Learning about the Four Seasons and Building Fine Motor Skills

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Studying the four seasons, especially if you live in an area where the temperature and seasons do not drastically change may not always be easy. To help our children understand and learn about the four seasons, we created different Seasons Bottles together.

Materials

• clean, clear plastic bottles
• pom-poms
• shells (The ones I used were from a collection I had for years. I did not purchase any for this project.)
• sand
• raffia
• ribbon
• snowflake sequins
• artificial leaves
• artificial flowers 
• small Christmas ornaments 
• glue (hot glue gun) 

While completing the project, there are many ways you can expand this beyond just talking about the four seasons. For example:

• You could count out the number of items you are using in each Seasons Bottle
• Compare and contrast the shapes and sizes of items used
• Use the same items for each but in different colors or designs (for example red & green pom-poms for the winter one with yellow ones for the summer one) 
• Listen to the sounds the items make in the bottle as you gently shake it 
• Use items that require cutting and have your child practice using scissors 
• Use different stickers to decorate the outside of the bottles

Winter

My son helped put the items in for winter including snowflake ribbon and red and green pom-poms.

Autumn

My daughter helped with the Autumn bottle by putting in orange raffia, leaf ribbon, and orange and brown pom-poms.

Spring 

This one is still waiting to be completed as we gather materials for it. What items would you include? 

Summer 

We placed small sea shells in this bottle and when we get sand from our next trip the shore, we will put some of that in the bottle as well. 

If your children are older, you can have them collect the various items from your home, the store, and neighborhood for your seasons bottles. 

After they are completed, I would recommend gluing the lids onto the bottles.  

Resources 

Mama. Papa, Bubba. Season Sensory Bottles. 

Sun Hats and Wellie Boots Discovery Bottles: Four Seasons 

Looking for more activities? 

Creating activities for younger children can be fun and exciting but all your projects do not need to look like the fancy ones you may find on Pinterest. As long as you and your children are having fun and learning, then you are creating happy memories. 

I created weather-themed bottles that are similar to these for the seasons as well as projects with felt and ribbons to help them build their fine motor skills.  And don't forget there are many more ways in which children build their fine motor skills from sorting buttons or beads to playing with clay. Learning can take place every day!