Young children are typically fascinated with snails. In case you know a toddler or preschooler who’s interested in snails, I have a free printable focusing on phonics, writing, and snails! This free snail do-a-dot printable reinforces work on the letter s. It’s an instant download, too!
Montessori-Inspired Printables at Living Montessori Now
My daughter, Christina (a former Montessori child), and I are partnering to bring you a series of Montessori-inspired printables. The printables are typically themed and use a number of Montessori principles (although you don’t need to be a Montessori teacher or homeschooler to use them):
- They use isolation of quality.
- They use photographs or realistic images to emphasize reality. Whenever I can, I’ll tell you the name of the object or animal featured. In the credits page of this printable, you’ll see that this is a chocolate-band snail, which you can introduce to your child.
- They typically use traditional Montessori colors such as red for consonants and blue for vowels.
- They use lowercase letters, which are what we introduce letter sounds with in Montessori education. (Children tend to pick up the uppercase letters without being introduced if they’re introduced to the lowercase letter sounds.)
- They often feature themed printable versions of Montessori materials.
Free Snail Do-a-Dot Printable for the Letter S
To download, click here and then click on the file image in the upper right corner of the PDF to save to your computer (just choose where you want it saved).
Montessori-Inspired Activities Using the Snail Do-a-Dot Printable
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).
My 2½-year-old granddaughter, Zoey, loves Do-a-Dot markers, so I used one with the snail do-a-dot printable.
Snail Do-a-Dot Letter S Tray with Do-a-Dot Marker
Snail Do-a-Dot Letter S Tray with Do-a-Dot Marker
Right now, I have this tray on our shelves for Zoey. It’s on a Multicraft tray. Using Do-a-Dot markers is a simple and fun activity that helps with coordination and concentration. At other times, I’ll have a variety of transfer activities with do-a-dot printables, using tools such as quick sticks, sugar tongs, or toast tong.
You can add erasable crayons or markers to a laminated page for preschoolers to work on tracing skills. Because Zoey is just 2½ years old, I don’t have her trace letters or numbers except with her fingers. So that’s why I don’t have a writing instrument on the tray. Check out my frog do-a-dot printable post for ideas of trays with tracing activities included.
Enjoying Her Snail Do-a-Dot Work
This type of work is wonderful for fine-motor development, increasing attention span, and reinforcing letter sounds.
If you want to know how to introduce the letter sound for s, check out my post on how to teach letter sounds using Montessori principles.
Montessori-Inspired Packs – Subscriber Freebies
Montessori-Inspired St. Patrick’s Day Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).
Free Do-a-Dot Printables and Ideas for Using Them
I love the versatility of do-a-dot printables! If you’re doing a month-long theme, you could easily change out the type of do-a-dot activity weekly to add interest. Here are four ideas of hands-on activities for any of our do-a-dot printables from my frog do-a-dot printable post (see post for details and materials used).
Just click on an image to go to the post with the related free printable!
Note: I’ve arranged the following gallery in alphabetical order, although some posts have two do-a-dot printables (and two different letters). You’ll find at least one free do-a-dot printable for each letter of the alphabet!
Also, I don’t introduce letters in alphabetical order. You can find out the order in which I introduce letter sounds here. I deviate from that order for our unit studies, though, and focus on a letter that’s simply related to our unit. That’s in addition to our other letter work.
You can see all our free do-a-dot printables with the latest at the top here.
For complete themed alphabet do-a-dot packs, see our Animal Alphabet Do-a-Dot Pack, Spanish Animal Alphabet Do-a-Dot Pack, and Healthy Food Alphabet Do-a-Dot Pack available for purchase in the Living Montessori Now shop.
Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!
If this is your first time visiting Living Montessori Now, welcome! If you haven’t already, please join us on our Living Montessori Now Facebook page where you’ll find a Free Printable of the Day and lots of inspiration and ideas for parenting and teaching! And please follow me on Pinterest (lots of Montessori-, holiday-, and theme-related boards), Instagram, and YouTube. You can find me on bloglovin’ and Twitter, too.
And don’t forget one of the best ways to follow me by signing up for my weekly newsletter. You’ll receive some awesome freebies in the process!
Montessori Monday Link-Up
My kids have all enjoyed do a dot activities, you offer such great resources!
Thanks for your sweet comment, Angela! I’m so glad they’re helpful. And thanks for linking up. 🙂
Thanks for another great link up! I love your snail printables, they are so cute.