When I was completing my training for my Montessori certification, one of the instructors mentioned this work as an easy one to do in the beginning of the school year to help new students feel comfortable and become engaged in the classroom.  I quickly tried it out, and it was a hit in the classroom and at home!

I bought a roll of contact paper and hung it with the sticky side up on L’s easel.  If you don’t have an easel, this could easily be done by hanging it on a wall.  I filled the easel tray with ripped up scraps of tissue paper and construction paper, then showed her how to press a piece of paper onto the sticky contact paper.  This is an easily-prepared work that will occupy L for a large amount of time.  Picking up the small pieces of paper promotes fine motor skills, and the sticky surface of the contact paper is a sensorial experience.  The repetitive motions involved build focus and concentration.