Montessori Practical Life: Large Bead Stringing

Large Bead Stringing is one of the first works within Practical Life’s Care of the Environment. A powerful yet simple exercise that works fine motor skills and a child’s development of focus. With patterning, Lacing Beads also provides a young child exposure to early math.

Learn the Sewing Sequence

1. Large Bead String
2. Sewing Cards
3. Measuring Thread
4. Introducing Threads
5. Embroidery

Watch the Lesson

Large Bead Stringing Lesson

The age of the child for this lesson ranges from 3 to 6 years old.  The lesson includes a basket of large wooden beads & laces. Finally, there are no prerequisites.

Invite child, retrieve a rug and have the child carry the basket to meet you.

Show child tip of the string: “Stiff like a needle.” Explain the purpose of “keeper” bead.

Show the child the hole. Hold the bead with sub-dominant hand and push the tip of the string through the hole with your forefinger and thumb.

Pull the string through each bead until it meets the “keeper” bead: “Click” as each bead touches.

To unstring, slide one bead off the string at a time and place in the basket.

Wrap string around hand loosely and place in the basket. Offer the child a turn.

Control of Error:

• String not going through the hole
• Going through the bead more than once

Points of Interest:

• Watching the lace come through the other end of the bead
• Making a string bead necklace
• The sound of the beads hitting once another
• Using every one of the beads in the basket

Direct Aims:

• Coordination
• Order
• Concentration
• Independence

Indirect Aims:

Preparation for sewing

Language:

Tip, through, hole, sew, keeper bead

Pretty simple, right?

Marnie