Folding napkins along the diagonal

Material Description:

These napkins are made from a durable, good quality cotton, (casement fabric) in plain, light colours.  The napkin measures 28 cm² when washed and hemmed.  The only design should be a running stitch or line made in contracting colour to be a guiding line for the folds, visible on both sides of the napkin. There are two rays of napkins, one for folds along the median and another for diagonal folds.  Two chowkis or a working mat will be needed to spread out the napkins and to give space for more to be folded, two sitting mats will be needed, one to sit on and one to place the tray on.  Check that all five napkins are in order and wrong-side facing up before beginning this activity.

Presentation:

• Take a napkin from the tray and place it on the chowki, unfold it and flatten it by holding the left side with the side of the left thumb and dragging the side of the right thumb across the bottom of the napkin
• Repeat above action further up the napkin, with some overlap
• Repeat until the whole napkin has been straightened

Folding in half – the napkin with the diagonal guiding line

1. With your right index finger indicate the guiding line on the napkin
2. Hold the base right corner with the thumb and index finger
3. Raise the napkin a little, turn it and move slowly towards the opposite corner keeping it near and parallel to the napkin’s surface
4. Stop when you reach the opposite corner and place the held corner on top of it
5. Release the index finger and thumb
6. When each napkin is complete, lift the napkin by the folded edge and place it on the left corner of the table
7. Continue with the rest of the napkins folding each along the guiding lines.

Folding in quarters – the napkin with two diagonal guiding lines

• As above till point 5
• Hold the base left corner with the thumb and index finger
• Raise the napkin a little, turn it and move slowly towards the top right corner, keeping it near and parallel to the napkin’s surface
• Stop when you reach the corner and place the held corner down on top of it
• Release the index finger and thumb

Folding into eighths – the napkin with four diagonal guiding lines

• Fold the napkin into quarters
• Hold the top left corner with the thumb and index finger
• Raise the napkin a little, turn it and move slowly towards the top right corner, keeping it near and parallel to the napkin’s surface
• Stop when you reach the corner and place the held corner down on top of it
• Release the index finger and thumb

Folding about the centre – the napkin with the diamond shape

• Smooth all the crease from the unfolded napkin
• With your right index finger indicate the guiding lines on the napkin
• Hold the base right corner with the thumb and index finger
• Raise the napkin a little, turn it and move slowly towards the centre, keeping it near and parallel to the napkin’s surface
• Stop when you reach the centre and place the point near to but not covering the centre, show how the reverse guiding line can be seen
• Repeat, one corner at a time at the base left corner and continue in a clockwise direction

Completing

• The plain napkin is for the child to fold in anyway, one which has been demonstrated or one of her own
• When the child has finished show her how to unfold each napkin neatly and replace it in the tray, in reverse order, wrong-side up

Points of Interest:

• Folding along the dividing line
• Placing the corners one over the other one at a time
• The clockwise directions a movement preparing for writing later, dividing fabric into halves and quarters prepares the mathematical brain.

Purpose:

• Co-ordination of Movement
• Independence
• Concentration
• Social Adaptation

Age at Presentation:

Two and a half years

Footnote:

This activity follows carrying folded cloths