# Learning with Licorice > Kids cut licorice strands into colorful bits with scissors, then lay the bits along printed letters, numbers and shapes. Older kids can also use them for free-form figures, candy sculptures, patterns and counting. It works as fine motor, color and pre-writing practice in one. - URL: https://www.funlittles.com/fine-motor-activities-learning-licorice/ - Ages: 3–6 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: low - Time: prep 20 min, activity 30 min - Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class - Skills: fine-motor, scissor-skills, colors, pre-writing, letters, numbers, shapes, patterns, sequencing, counting - Cautions: food-dye, wheat-gluten, corn, ingestion-risk ## Materials (one batch) - Black licorice strands - Licorice with Starburst filling (red and yellow) - 1 piece Scissors (household) - Printed sheets with basic letters, numbers and shapes (outlines) (household) - 1 piece Large plate or tray for the licorice bits (household) - Math sculptures set-up (e.g. wooden skewers in a base) (optional) - 3 piece Wooden blocks labeled with numbers (optional) ## Substitutions - Instead of filled licorice: Regular licorice (Still fun, but the bits won't stick to each other.) - Instead of filled licorice: Buttons (A reader suggests buttons for the pattern sequences. They are also a choking hazard.) - Instead of scissors: Blunt or safety scissors (Licorice is still easy to cut with them.) ## Safety - An adult supervises all scissor use. Blunt or safety scissors cut licorice easily for kids who are new to scissors. - Small candy bits are a choking hazard for young children. Supervise closely and keep pieces away from toddlers and babies. - This is real candy. If kids will eat any, use clean hands and a clean surface. Otherwise, throw away the pieces after play. - Check the candy package for allergens. Licorice commonly contains wheat flour, corn syrup and artificial colors. ## Before you start - Print out a few basic letters, numbers and shapes as outlines. - Cut the filled licorice into bits ahead of time if the kids won't be doing all the cutting themselves. ## Steps 1. Let kids touch and feel the licorice strands and follow the curves with their fingers. 2. Cut the black licorice strands into bits with scissors, calling out the color names while you cut. 3. Set out the printed letter, number and shape sheets with a plate of licorice bits. 4. Show the right direction to build each letter or number, then let the child lay the bits along the outline. 5. Build numbers the same way. 6. Build shapes, like a triangle, along the printed outlines. 7. Fill a shape with bits of one color, like a red square, to practice shapes and colors. 8. Make your own creative figures and abstract shapes with the bits. 9. Older kids: thread bits onto a math sculpture set-up to make candy sculptures. 10. Line up bits to compare more or less, make patterns, and count bits to match numbered blocks. ## Tips - These licorice bits turned out to be such a great manipulative: wonderfully tactile and very handy for little hands. - Even with blunt scissors they are pretty easy to cut. Just remind little ones to keep their scissors straight. - Licorice with Starburst filling sticks to itself, so the bits connect for building. Regular licorice bits won't stick to each other. - My 3 year old pointed out that they looked like colored pasta. Quick and easy colored pasta for learning activities! - Younger siblings who watch older ones need to feel independent and capable, and short tasks they do all by themselves help. "Hey, I did my own letters and numbers just like sister." - Big kids who think letters and numbers are too babyish can make creative figures and candy sculptures instead. - The pattern sequences work with buttons, too. (from readers) ## The original post by TurkeyMom (2013) Fine Motor Activities : Licorice Learning As a part of our new **candy activities series**, today we are using candy in a few intentional learning activities which also double as heavy [**fine motor activities**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/fine-motor-activities/). We don't do many activities which are specially fine motor activities since all the [**sensory activities**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/sensory-bins/) and [**crafts for kids**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/crafts/) we do have a heavy dose of fine motor element. Following the same concept we found plenty of ways to learn and create with different kinds of licorice. **Materials** - Black Licorice - Licorice with Star burst filling ***Scissors Skills and Color Recognition*** These licorice bits turned out to be such a great manipulative. They are wonderfully tactile and very handy for little hands. My 3 year old spent time touching and feeling them and she even followed the curves on the body of the licorice. I had her practice her scissor skills by simply cutting the black licorice strands. We did not use a safety scissors since she is good with her scissors ( although I need to remind her to keep her scissors straight!) but even with blunt scissors they are pretty easy to cut. We also practiced our [**colors**](https://www.funlittles.com/tag/colors/) by calling out the names while cutting. With a colorful pile of cut up licorice bits we started creating letters and indulged in sensory pre-writing . *[ See our earlier [**sensory writing**](https://www.funlittles.com/sensory-writing/) with cornflour]* My 3 year old is a sensorial learner and adores [**alphabet activities**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/literacy/) and [**math activities**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/math-play/) when introduced as **sensory activities.** ***Pre- writing*** I printed out a few basic letters, numbers and shapes and set out those sheets with the licorice bits with Starburst filling in them. These variation of licorice sticks turned out be very useful since each bit sticks to another and thus creating countless opportunities for building and creating. If you use regular licorice bits it will be still fun except the bits will not stick to each other. My 3 year old pointed out that they looked like colored pasta! Yeah, quick and easy colored pasta for learning activities. We did a few numbers as well. Everytime we do one of these activities I show her the right direction to "build" her letter/number. I feel younger siblings ( after watching their older siblings accomplish these tasks with ease need to feel independent and capable. Having her do these short tasks all by herself seem to take care of those issues. " Hey, I did my own letters and numbers just like sister" seems to be the catch phrase around these parts. They really look like colored pasta. ***Concepts Learning*** A few shapes for good measure! ***Shapes and colors*** ***Creative Fine Motor Play*** The 5 year dropped by and we both created a few abstract shapes. Since making "letters and numbers" are not or big kids she had to a few creative figures by herself ( Why are they in such a hurry to grow up!) We used our math sculptures set up and the 5 year used the licorice bits and created candy sculptures ***Patterns, sequencing and counting*** As you an see they are so many ways to use these little guys in learning. The sky is the limit! Hope you enjoy learning, playing and creating with your children **Thanks for reading** *Stop by these wonderful blogs for their candy activities for the day* [**Candy Corn Counting and Math**](http://www.readingconfetti.com/2013/10/candy-corn-counting-and-math.html) from Reading Confetti [**Spelling with M &M's**](http://inspirationlaboratories.com/spelling-with-mms/) from Inspiration Laboratories **Math games with candy** from Learn Play Imagine [**Candy Train Game**](http://play-trains.com/candy-train-game/) from Play Trains [**Pixi Stix Learning Tray**](http://www.housingaforest.com/pixy-stix-learning-tray/) from Housing A Forest [**SweetTARTS sorting and graphing**](http://mamapapabubba.com/2013/10/09/sweetart-sorting-and-graphing) from Mama.Papa.Bubba [**Free printable flashcards for jelly bean addition**](https://www.mamamiss.com/blog/2013/10/09/jellybean-math/) from Mama Miss