In the Montessori preschool
program the classroom is the living room. They work in a
defined area to start and over time develop into a community including high
concentration and few distractions.
The Water Pouring Exercise
This Practical Life workstation is designed for children starting
at about 15 months old. You will want to use dry ingredients to start as
you gauge the child's readiness for liquids in this area.
This exercise will help a preschooler develop:
- Hand to eye coordination
- Concentration
- How to aim for a specified direction
- Overall fine motor skills.
Another skill incorporated with this workstation is learning how
to clean up if spills occur.
Materials You Will Need:
Two small pitchers that are either identical or closely resemble
each other. The small creamer size is perfect for this age group. You can find
them at thrift stores and they can be used for other Practical Life activities
later. You will need water to put in the pitchers, cloth to wipe up spills and
a tray.
How to Conduct Activity
- The child should carry all the materials on the tray to a table you have set up for this specific activity – a place you will not mind if spills occur. Have the child sit in front of the tray and you can sit on either side of her.
- Fill the pitcher on one side with a small amount of the water and show her how to use care when pouring to the second pitcher.
- Demonstrate how to wrap the fingers around the handle and support the pitcher with the other hand.
- Have the child practice pouring the water back and forth between the two pitchers. If there are spills, consider them part of the lesson and instruct your child on how to clean them up.
As a child's skill improves with this activity, you can move to
having her pour her own juice, water or milk for snack. She can then move onto
pouring for others at meal times. You will not believe how important a young
child will feel being given this small piece of responsibility.
You can contact the Montessori
Children’s Center to schedule a tour today.
Get your child started on the right path to ensure she has the development
skills needed to grow physically and mentally.
