Montessori Activity: Bathing Baby Teddy-Bear

Inspired by The Education of Ours

Age: From 2 years old

Activity Duration: 15 minutes

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Objective(s):

1. To teach the child to care for others.
2. To teach the names of body parts.

Materials:

1. Teddy bear or baby doll
2. Wash cloth
3. Small baby bath tub (I use a plastic basket)
4. Water
5. Body shower cream

Directions:

1. Squeeze a bit of shower cream into the bath tub and fill it with water to create bubbles.
2. Put teddy bear into the bath tub.
3. Demonstrate to the child how to bath the teddy bear.
4. Invite the child to try.

Tips:

1. To make it more educational, while your child is washing the teddy bear, ask him to wash his head, hands, legs, ears, etc. so that your child learns to practise the name of the body parts.

2. Alternatively, you choose a part of the teddy bear to wash, and ask your child to name that body part.

Additional Information:

I got to know about this activity from The Education of Ours blog and I have always been wanting to introduce this activity to Joshua, but firstly I don't have a suitable baby doll and secondly I am the type who is a neat freak. I can't stand mess and wet floor, even if it is on the balcony. It did not occur to me that, hey, I could do this in the bathroom, and instead of using a baby doll, I could use the teddy bear!!!

The training teddy bear is getting very dirty, since Joshua brings it along with him everyday and everywhere also to his daycare. He brought it along with us for our vacation to the countryside last week. It is REALLY a high time to wash it.

Before I put the training teddy bear into the washing machine, I thought why not make it into a game? So this evening, I finally introduced this activity, and thus one more activity to cross off my list (I have to admit, I am a die-hard list keeper, and enjoy crossing items off list. It is sometimes not a good thing, as I am always thinking of all the things I have to do, instead of slowing down to enjoy life. I do hope to do better, but it is a real struggle).

J (2Y3M3D) enjoyed showering the teddy bear and playing with water today.

References:

http://educationofours.blogspot.com/2010/07/ultimate-baby-washing.html

2.6.2012 (3Y2M27D) - Giving Patrick a bath