Montessori Activity: Pouring & Funneling "Milk"

Age: From 3 years old

Activity Duration: 5 - 15 minutes

Objectives:

1. Fine motor skills
2. Hand-eye coordination
3. To learn and practice how to pour milk in a mess-free environment until the skill is perfected
4. To learn how to open the opening of the milk carton

Materials:

1. 1 milk carton filled with water
2. 1 cup
3. 1 funnel
4. 1 tray
5. 1 cloth for drying

Directions:

1. Show your child how to hold the milk carton to pour out the "milk" into the cup.

2. Show your child how to pour the "milk" back into the carton using the funnel.

3. Show your child how to wipe the spilled "milk".

4. Invite your child to try.

Additional Information:

Part of the morning routine is for J to prepare his own breakfast. He is getting better at pouring his own milk, but occasionally he still spills. This is a way for him to practice pouring milk until the skill is perfected. In this way, I am not afraid of spillage, and he can practice and practice without wasting the real milk.

J (2Y10M27D)  tried this activity today. Initially, he wanted to do something else, following pre-school wise, I have decided that sometimes mommy makes the choice, and I said that this would be his Montessori activity today. Initially he protested, but then he enjoyed practicing so much that he still wanted to continue when the time is up. Here is the point of departure I take from Montessori - totally following the child and giving the child choices. It is alright to give the child choices, but within limits and sometimes mommy knows best.

Montessori Activity: Pouring & Funneling "Milk"

Age: From 2.5 years old

Activity Duration: 5-15 minutes

Preparation Time: 3 minutes

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

Materials:

1. 1 milk packet recyled
2. 1 funnel
3. 1 - 2 cups
4. Water (half filled in one of the jug)
5. 1 small towel (to wipe dry the tray)
6. 1 tray or stand

Directions:

1. Show your child how to pour the "milk" from the packet into the cup.

2. Encourage your child to try.

3. Demonstrate to your child by pouring the water from the cup through the funnel into the milk packet slowly and repeat.

4. Encourage and let your child try it.

Additional Information:

J started to practice pouring water when he was 2 years old, and he is very good at pouring water from jug now. He pours himself water during snack time. However, it is more difficult to pour milk from a packet into a cup and J also got tired of pouring activities, since it is no longer challenging. I recycled the milk packet and let him practice pouring "milk". He (2Y5M22D) did well today. I think I will let him practice a little more, before I allow him to pour himself real milk from the milk packet. This activity costs almost nothing, and brings a lot of fun and self-fulfillment to the child, knowing that he can pour himself a cup of "milk" for himself.