Think carefully about what you say in every presentation. Practice not only movement but words. Use as few of words as possible. Be clear as possible. Most of your “talking” is in the action itself. And this care will awakening in the child. In showing how careful you are in not letting the pitcher touch the edge of the container, you are showing how much you care for the materials in preserving these from damage. It also gives the child another experience of silence from the disturbing noise which always accompanies harsh or inappropriate treatment of things and others. “Be still and know that I am God.”
Materials
- Rice grains (already placed in a jug)
- another identical empty jug.
Age
2, 3 and 4 years.
Control of error
The noise of dropping grain on the tray.
Presentation
- Place the two jugs apart from each other.
- Place hand carefully on handle and close.
- Support jug with other hand.
- Lift jug up until just above level of other jug.
- Take over to just above the empty jug.
- Pause, then very slowly, tip lip of jug until grain is all poured.
- Return empty jug to tray, set down gently.
- Pick up between finger and thumb each dropped grain and return to full jug.
Indirect aim
The child is gradually gaining control over hand and eye coordinated movement which will be necessary in order to write. When he picks up split grain he is using and exercising the thumb and first finger, which is a preparation for holding a pencil. It also trains the eye to work with minute precision with the fingers. This is very necessary for obtaining neat handwriting.
Later additional exercises
This necessitates walking with a full jug and is an activity to add after the skills from the above are acquired.
Final social applications
When all pouring activities, both with grain and with liquid are complete, then the child may be chosen to pour juice or milk at lunch and break times.
Pouring Rice Into Three Equal Containers
Materials
- Tray
- 3 equal size containers
- jug with a precise quantity of rice to fill exactly all 3 containers
Presentation
Accentuate (by a pause and carefully looking) the movement of pouring and then cessation, when each container is full. Place lip of jug well over container (with marked emphasis) before pouring.
Pouring Rice Into Three Unequal Sized Containers
Materials
- Tray
- 3 unequal small containers
- jug containing more rice than will be needed.
Presentation
Accentuate the care of amounts in each, as the child now has to leave some in the jug and resist overflowing!
Pouring Liquid
The same sequences of presentations but instead of rice use coloured water (vegetable dyes for safety). Leave to repeat as often as wished.
Extra material
- Mopping up sponge on each tray.
Later social application
Pouring milk or juice at morning snack or at lunch.