Fabrics

Fabrics
Sensorial - Tactile Sense
Level	Primary
Age	3 - 5
Prerequisites	Rough and Smooth Boards Touch Tablets Practical Life activities
Materials	3+ pairs of fabric squares box or basket blindfold

Also called Fabric Boxes, or Fabric Matching.
In this activity the child learns to match fabrics by touch. Doing this helps refine the child's tactile sense.

Presentations

1. Carry the box of fabrics to a mat or large table. Set it in the lower right corner.

   

2. Remove the blindfold and the stack of fabrics, then move the box to the upper right corner. Put on the blindfold.

   

3. Take the piece of fabric from the top of the stack. Feel it between your thumb and fingers.

   

4. Keep the first fabric in your left hand and take the next fabric from the pile in your right. Compare to see if they are the same or different.

   

5. If they are different, set the second fabric to the right of the stack.

   

6. Continue comparing one fabric at a time to the first in this way until a match is found.

   

7. Place the pair in the upper left corner of the mat.

   

8. Place the discarded fabrics back on the pile.

   

9. Continue matching in this way until all the pairs have been found.

   

10. Be sure to randomize the fabrics before putting away so the work will be ready for the next person.

Points of Interest

• Children are drawn to the beauty of the fabrics.

Control of Error

If the last two fabric squares do not match, the child will know a mistake was made earlier.
Also, when the child takes off the blindfold, he should be able to tell by looking if all of the pairs are matched correctly.

Variations and Extensions

• This activity can be made easier by using only three very different fabrics. Adding more types fabric increases the difficulty.
• A very young child could match the fabrics without a blindfold. You should still encourage them to close their eyes when comparing the two fabrics.

Material

The fabric squares should be between 4 and 5 inches across.

Make Your Own

• The fabric squares shown in the photos above were cut from different black fabrics in 5 inch squares. The edges were then serged.

Where to Buy

Prices and links checked: 23 January 2022

Different Colors
Store	Price
Adena 8 pairs	$17.93
Affordable Montessori	$39.00
Alison's	$20.94
Alison's 10 pairs	$48.00
E & O	$35.10
IFIT 11 pairs	$18.00
Lord Co.	$19.50
Nienhuis	$72.70
Thinkamajigs	$24.95
Montessori Outlet 6 pairs	$32.95
Materials Co. of Boston	$47.00

All One Color
Store	Price
Adena	$14.95
Bruins	$88.00
IFIT 6 pairs	$14.00
Thinkamajigs	$19.95
IFIT 6 pairs	$14.00

Further Reading

• Basic Montessori: Learning Activities for Under-fives by David Gettman, page 103-105
• Teaching Montessori in the Home: The Pre-School Years by Elizabeth G. Hainstock, page 51