Meredith Belany and Susan Zec, teachers at Peres Elementary School, said they made sure to get only the highest quality materials for the "Building Fine Motor Skills for Successful Writing" take home kits. This includes Ticonderoga pencils.

Legos help young students build their "pincher muscles" in both hands Zec said.

It was important to only put quality materials into the kits, such as good watercolor kits, Belany said. "We taught them how to use their paints," she said, which included how to get the colors wet. "Swishy like a fishy in the water."

In order to receive the motor skills kits, parents must attend a parent meeting where the importance of the materials will be explained. Next year, Belany said, she hopes to have more parent meetings so that more journals can be given to the students for independent exploration.

Play-Doh helps young children learn how to roll things Zec said.

Breaking it down:

• 4 sets of Bricks and More Legos $29.99 per set
• 2 Play-Doh Mega Packs $21.99 per set
• 4 sets of the Draw and Write Journal $32.95 per set
• 4 sets of Best Buy Scissors $16.99 per set
• 2 sets of Ticonderoga Pencils $13.49 per set
• 2 Master Class Pack sets of Prang Water Colors $95.25 per set

• Items to be purchased from: Target.com, Blick Art Supply, Lakeshore Learning, Legos.com and Staples.com

"We've been training them to take care of the materials," Belany said. For example, in order to extend the life of watercolor paint kits, paintbrushes should be laid on a sponge and not submerged in water.

Even the bag holding the kit was selected to be durable according to Belany.

Scissors help children build their lateral hand muscles.