Montessori Activity: Pouring

Age: From 1 years old

Activity Duration: 5-10 minutes

Preparation Time: 3 minutes

Objective(s): To train the child’s hand-eye coordination skill

Materials:

1. 2 mini jugs (preferably identical)
2. Water (half filled in one of the jug)
3. 1 small towel (to wipe dry the tray)
4. 1 tray (optional)

Directions:

1. Demonstrate to your toddler by pouring the water from one jug into the other slowly and repeat.

2. Encourage and let your child try it.

3. Then demonstrate to your child by wiping the tray dry using the towel.

4. Encourage your child to try wiping.

Video Demonstration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enlFg35MKLU&feature=related

Additional Information:

Baby FECS was playing with her bowl, cup and spoon at meal time a lot. She tried to scoop, pour and transfer, making a big mess with lots of work for clean up after meal time. I decided to let her try this Montessori pouring activity to allow her to pour to her heart content. Hopefully, that will reduce her desire to pour during actual meal time. 

Alas, it wasn't quite a good time, as she was quite thirsty. So instead of pouring, she drank most of the water instead!!! Earlier, she even drank water off the tray, but I wasn't able to capture on video.

This is not exactly following Montessori concept wholesale. I didn't use real glass jugs as advocated by Montessori that I did with J's toddler's years. I think she is too young for it, and thus I am sticking to plastic for now.

https://youtu.be/XUSwZUarBPo

10 July 2017 (1Y1M24D): We tried again today. She still enjoyed this activity very much, and there is some progress with pouring :-)

Montessori Activity: Pouring Water with Adult-Sized Jug/Hælde Vand/倒水 [dào shuǐ]

Age: From 3 years old

Activity Duration: 5-10 minutes

Objective(s): To train the child’s hand-eye coordination skill

Materials:

1. 1 adult-sized jug filled with some water
2. 1 cup
3. 1 tray (optional)

Directions:

1. Demonstrate to your toddler by pouring the water from one jug into the other slowly and repeat.

2. Encourage and let your child try it.

3. Then demonstrate to your child by wiping the tray dry using the towel.

4. Encourage your child to try wiping.

Additional Information:

As mentioned in my other posts, J can't have enough of water play. Today 4 June 2012 (3Y2M30D), he planned his own water-based Montessori-inspired activity. He suggested to me that he wanted to fill the adult size jug with water and pour it into a cup. I allowed him to do so. J started pouring using kid's size jug, when he was 2 years old. The adult size jug was only filled with a little of water, so it wasn't too heavy for him to handle. He poured himself a cup of water, without any spillage. He then drank the water. He repeated this a few times and started pouring water into the sink, as he could not stomach in all the water. He did well for this activity.

Montessori Activity: Self-Service Drinking Water Station for Toddlers

Adapted from Hapalab

Age: From 2.5 years old

Objective(s):

1. To teach independence skills
2. To train eye-hand coordination skills with pouring

Items:

1. 1 water jug filled with drinking water
2. 1 cup
3. 1 small towel for wiping
4. 1 tray

Additional Information:

J drinks only water and he has developed this habit of drinking lots of water during bedtime (ya, right, wish me well when I have to start night diaper-free training!!). I have been getting him cups and cups of water all the time. Today, I thought why not let him pour himself a cup of water to drink? J started Montessori Practical Life pouring lessons when he was two years old, so I think he is ready to have a self-service drinking station now. Time to stop serving the little Emperor :-).

I found a spot in a corner of his bedroom and place this self-service drinking water station on low bedside table, so it is kid's size and very kid's friendly :-) J (2Y4M1D) poured himself the first cup of water this evening. He is good at pouring, but not so good at stopping. I had to stop him from overflowing the water. Ya, I know I should have just let him learn from his mistake, and interupt less. Afterall, I have provided him the wiping towel.

So from this evening onwards, there will be less work for me (hmmm... maybe not yet, I would still probably have to help him with the wiping off the water), and more fun for him, hurray! It sure does get easier, as he grows older and can do more and more things on his own :-)

I intend to introduce another self-service water station in his playroom or near our kitchen soon.

References:

http://hapalab.blogspot.com/2011/02/agua.html

Montessori Activity: Scooping & Pouring Beans/Hælde Bønner/舀豆豆, 倒豆豆[yǎo dòu dòu, dào dòu dòu]

Age: From 2 years old

Activity Duration: 5-15 minutes

Preparation Time: 3 minutes

Objective(s):

1. To train the child’s fine motor skills.
2. To teach listening to the sound of pouring beans.

Materials:

1. 1 medium bowl
2. 1 jug
3. 1 deep spoon
4. 1 tray (optional)

Directions:

1. Demonstrate to your toddler by scooping the beans from the bowl to the jug.

2. Encourage and let your child try it.

3. Demonstrate to your child by pouring the beans from the jug back to the bowl.

4. Encourage and let your child try it.

Additional Information:

J (2Y0M7D) wanted to do more Montessori activity today. During Room Time, he found this exercise I have prepared and put aside and couldn't wait to start. As a result, I didn't manage to do Room Time this morning. I tried to combine Room Time with this activity and the results was spilled beans all over when I returned, because he tried to pour beans from the bowl into the jug, instead of scooping them!!! Also, Joshua stepped out of the room and asked for more black beans twice. He wasn't happy with the amount of beans he had in the bowl. I poured some more black beans from my jar of supply for him twice, and put my feet down for the third time.

