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 :-)

Teaching Volume to Children

Materials:

1. 2 packets of 1 litre of milk of different shapes (Call it Packet A and Packet B)

2. 1 big bowl

3. 1 measuring jar

4. 1 cup (optional)

Directions:

1. Ask him whether he thinks if the two packets contain the same amount of water, or which contain more water.

2. Have your child fill the 2 packets with water to the brim.

3. Have your child pour the water out of Packet A into a measuring jar stopping at a specific mark i.e. 500ml. 

4. Empty the water into the mixing bowl and re-use the measuring jar.

5. Continuing in the same way by pouring the remaining water into the measuring jar, and emptying it, and see how many measuring jars can pour into.

6. Re-peat the same for Packet B.

7. Your child will find that they both contain the same amount of water :-) - They both fill 2 measuring jars of 500 ml.

Additional Information:

J and Daddy were talking. J asked which packets hold more water. J said that the chocolate milk packet on the right. Actually they both contain 1 litre of milk. So Daddy let him try out and find out himself. So Daddy thought of this simple experiment of letting J get a taste of volume.

10 September 2015 (6Y6M5D)

Montessori Activity: Pouring "Chinese Tea" with Adult-Size Teapot

Age: From 3 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.
4. To teach Chinese heritage

Materials:

1. 1 adult size teapot filled with water
2. 1 adult size tea cup
3. 1 tray
4. 1 large towel on the floor as protection

Directions:

1. Demonstrate to your child by pouring the water from the teapot to the cup. Pour back and repeat.

2. Encourage and let your child try it by saying, "Please J, 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.

Additional Information:

J started Montessori activity at 2 years old with plastic toy teapot. He graduated to children's size porcelain jug. Now at 3 years old, he is rather good at pouring, and I now let him practice pouring with real adult size teapot and cup. Don't I not afraid that he would crash the teapot? I let him practice on ground level with a layer of thick towel to cushion any fall. So far, it has been fine.

Drinking tea is a traditional Chinese culture. Through this activity with Chinese and Japanese tea pot and cup, I hope to give him a taste of Chinese culture. So this Montessori activity is every part a heritage education of the Chinese culture and tradition.

I prepared the activity during the weekend and he (2Y11M1D) tried it this evening 6 February 2012 and could do it very well. But then he stopped after 3 minutes and said, "This is not real tea, mommy! This is water!" and asked to play with his toy aeroplane instead! Aarrrggghh... that's how it is like with children. I told him that for now, he should just practice with water.

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.

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: Filling & Emptying Bottle/ Fyldning og Tømning Vand/装与倒水[zhuāng yǔ dào shuǐ]

Age: from 1.5 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 the concept of full and empty

Materials:
1. 2 basins
2. 1 small bottle
3. 1 small towel (to wipe dry the tray)
4. 1 tray

Directions:
1. Demonstrate to your child by filling water into the bottle from the basin and pouring the water out from the bottle into the other basin.
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:
J loves to fill the bottle and empty it at the sink using the tap, which is a waste of water. So I decided to make this activity for him. Can’t wait to try it out tomorrow evening!!!

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.