Site Information

Please note we are having a site makeover at Littlesheep Learning so if it all looks odd over the next few days and not as sleek as ususal we apologise. The shop will be running as usual throughout the alterations. Hopefully the site will be back looking better than ever ready for our exciting PR / marketing / advertising plan coming soon.

Scissors

We are pleased to announce that we have now added a range of left and right handed scissors to our range of fine motor products.

As well as stocking standard right handed school scissors and left handed school scissors we also have:

• right and left handed duel control training scissors. These scissors have a double loop on each handle allowing the teacher and child to simultaneously complete the cutting action. The teacher uses the loops closest to the blades to assist with control, force or guidance.

• right and left right handed easy grip scissors. These scissors that are operated by squeezing the loop using thumb, fingers or palm of the hand. The scissors reopen when the pressure is released. Ideal for children with co-ordination and grip difficulties. Supplied with a blade guard for safety when not in use.

• right and left handed self-opening scissors. These are conventional scissors with a spring so that they re-open after the pressure is released. Ideal for children with co-ordination and grip difficulties.

Fine Motor Skills Development

Introduction
To many people, fine motor development means the way a child holds and uses pencils, crayons, and scissors, but fine motor development is much more. Fine motor skills are the small movements of the hands in co-ordination with the eyes. The development of fine motor control is a process of refining gross motor skills and they develop as the neurological system matures. Fine motor skills do not develop over-night, but with time and practice. It is more fun to learn while you play and this is especially important when practising fine motor skills.

All fine motor activities are built upon four important skills. These four skills must be learned before a child can go on to more complicated tasks. They are:

• Grasping objects
• Reaching out to objects
• Releasing objects deliberately
• Turning the wrist in various directions

Fine Motor Skills Milestones

By one year

Reaches, grasps, puts object in mouth
Picks things up with pincer grasp (thumb and one finger)
Transfers object from one hand to the other
Drops and picks up toy

Points

Stacks objects
Removes pegs from a pegboard
Puts objects in a container

By two years
Builds tower of six small blocks
Places rings on a peg

Places five pegs in pegboard
Turns pages two or three at a time
Holds large crayon in fisted grasp

Scribbles
Imitates vertical stroke with crayon

Turns knobs
Throws small ball
Paints with whole arm movement, shifts hands, makes strokes
Pulls large popbeads apart

Threads large beads

Unwraps things

By three years
Turns single pages
Snips with scissors
Holds crayon with thumb and fingers (not fist)
Uses one hand consistently in most activities
Imitates circular, vertical, horizontal strokes
Paints with some wrist action - makes dots, lines, circular strokes
Rolls, pounds, squeezes, and pulls playdough
Builds a nine block tower
Strings small beads
Unscrews lid of a jar
Makes snips with scissors
Unbuttons

By four years
Builds tower of nine small blocks
Hammers in nails and pegs
Copies circle / cross
Manipulates playdough easily - rolls balls, snakes and makes biscuits

By five years
Cuts on line continuously
Copies cross and square
Prints some letters and numbers
Screws together a threaded objectAttempts tripod grasp on a pencil
Builds 10 block tower

By six years
Cuts out simple shapes
Copies triangle / square and first name
Colours within lines
Uses a tripod pencil grasp
Has decided on hand preference - is left or right handed
Pastes and glues appropriately
Completes a lacing card

By seven years
Copies diamond / rectangle
Copies printed letters
Ties a bow
Draws a line with a ruler

This information is a general guide, please keep in mind that each child is unique and develops skills at their own rate. If you are concerned about your child's development, please ask your health visitor, doctor or child’s teacher for advice.

Littlesheep Learning stocks a range of products to help with fine motor development.

Gross Motor Skills Development

Introduction
Gross motor skills are larger movements involving the arm, leg, or feet muscles or the entire body, actions like crawling, walking, running, and jumping are gross motor skills

Gross Motor Skills Milestones
By six months
Holds head steady
Rolls over both ways
Pushes up with arms while on tummy
Sits briefly independently

By one year:
Sits confidently
Crawls forward
Pulls to stand while holding on
Cruises along furniture
Stands unsupported
Walks with hands held

By eighteen months:
Walks alone
Kneels
Climbs stairs
Squats to play
Kneels
Stoops and recovers
Tries to kick balls
Climbs on furniture
Pulls toy while walking

By two years
Walks backwards
Picks up toys from floor without falling
Seats self in child size chair
Walks up and down stairs with hand held
Moves to music
Jumps in place/off a step
Kicks a stationary ball
Walks up stairs independently
Throws a ball overhand
Propels “ride-on” toys forward

By three years
Runs forward
Jumps in place with two feet together
Walks on tiptoe
Kicks a ball forward
Throws overhand at a target
Catches a rolled ball
Rides a tricycle using pedals

By four years
Runs around obstacles
Walks on a line
Pushes, pulls, steers wheeled toys
Uses slide independently
Jumps over 15cm high object and lands on both feet together
Throws ball overhand
Catches large ball from 1.5m
Balances on one foot for five to ten seconds
Hops on one foot two or more times

By five years
Bounces and catches a ball
Throws a ball in the air and catches
Balance on one foot for five seconds
Walks on a line heel to toe
Jumps forward ten times without falling
Walks up and down stair independently, alternating feet
Does forward rolls

By six years
Runs lightly on toes
Walks on balance beam
Hops for 2m
Skips on alternate feet
Skip with a skipping rope
Skates
Kicks a rolling ball
Rides a bicycle
Dribbles a ball
Throws a ball with good accuracy

This information is a general guide, please keep in mind that each child is unique and develops skills at their own rate. If you are concerned about your child's development, please ask your health visitor, doctor or child’s teacher for advice.

New Products - Coming Soon...

We're very excited at Littlesheep Learning as we are going to have some new products. We can't go into too much detail here until the items are here but we've been busy researching some new product lines and they will be coming soon - keep checking what's new on our website or reading our blog and be the first to get them!

Summer Sale / Clearance

Littlesheep Learning are currently having a summer sale. There are savings of up to 50%, with popular Usborne 'Things to Make and Do' activity books and many other lines reduced to clear. Hurry as offers only available whilst stocks last.

Keep checking back for news of products coming soon.

FAQs - The Who, What, Where, When and Why...

Who?
Littlesheep Learning was the brainchild of Elaine Lambe and is now a family owned and run buisiness.

What?
Littlesheep Learning is an retailer of educational resources books, games, flashcards and lots more. It stocks popular products from Usborne Books, Orchard Toys and a range of exclusive Littlesheep Learning Resources designed by us.

Where?
Littlesheep Learning is online at www.littlesheep-learning.co.uk

When?
Littlesheep Learning opened on 5 May 2005 - 05.05.05 as we fancied having a date that was easy to remember!

Why?
Littlesheep Learning came about through Elaine's work as an ABA tutor. As a senior tutor Elaine made teaching materials for the children she worked with as well as sourcing resources from specialist suppliers. Elaine realised that there was an opportunity for a company to these items in one place as many of the specialist retailers had minimum order quantities / large postage costs.

Welcome

This is the blog for Littlesheep Learning where you will be able to find out all the latest news, reviews, updates, articles and interesting stuff that is happening at Littlesheep Learning.

Please take a look at our website and keep reading our blog - we look forward to hearing your comments and receiving your orders soon!