1. Introduction: Meet the Monster (10 minutes)

Hook: What Does the Gruffalo Look Like?

Educator Talk Track: "Do you remember the story of the little mouse who met a big, scary monster? That’s right, the Gruffalo! Let's look closely at his amazing features. What does the Gruffalo have that helps him look so fierce? (Pause for answers: terrible tusks, orange eyes, a poisonous wart, terrible claws.) Wow! Today, we are going to use our own little fingers—our 'terrible claws'—to build our very own Gruffalo using fun, sticky, and snip-snappy activities!"

Learning Objectives (We Will Be Able To...)

By the end of this adventure, you will be able to:

1. Use your special 'pinchy fingers' (pincer grip) to pick up tiny things.
2. Practice snipping paper with scissors to make spiky shapes.
3. Make a Gruffalo picture or model using careful and controlled hands.

2. Body: Forest Fine Motor Challenges (30 minutes)

Activity 2.1: Terrible Tusks and Poisonous Warts (Pincer Grip Practice)

Skill Focus: Pincer grasp and tool use (tongs/tweezers).

I Do (Model)

Educator Talk Track: "Look at this playdough! It's going to be our Gruffalo body. I need to give him his terrible tusks and that poisonous wart on the end of his nose. Watch how I hold the tweezers. I only use my thumb and pointer finger (demonstrate pincer grip). I squeeze the tweezers open, scoop up a small bead ('wart'), and carefully poke it into the playdough. It takes careful, strong fingers!"

We Do (Guided Practice)

Educator Talk Track: "Now it’s your turn! Let's work together to make a row of tiny ‘spikes’ down the Gruffalo's back. Try holding the tweezers just like I showed you. If the tweezers are too tricky, try using only your two pinchy fingers. Let’s see how many ‘crumbs’ we can put on the Gruffalo without dropping them!" (Provide simple, positive feedback on technique.)

You Do (Independent Practice & Formative Assessment)

The learner continues independently, placing all the small items into the playdough model using the preferred method (tongs or pincer fingers). Observe the grip used. (Assessment Check: Is the learner successfully isolating the index finger and thumb?)

Activity 2.2: Gruffalo Snake (Threading and Bilateral Coordination)

Skill Focus: Hand-eye coordination and threading.

I Do (Model)

Educator Talk Track: "The Gruffalo met a snake in the story! We are going to make a colorful snake trail. I take my pipe cleaner (the 'snake') in one hand, and a piece of cereal in the other. See how I hold the pipe cleaner still, and then carefully push the cereal through the end. It’s like giving the snake a colorful pattern!"

We Do (Guided Practice)

Educator Talk Track: "Let’s try two together. Hold the pipe cleaner steady with one hand—this hand is the 'helper hand.' Now, use your 'working hand' to push the cereal or bead onto the pipe cleaner. Push, push, push! Great job keeping the snake still!"

You Do (Independent Practice)

The learner threads as many beads or cereal pieces onto the pipe cleaner as they can, turning it into a colorful 'snake' or a 'Gruffalo horn.' (Extension: Encourage the learner to make a pattern, e.g., brown, orange, brown, orange.)

Activity 2.3: Spiky Purple Prickles (Snipping and Gluing)

Skill Focus: Scissor skills, controlled cutting, and precise gluing.

I Do (Model)

Educator Talk Track: "The Gruffalo has knobbly knees and turned-out toes, but he also needs sharp purple prickles! I have these long strips of paper. I am going to hold the paper strip in one hand and my scissors in the other. *Snip! Snip! Snip!* I'm only cutting little pieces off the edge. Not all the way through—just little snips to make sharp points."

We Do (Guided Practice)

Educator Talk Track: "Now you try. Remember how we hold the scissors? Thumb in the top hole. Hold the paper carefully. *Snip! Snip!* Just little cuts. Now we use our glue stick. Just a little smudge of glue on the back of your Gruffalo outline, and then we stick our spiky paper on top!"

You Do (Independent Practice)

The learner continues snipping the paper strips to create small 'prickles' and glues them onto a designated area (the back) of their Gruffalo outline or playdough model. (Scaffolding: If the child struggles with cutting, have them only tear the strips into small pieces and glue those instead.)

3. Conclusion: Show and Tell (5 minutes)

Recap and Reflection

Educator Talk Track: "Look at all the amazing things your hands made today! You gave the Gruffalo terrible tusks, you made a colorful snake, and you made sharp purple prickles. Your hands worked so hard! When you use your thumb and pointer finger, you are making your hand muscles strong for writing later on!"

Summative Assessment: Gruffalo Gallery

Have the learner hold up their completed Gruffalo model/crafts (the model with the crumbs, the threaded snake, and the spiked paper). Ask the learner to point to one thing they had to use their 'pinchy fingers' for (e.g., placing the crumbs, holding the thread). This demonstrates mastery of the pincer grip objective.

Extension Activities (For Continuing Practice)

• The Gruffalo Crumble Bake: Have the learner use tongs to transfer small ingredients (like sprinkles or small raisins) into a mixing bowl while baking.
• Gruffalo Footprints: Use a cotton swab (requires fine motor control) dipped in paint to make small 'footprint' dots on a paper path.