Montessori Activity: Opening & Closing Containers with Lids

Age: From 3 years old

Activity Duration: 5 - 15 minutes

Objective(s):

1. To train the child's fine motor skills.
2. To teach colors.
3. To distinguish between sizes
4. Teaching a sense of order

Materials:

1. 1 set of containers with lids of different sizes and colours
2. 1 tray (I am using a lap-table)

Directions:

1. Demonstrate how to open the container, putting the lid on one side and the container on the other side.

2. Then slide close the lid.

3. Encourage your child to try.

Cost:

Set of 8 Containers with lids: 39 DKK (8.50 SGD) from Netto

Additional Information:

I bought this set of containers to serve as inner-boxes for J's bento style lunch box. Before we started to use it, J wanted to play Montessori with it. J could not open those lids when he was two years old at the day care, and I have not used the lids. So today, I let J practiced opening and putting back the lids. At 3 years old, he  (3Y3M18D) could open the lids very well now, but it is still a challenge for him to put back the lids.

Thereafter, we stack the containers from big to small, from small to big. We also divided them into two equal sets (this is a subtle lesson on division Maths concept in a fun way) and Mommy stacked one set and J stacked on set. We competed on speed, and it was very fun for J.

I use the lap-table for this, asking J to put the lids in one of the side compartments and the containers in the other side compartment of the lap table.  I have been very pleased with the lap-table and it is a good tray to be used along with many Montessori activities. We also use it for reading.

Montessori Activity: Sound Cylinders

Idea from How to Raise An Amazing Child The Montessori Way

Age: From 2 years old

Objective(s): To develop the ability to discriminate sounds

Materials:
1. 6 opaque containers in 2 different colours filled in pairs with something that would make a distinct and interesting sound when shaken (I use rice, salt, goji berries. You can also use beans, sand, nuts, etc.)
2. 1 tray
3. 1 mat

Directions:

1. Demonstrate by taking a blue container, shake it and ask your child to find a green container of the same sound.

2. Invite your child to try for the remaining containers.

Additional Information:

Joshua (3Y3M8D) requested to do this today. So I prepared it this evening. He tried this for the first time today, and could match the sound of the containers. He was especially enthusiastic about matching the goji berries as he rewarded himself by eating them after opening the container for verification!

I recycled the vitamin containers. However, I didn't have two sets of different colours, but I use stickers to differentiate the colours.

I will collect more containers to make a set of 12 containers.

References:

http://mymontessorimoments.com/2010/09/21/sound-matching/

Montessori Activities: Opening Sliding Lids

Age: 2.5 years old

Activity Duration: 5 - 15 minutes

Objective(s):

1. To train the child's fine motor skills.

Materials:

1. 1 box with a sliding lid containing some small toys inside (to entice the child to open the box)
2. 1 tray

Directions:

1. Demonstrate by sliding open the lid.
2. Then slide close the lid.
3. Encourage your child to try.

Additional Information:

J (2Y5M16D) tried this activity this morning. He struggled a little, but was very motivated. He could open and close the lids several times successfully.

Montessori Activity: Storage Containers with Screw-On Lids

Age: From 2.5 years old

Materials:

1. 5-6 containers with lids nesting on top of each other containing a fantacolour peg each.
2. 1 set of tweezers (optional, the child can also just use his hands)

Directions:

1. Open the lids by unscrewing and take out the pegs or use a pair of tweezers to take it out.

2. Put everything back and ask your child to repeat.

Additional Information:

J tried this on 2.7.2011 (2Y3M27D) and it was quite a hit. It was quite challenging for him and yet not too impossible. One never knows which activities would be a hit and which would not. Initially, I thought that this activity would not interest him, but it turned out otherwise. I hope to repeat it soon this evening, so that J have a chance to perfect the screwing and picking with tweezers skills.

I kept making the mistake of interrupting his work. I should try to take a step back and allow him to struggle. That is one of my major weaknesses.

Montessori Activity: Screwing & Unscrewing Jars with Lid

Age: From 2 years old

Activity Duration: 5-10 minutes

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Objective(s):

1. To sharpen the child’s sensitivity to sound.
2. To teach the concept of empty and full by shaking the jars respectively through sound.
3. To train fine motor skill by screwing and unscrewing the lids.

Materials:

1. 2 jam or baby food jars with lids, one filled with some dried pasta, beans or plastic pegs
2. 1 tray

Directions:

1. Unscrew the lids and screw it back.

2. Shake the jar with things, bring your hand to your ears and ask your child to listen.

3. Shake the empty jar, bring your hand to your ear and ask your child to listen.

4. Tell him the full jar makes a sound, and the empty jar does not make any sound.

5. Encourage your child to try by shaking both containers and listening to them.

6. Allow your child to play with it himself, unscrewing the lids, pouring the content into the other jar, screwing it and shaking it.

Additional Information:

I still give J iron and vitamin D drops in the morning sometimes (but sometimes vitamin pills). Yesterday, J (2Y3M3D) wanted to unscrew the cap of the bottles himself. He did it all on his own, unscrewed the bottle, dripped the drops into his spoonful of oatmeal (I was holding the spoon), and screwed back the caps tightly. So I realized that he could now screw and unscrew lids.

Taking the cue, I quickly went to set up this game for him to let him practice more screwing and unscrewing lids. He could screw it back, but was not so good in unscrewing it. I think the size of the jars posed a little challenge, compared to the bottles. but it was good practice still.

Montessori Activity: Matching Containers with Lids

Inspired from Montessori Moments

Age: From 2 years old

Activity Duration: 5-15 minutes

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Objectives:

1. To train the child’s fine motor skills.

2. To train hand-eye coordination.

3. To teach about different sizes.

Materials:

1. 3 - 5 plastics or metal containers and bottles with lids

2. 1 Tray

Directions:

1. Demonstrate by taking the lids out of the container one-by-one and then putting the lids back.

2. Hand your child a container, and then hand him the lid.

3. Encourage him to try to put the lid back.

Additional Information:

For younger children, start with one container first, and add more for complexity along the way and let your child try to match the different lids with the respective containers.

J (2Y2M14D) tried this on 20.5.2011, and he managed to match all the lids correctly. He also managed to screw in the cap for the bottles correctly, though it wasn't as easily. Then he wanted me to fill in some water into the bottle.

References:

http://mymontessorimoments.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/little-hands/