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Pokey Pinning101:
How to easily prepare & implement an
innovative*engaging*exciting
way of learning for your students
Presented by Mrs. Miner’s Monkey Business
What is it?Pokey Pinning is a fine motor development
activity that educators/child care
specialists have used for decades to improve
hand strength in young children.
I have taken this activity and incorporated
academic concepts with it to make it a double
whammy!
What do I need?• Pokey Pins: Simply, thumbtacks! You can use any kind
that have something for the students to hold onto. They come in all (bigger ones are more beneficial for
smaller and/or weaker hands.
• Something to safely store your pins on.I use cute erasers like the one pictured here,but, of course it can be any eraser you have
available.• Pokey Pin Templates: This is WHAT you are wanting your students to “pin”. You can either make your own or purchase easy to prepare ,
differntiatedsets like I have available. (Some examples listed
below).
• Lastly, you need a photocopier, colored paper and a stapler!
• Choose what you want your students to pin and print enough so that each child has one. As you can see
below, I create two sets per page.
• Staple a colorful piece of paper (the same size) to the back of the chosen template with a staple in the middle of the top and a staple in the middle of the bottom. For
very young, first timers, you may even want to put another staple on the other side of the paper as well.
• Cut the pages in half and you are ready to pass them out and have your kiddos make “magic for the windows.”
Preparation is Easy
Cho Tip: If you are in a super hurry, you can skip the following step and simply put your template into the copier with a blank piece of paper and
select double staple. Cut them in half and you will be READY TO GO!
1, Choose template and colored paper.
2, Staple the top half and bottom half.
3. Cut in half.
4. 2 activities ready to go!
Prepping Pokey Pin Activities
Go over the rules with your kiddos:•Students fine their own space to lay down on the floor.(If you do not have carpet, students can use mouse pads, carpet squares, foam pads , or anything else that a push pin will “sink” into.)•If students need to get up during the activity, they need to place their pokey pin back into the original eraser so it doesn’t get stepped on.•Poke holes on the black lines as closely as you can without them touching each other. Students who rush or do not put their holes close enough will not get the same “magical” results as others. •Remove the white/top paper and hang the “poked” paper in a window!
Implementation is Easy
1, Find a spot by yourself!
2, Using the Pokey Pin, poke close holes on the black lines!
3. Cut in half.
4. 2 activities ready to go!
2, Poke holes on the black lines.
3. Check your work!
4. Hang in a window!
I am nervous that my students will hurt themselves or others during this
activity. Have you ever had any problems with it?
I get this question/concern ALL the time. You need to remember that we are talking
about a tiny pin! Even if someone tried (which likely you would prevent), it
couldn’t do that much damage. Having said that though, I have NEVER had an
issue with it. I place the students separately around the room and monitor
certain students as necessary. I have had one child purposely poke herself, but once she realized what it felt like, she never did
that again!Basically, be proactive and you will have
no problems at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Beyond the fine motor development, what are the academic benefits of
Pokey Pinning?I use Pokey Pinning as a way to reinforce many concepts. The movement, coupled
with the visual creation of the letter/word/number, etc.
allows the concept to quickly be memorized. I have my students repeat
the word/phrase/number over and over as they are pinning. I also require them to
start pinning where you would start writing the letters and/or numbers to work
on formation. Students can either compile their
creations in a book for their book box or take them home and hang them to
practice there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Beyond the fine motor development, what are the academic benefits of
Pokey Pinning?I use Pokey Pinning as a way to reinforce many concepts. The movement, coupled
with the visual creation of the letter/word/number, etc.
allows the concept to quickly be memorized. I have my students repeat
the word/phrase/number over and over as they are pinning. I also require them to
start pinning where you would start writing the letters and/or numbers to work
on formation. Students can either compile their
creations in a book for their book box or take them home and hang them to
practice there.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know where to start? Of course, you start easy at student
level/ability.I use the letters, numbers and 2D shapes
at the beginning of kindergarten, then move onto solid shapes and sight words
at mid year, then move into Dolch phrases towards the end of the year.
In first grade, I have been using the Dolch phrases, but also added in simple designs
with a follow up Higher Order Thinking question. The idea is that the kiddos will
read the question and consider their answer while pinning the quick picture.
I am also going to be adding a packet for time where students add the hands for
the given time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I get these kits?You can make them on your own or find them all ready to go at my
TpT Store:
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I get these kits and materials?You can make them on your own or find them all ready to go at my
TpT Store:
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I get these kits and materials?You can make them on your own or find them all ready to go at my
TpT Store:
Frequently Asked Questions
Many of you know that I looped to first grade this year and there was absolutely no way I was going to be able to lose pokey pinning as a center with this group of students. But, I also knew that I really had to “amp” it up for them. This is what I have come up with and it is working like a charm: I copy the template and the matching story paper and staple them together. There is a higher order level thinking question (sometimes real, sometimes fantasy) at the bottom that students must read FIRST. As they are pinning a simple design, they should be brainstorming and thinking of an answer to the question. Once they are done pinning, they answer the question on the lines below their “pinned” picture and add details to the picture that go along with their answer with crayons. Interested in trying it out?? Clickthe bottom picture on the left and you will see how engaging this activity is!
FREE
Where do I get these kits and materials?You can make them on your own or find them all ready to go at my
TpT Store:
Frequently Asked Questions
These are just some seasonal kits that have been very popular in classrooms that
regularly do Pokey Pinning.Is that going to be your classroom soon?
FREE
