The pin punch is one of my very favorite Montessori activities. I know I say that with a lot of them, which is because they are all well-designed and incredibly practical. Buuuut, William has just started using this work, as has his cousin at her Montessori school, so I’ve been reminded several times lately how valuable this one is.
What is it?
The Montessori pin punch (or pin poke or pin prick, it goes by lots of different names) is essentially, a giant pin, like you’d use on a bulletin board, a piece of cork, a tray, and a piece of paper with a shape drawn or printed on it. The child takes the tray, puts the piece of paper on top of the cork board, and then proceeds to punch tiny holes along the outline of the shape, essentially making a perforated edge that can be “punched” out. Then the child gets to decorate their shape.
Why I love it:
It’s practical
This is one of the best pre-writing activities I’ve every come across Pin punching is fabulous for building the muscles in the hand that are crucial for handwriting. It helps pencil grip because of the way that the child grasps the pin. It gets the child used to control their hand with precise movements that make handwriting easier down the line.
It’s endlessly engaging
I’ve not met a 3 year old who doesn’t get hooked on pin punching. It’s so exciting for them to be allowed to use something sharp! They get to color afterwards! They can make all sorts of shapes!
This last one is key- I swap out the shapes regularly. Sometimes we do simple shapes like triangles and eggs, sometimes I throw in something seasonal like a leaft or an apple, sometimes I tie it to whatever their interest is (so cars in the case of William).
It’s easy to DIY
Pin punch is one of the few Montessori works that is super simple to create yourself. Without expending much effort, you can get a great result.
I got our trays at the Target 1 Spot. Cork board is inexpensive at JoAnn’s or any craft store and is easily cut down to the size of whatever tray you have. Oversized pins can be found at any office supply store.
Clip art and shape drawing on Microsoft Word will get you started on pin punching shapes. You can also use cookie cutters or play dough toys to trace different shapes. If you really get stuck, you can check out Montessori Print Shop for some shapes that are more fun (they use the term pin poke).
My Gianna and William have both loved pin punching. It really did help G’s pencil grip and muscle strength to develop, which is a huge part of why she’s writing so early.
This is such a great idea!!! I am totally going to do this with my daughter, who although is a teen, has low muscle tone and difficulty with focus for writing! Thank you.
I’m so glad you’re going to use it! It’s a fun activity, and very versatile! I hope it helps your daughter.