In the picture on the top right, J was pointing to his ears, asking me to listen to the sound of pouring beans. This is actually another Montessori game called the silence game. I have not started this game with him yet, but it seems that he is teaching me this game without knowing :-)

Montessori Activity: Pouring Water Into Small Jugs/Hælde Vand/倒水 [dào shuǐ]

Age: From 1.5 years old

Activity Duration: 5-10 minutes

Preparation Time: 3 minutes

Objective(s): To train the child’s hand-eye coordination skill

Materials:

1. 2 mini jugs (preferably identical)
2. Water (half filled in one of the jug)
3. 1 small towel (to wipe dry the tray)
4. 1 tray (optional)

Directions:

1. Demonstrate to your toddler by pouring the water from one jug into the other slowly and repeat.

2. Encourage and let your child try it.

3. Then demonstrate to your child by wiping the tray dry using the towel.

4. Encourage your child to try wiping.

Video Demonstration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enlFg35MKLU&feature=related

Total Cost: 40 DKK for 2 jugs (9.50 SGD)

Additional Information:

The difference between pouring at 1.5 years old and pouring at 2 years old is the size of the jug. Use smaller jugs for the younger kids. I bought the jugs from HW Hjørnet in Lyngby.

Montessori Activity: Pouring "Tea"/Hæld en kop te/倒茶[dào chá]

Age: Generally from 2 years old

Activity Duration: 5-15 minutes

Preparation Time: 3 minutes

Objective(s):

1. To train the child’s hand-eye coordination skill.
2. To teach the child social skills and courtesy.
3. To teach language skills.

Materials:

1. 1 small jug
2. 2 tea cups
3. 2 saucers (optional)
4. Water (3/4 filled in one of the jug)
5. 1 small towel (to wipe dry the tray)
6. 1 tray

Directions:

1. Demonstrate to your child by pouring the water from one jug into the tea cups slowly one at a time and repeat.

2. Encourage and let your child try it by saying, "Please Joshua, could you pour mommy a cup of tea?"

3. Play pretend game and enjoy the "tea" with your child.

4. After the activity, demonstrate to your child by wiping the tray dry using the towel.

5. Encourage your child to try wiping.

Cost:

Total Cost: 7 DKK (1.70 SGD)
2 tea cups and jug (from second-hand market): 5 DKK (1.20 SGD)
2 Saucers from Søstrene Grene: 2 DKK (0.50 SGD) (Christmas present from dad)
Tray: free from Irma Supermarket

Additional Information:

J tried it on 12.3.2011 (24M6D) during potty time this evening. He poured the water overflowing the tea cups a few times, before finally getting better at it :-) Daddy FECS did a good job teaching him :-)

Montessori Activity: Pouring Water Into Bigger Jugs/Hælde Vand/倒水 [dào shuǐ]

Age: Generally from 2 years old (but all children are different, and you can try out some of the activities for younger or older children).

Activity Duration: 5-15 minutes

Preparation Time: 3 minutes

Objective(s): To train the child’s hand-eye coordination skill

Materials:

1. 2 small jugs or cups (preferably of equal size and colour)
2. Water (half filled in one of the jug)
3. 1 small towel (to wipe dry the tray)
4. 1 tray

Directions:

1. Demonstrate to your child by pouring the water from one jug into the other slowly and repeat.
2. Encourage and let your child try it.

3. Then demonstrate to your child by wiping the tray dry using the towel.

4. Encourage your child to try wiping.

Tips:

For working mothers, combine activities by doing this during potty time. In this way, you are not afraid if your toddler will get wet (but usually it would not be wet at all). At the same time, you don't have to worry that so much time is wasted at the potty :-)

Total Cost: 50 DKK for 2 jugs (12 SGD)

Additional Information:

Joshua (24M5D) tried this activity during potty time this evening. It was an instant hit! He wanted to take over the pouring immediately and had great fun for a good 10 minutes I think. I had to stop the activity, as if not it will be too late for his bedtime. I used a timer and told Joshua that he had 2 more minutes and when the timer goes, he would have to get off the potty and into the shower room. It worked. Will definitely try this activity again :-) On hindsight, we should have let him try this activity earlier, but better late than never. I bought the jugs from HW Hjørnet in Lygnby.