Fabric Boxes
Materials:
Box 1: Pairs of fabrics with contrasting textures, made of a natural substance, such as cotton, wool, linen, silk, burlap, leather, etc. Each pair is a different color and pattern from the other pairs, suggested sized 6x6 square or 4x5 rectangle
Box 2: Pairs of fabrics featuring different weaves, such as flannel, brocade, jersey knit, lace, corduroy, etc.
A large table
A blindfold
Purposes:
Refinement of the tactile sense for textures
Recognition of the various fabrics
Age: 3 ½ - 4 ½
Preparation: The child can match the Touch Tablets
Presentation 1: Pairing
Introduction: Greatest Contrasts
Invite the child for a lesson on the Fabric Box and go wash hands.
Show the child how to carry the box, return them to the shelf and have the child take it to the table. You will bring a blindfold and 2 tissues.
Take out 3 pairs of the most contrasting fabrics.
Pick up a fabric, close your eyes, and slowly feel all around the fabric using both hands.
Place it on the table and invite the child to feel it. Continue feeling one of each fabric, placing the felt fabric squares in a horizontal line across the table from left to right.
Pairing
Put on the blindfold and tissue. Pick up one fabric from the pile and feel.
Keep it in one hand and begin feeling fabrics from the row from left to right with the other hand comparing.
If they are not a match, place it back on the table and continue to feel the next fabric. When a match is found, place the fabrics together (and if you have room, move the pair to the top of the table).
Continue pairing fabrics.
When complete, remove the blindfold and visually check.
Place one set in a pile and the other set in a horizontal line on the table.
Invite the child to pair the fabrics. Encourage repetition.
Fade and observe.
**Once the child is comfortable working with the first three sets of pairs, you can invite him to take out all sets and pair.
Following Exercise:
Box 2: all exercises can be done with Box 2
Pairing from a Heap
Place all fabrics from a box in a random, messy pile.
Invite the child to put on a blindfold and find the ones that feel the same.
Same or Different?
Separate the fabrics into 2 piles.
Invite the child to put on her blindfold and hold out her hands, palms up.
Place one fabric in each hand and ask the child if they feel the same or different.
If the same, the child can put them together and place them on the table.
If different, remove both fabrics from your hands and put another set into the hands.
Continue until the child has matched all the pairs.
Invite the child to do this work anytime with a friend. Suggest a few children who have had the lesson to work with.
Control of Error:
The child’s own judgment/visual discrimination of the texture/color/pattern of the fabrics
Language:
Natural Fiber Cloths: cotton, silk, linen, wool, leather, camel, alpaca, etc.
Box 2: cloths of different weaves: broadcloth, velvet, lace, jersey, corduroy, satin, etc.
Memory Games
Distance Game: Pairing-one set on one table, another set across the room
Pedagogical Notes:
The fabrics in the boxes can lend themselves to true stories. You can explain that cotton comes from a plant and where it is grown, leather is made from an animal, and silk is spun from worms.
The fabrics in the boxes can be rotated to allow the children to be exposed to a variety of fabrics.
Sometimes you will see Box 3, with fine fabrics such as organza, chiffon, etc.
Washing hands will serve as sensitizing and will keep the fabrics clean.
Hem or pink the edges of the fabrics to keep them from unraveling.
The children may begin exploring the different fabrics from the student's clothing. This will require a Grace and Courtesy lesson on asking to feel the fabric of a friend’s shirt.