Fine Motor Mats Pom Poms: St. Patrick’s Day
Recommended Grade Level:
Type of Resource: PDF
Number of Pages: 24
Coordinating Activities
St. Patrick’s Day Pom Pom Mats
- 10 color mats. Each one has a pom pom picture with a circle for every pom pom, a “Trace the word” line with the picture word and a “What has the same beginning sound?” row with three small pictures.
- 10 black-and-white mats with the same pictures, words and beginning sound choices.
- Pictures: flag, hat, clover, coin, horseshoe, gold, end of the rainbow, pot of gold, rainbow and leprechaun.
24 pages in all. Laminate the mats so kids can trace the words and circle answers with a dry-erase marker.
Required Materials
- Small craft pom poms in the colors shown on the mats
- Tongs, tweezers or clothespins (optional, for extra fine motor work)
- Laminator or sheet protectors
- Dry-erase marker for tracing words and circling the matching picture
- Paper, printer and ink
Standards for Beginning Sounds, Writing and Fine Motor Skills
These St. Patrick’s Day pom pom mats support early standards for hearing beginning sounds, forming letters and using small hand muscles with control.
Common Core State Standards: English Language Arts
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.2: Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables and sounds (phonemes). Kids find the picture that starts with the same sound as the clover, rainbow and leprechaun.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.1.A: Print many upper- and lowercase letters. Kids trace each picture word letter by letter.
Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines
- PK4.III.B.7: Child identifies alliterative words with pictorial support. Kids match pictures that share a beginning sound.
- PK4.IV.C.2: Child progresses from scribbles and mock letters to forming letters and letter strings. Tracing the picture words gives kids letter-forming practice.
- PK4.IX.B.1: Child shows control of tasks that require small-muscle strength and control. Picking up and placing small pom poms builds finger strength.
- PK4.IX.B.2: Child shows increasing control of tasks that require eye-hand coordination. Kids place each pom pom inside its circle.
Virginia English Standards of Learning
- K.FFR.2.C: Isolate the initial sound in one-syllable words. Kids listen for the first sound of the picture word and find a match.
These St. Patrick’s Day pom pom mats help preschool and kindergarten kids fill rainbows, clovers and pots of gold with pom poms while practicing beginning sounds, word tracing and fine motor skills.
Green pom poms for the clover, gold for the coins and every color for the rainbow… these March mats use the whole pom pom bin.
Each mat shows a picture made of circles. Kids place a pom pom on every circle, trace the picture word and find the picture that starts with the same sound.
There’s a color version and a black-and-white version of each mat. Start with color, then let kids design their own rainbow on the black-and-white mats.
Gold, coin and clover all sound alike at first to little ears. Saying them slowly and listening for the first sound helps kids notice that /g/ and /k/ are different.
The rainbow and the end of the rainbow make a fun pair. Kids can fill both, line them up and talk about where a leprechaun might hide his gold.
The 10 St. Patrick’s Day Pictures
Kids fill and trace all of these:
- Flag
- Hat
- Clover
- Coin
- Horseshoe
- Gold
- End of the rainbow
- Pot of gold
- Rainbow
- Leprechaun
How to Use St. Patrick’s Day Pom Pom Mats
- Choose a mat and set out the pom pom colors.
- Fill each circle with a matching pom pom.
- Trace the word and circle the picture with the same beginning sound.
Small Group: Fill the rainbow together and name each color. Then play the beginning sound game with “rainbow.”
Independent Practice: Add the mats to a March center with a cup of green and gold pom poms.
Tips for Smooth Pom Pom Time
- Sort pom poms into rainbow order in a muffin tin.
- Laminate the mats so tracing and circling wipe clean.
- Use gold or yellow pom poms for the coins and pot of gold.
Easy Ways to Differentiate These St. Patrick’s Day Pom Pom Mats
A few small changes help every child succeed with these mats. Pick the ideas that fit each learner.
For Children Who Need More Support:
- Start with the coin or the hat. Smaller pictures have fewer circles. Kids finish quickly and feel ready for the bigger rainbow.
- Let kids use their fingers before trying tongs. Fingers are easier to control. Kids can learn how the mats work before adding a tool.
- Say the picture word slowly and tap the first sound. Tapping gives the sound a beat kids can feel as well as hear.
- Use the color mats first. The colored circles show where each pom pom goes. Matching is easy, which lets kids focus on their hands.
For On-Level Practice:
- Fill the clover and trace the word. Then find the /k/ match. Clover and coin both start with /k/, which is a fun surprise for kids.
- Compare the gold and the pot of gold mats. Which one needs more pom poms? Comparing amounts gives kids a reason to count and talk about math.
- Name each color as you fill the rainbow. Saying the colors in order builds color words and gives kids a pattern to follow.
For an Extra Challenge:
- Design your own rainbow on the black-and-white mat. Kids choose the colors and the order. Planning a rainbow before filling it adds sequencing to fine motor time.
- Use tweezers for the leprechaun’s pom poms. Tweezers need a careful pinch between the thumb and pointer finger. That is the same grip kids use to hold a pencil. Every pom pom builds handwriting control.
- Name a new March word for each beginning sound. Without the choice pictures to lean on, kids show they can hear the sound on their own.
For Speech, OT, ELL or Special Education Support:
- OT: Squeeze the tongs with the non-dominant hand for a few pom poms. Using the other hand builds strength on both sides of the body.
- Speech: Practice /r/ with rainbow and /l/ with leprechaun. Say the word right after filling each picture. The finished picture gives a natural reason to say it.
- ELL: Name each color in the rainbow together as you fill it. A rainbow puts all the color words in one place. Kids hear and say them again and again.
- Special education: Sort the pom poms by color into small cups before starting. When each color has its own place, the right pom pom is easy to find. Kids can put their energy into filling the picture.
Perfect For
- March fine motor centers
- St. Patrick’s Day stations
- OT sessions
- Homeschool holiday learning
- Beginning sound practice
