Montessori Activity: Using Rolling-Pin

Age: From 2.5 years old

Activity Duration: 5 - 15 minutes

Materials:

1. 1 kid's size rolling pin (from IKEA)
2. some play dough
3. 1 flat tray
4. knife for cutting dough (optional, but start without it first)

Directions:

1. Demonstrate to your child how to prepare the dough for rolling and how to use the rolling pin.
2. Encourage your child to try.

Additional Information:

We have a play dough set consisting of various different tools and dough. However, I kept making the mistake of letting him have free play. It was too overwhelming for J and for me - when I have to do the clean up!!! J only played by jumping from one tool to the other, and he never touched the rolling-pin. It was free, but empty play. Not much skill was worked on, except the skill of jumping from one activity to the other, and making a big mess in the process of it! (Unfortunately most daycares focuse on free empty play, because it is easier for the teachers - they can just sit there and be children-watchers - literally. That is why it is so important for parents to take an involved effort to be steering the young child's education. And even then, as you can see, I am making mistakes. Blessed are the children (and parents) whose parents who can devote time in the modern world to personally see to the growth of their children, but it is of course, not easy - because it is not an easy choice to make in today's materialistic world. Many children grow up with nannies and daycare nowadays. It is hard hard work, but I count myself very blessed to be able to do all these hard work myself.)

So finally today 20 October 2011 I singled out the rolling pin for him (2Y9M15D) to practice. That's the beauty and simplicity of the Montessori concept on a tray - making it easy and simple for the child by isolating a single skill development and adding the complexity to suit the child. It is making tackling the big elephant in a more manageable and less chaotic manner, thus, less confusing for the child and aid logical thinking. J had a great fun at it concentrating on rolling the dough. It seemed that he knew how to do it from the daycare, when the teachers bake bread.