1st Update in October :)

Assalamualaikum and Happy October everyone :)

October is obviously is my favourite month of the year 'cause it's my birthday month LOL...anyway, been searching at Internet in fun ways in learning...

Today I am gonna share on how to teach alphabets to young children and at the same time incorporating fine skill motor into the activities..I called this "alphabets doughnuts"...I think that sum it all up.. I know this might not be an original idea, but still rolling dough is one of the best idea of teaching young children in learning shapes.

I came up with this activity for our school Language Week activities and for low functioning students who still not able to master in writing using pencil. What better way to teach  on shapes than rolling and shaping dough. I choose doughnut because it is easier to prepare and less materials meaning less costs :P

First, the recipe for the doughnut
1. 1kg of plain flour
2. 11g of yeast
3. 1 egg
4. 100g of butter (or you can substitute it with oil)
5. A teaspoon of baking powder (so it the dough will puff)
6. A teaspoon of salt (fine salt is preferable because it dissolve easily)
7. Water as needed
** I don't put sugar at all because at the end of the activities, I will sprinkle with icing sugar on top of their doughnut. And too much sugar is not a smart move for children especially for hyperactive children.

Methods :
1. Mixed all of the ingredients above, you can either mix it with a mixer or manually by hand. If your children is well behaved, this first part can be done by them but in my case, I have prepared it earlier to ease the latter activity, which is shaping the dough into alphabets. Mixed all together until it the mixture is able to be mold and not sticking on the bowl.
2. Left it to rest for about half and hour or so...The mixture will expand about half of the original size, my recipe can be used for more than 12 pupils at a time. Each pupils will get at least a handful of dough mixture.
3. Divide the mixture into small batches, in my case my palm size (any adult palm size) and distribute each to the children.
4. I then handed a block of letters for each of the children. Using a 3D blocks are better because the children can actually estimate and see how they should roll and shaped their dough to emulate the letter block. It is best to let the children molded the dough on a plastic covered table (for hygiene purpose), sprinkle a bit (just a tiny little bit ya) flour to make sure the dough does not stick onto the hand,a beaten egg for glue.
**precaution : ensure your children have cleaned their nails and hands before handling food!!!
5. Fry in the oil until golden brown.
6. Lastly, sprinkled with icing sugar and time to eat..

My pupils enjoy the activities, especially the last activity which is eating their own alphabets LOL..It is fun, a bit messy but satisfying activity.

A bit of pictures :)