Year 4 started their Forest School sessions this term with some knot work. Working in pairs creating timber hitches to haul heavy logs. This is a really useful skill that will enable them to create different types of shelter, to move heavy objects and to start to make tension lines. It requires clear communication and team work.
Why knot? – The act of tying a knot (whether it be a timber hitch, reef knot or square lashing) involves the ‘practice’ of the following skills:
- Hand-eye coordination to pull at the correct place in the knot, thread the correct end, navigate turns and twists.
- Bilateral coordination to work both hands on the same task (this isn’t an automatic skill).
- Pincer grasp to pinch then hold something securely between the thumb and pointer finger (often supported with activities involving pegs, tongs etc. which leads to correct pencil grip).
- Open thumb web space to make an “O” shaped space between the thumb and pointer finger (did you just make that shape with your hand to see what this one meant?).
- Hand strength development of the small muscles in the hands (as well as the lower and upper arm, the shoulder and the middle back).
All of these are fancy ways of describing how children are using their fingers, hands, muscles and brain in a connected activity. The more co-ordination the children have, the more independent they can be, the more their self esteem can grow.
