Folding napkins along the medial

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 contrasting 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 folded 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, holding the top corners between the thumb and index finger and placing it on the chowki so that it remains wrong-side up. Ensure the napkin is flat it by holding the left side still with the side of the left thumb and move the right thumb across the top of the napkin, repeat moving down 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 medial guiding line

1. With your right index finger indicate the guiding line on the napkin
2. Hold the right base corner with the right thumb and index finger, hold the left corner in the same manner
3. Raise the napkin a little, turn it and move slowly towards the opposite edge, keeping it near and parallel to the napkin’s surface
4. Stop when you reach the corners and place the edges over the corresponding edges, one corner at a time
5. Release both hands individually
6. Smooth the fold, placing the right index finger in the centre of the folding edge, then the left index next to it, brush the right finger towards the right corner and the the left to the left corner
7. When each napkin is complete, lift the napkin by the folded edge and place it on the left corner of the table
8. Continue with the rest of the napkins folding each along the guiding lines.

Folding in quarters – the napkin with two medial guiding lines

• Fold the napkin in half as above till point 5
• Indicate the second guiding line, then hold the right top corner with the left thumb and index finger, hold the right base corner in the same manner, with the right hand
• Raise the napkin a little, turn it and move slowly towards the opposite edge, keeping it near and parallel to the napkin’s surface
• Stop when you reach the corners and place the edges over the corresponding edges, one corner at a time

Folding into eighths – the napkin with four medial guiding lines

• Fold the napkin into quarters
• Indicate the third guiding line, then hold the left top corner with the left thumb and index finger, hold the left base corner in the same manner, with the right hand
• Raise the napkin a little, turn it and move slowly towards the opposite edge, keeping it near and parallel to the napkin’s surface
• Stop when you reach the corners and place the edges over the corresponding edges, one corner at a time

Folding about the centre – the napkin with the central dot

• Point to the dot, rather than guiding line, in the centre

1. Hold the right base corner with the right thumb and index finger, hold the left corner in the same manner

• Raise the napkin a little, turn it and move slowly towards the dot, keeping it near and parallel to the napkin’s surface
• Stop when you reach the dot and place the edges over the corresponding edges, one side at a time
• Release both hands individually

1. Hold the right top corner with the right thumb and index finger, hold the left corner in the same manner

• Raise the napkin a little, turn it and move slowly towards the dot, keeping it near and parallel to the napkin’s surface
• Stop when you reach the dot and place the edges over the corresponding edges, one side at a time
• Release both hands individually

1. Hold the right base corner with the right thumb and index finger, hold the left top corner in the same manner

• Raise the napkin a little, turn it and move slowly towards the dot, keeping it near and parallel to the napkin’s surface
• Stop when you reach the dot and place the edges over the corresponding edges, one side at a time
• Release both hands individually

1. Hold the left base corner with the left thumb and index finger, hold the left top corner in the same manner

• Raise the napkin a little, turn it and move slowly towards the dot, keeping it near and parallel to the napkin’s surface
• Stop when you reach the dot and place the edges over the corresponding edges, one side at a time
• Release both hands individually

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