding. I might try it with G in a few months too. I don't think he would throw it, but I can't picture him doing much besides running his hands through it like a sensory box. (He certainly wouldn't try to copy letters or designs). We'll see :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! I have an empty wooden box in my craft stash that I'm going to use for this purpose. Sometimes I wonder why I didn't think of this---lol!
ReplyDeleteOh! I love it, Julie. Looks like it's getting lots of traffic :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for mentioning me, you are too sweet!
I like the dark shelf, it really brings out the work. Where is that from?
The dark shelf is actually our kitchen table:)
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention in the post that I lined the bottom of the box with a piece of black construction paper cut to size to make the letters and numbers stand out from the salt once traced.
I'm so glad I read through all the comments! I just made one and was thinking that I needed to paint the bottom of the box black, but construction paper will work just fine!
ReplyDeleteI'm a mom of 4 boys. Twins turning 7 next month, single turning 6 month after, and 5 month old. Have 3 in 13 months was. Complete chaos! And I have lots of guilt. Thnk god school comes easily to twins , but my single in k is struggling with letter recog and sounds Visiting all multisensory cites. Love this one! Headed to Joanne's and michaels to find the salt box. Just purchased the sandpaper letters too!
ReplyDeleteBoyzRus
I'm a mom of 4 boys. Twins turning 7 next month, single turning 6 month after, and 5 month old. Have 3 in 13 months was. Complete chaos! And I have lots of guilt. Thnk god school comes easily to twins , but my single in k is struggling with letter recog and sounds Visiting all multisensory cites. Love this one! Headed to Joanne's and michaels to find the salt box. Just purchased the sandpaper letters too!
ReplyDeleteBoyzRus