Category:Pouring

POURING

This activity:
 * Develops control of movement, especially the muscles involved in pouring
 * Eye hand coordination
 * Builds exact muscular control by teaching the child to pour in the correct manner
 * Develops small finger muscles
 * Increases independence

You will need:
 * 2 small pitchers (one with a bit of rice or beans)
 * tray
 * napkin on tray
 * Other pourable items in your kitchen—corn, peas, beans
 * Oilcloth for table top


 * Point to the various objects and parts and name them for the child ("pitcher", "handle", "spout", etc.)
 * Pour left to right (in preparation for reading). Grasp pitcher firmly between thumb and first two fingers, and center the pitcher you are pouring over the pitcher being poured into. Demonstrate and ask, “Would you like to try this activity?”
 * When child spills rice or beans, show them how to pick it up with the thumb and forefinger. This is indirect preparation for grasping a pencil for writing. It strengthens the fine motor muscles in the fingers. The control of error is that when done incorrectly, spills are the result.
 * Corn makes a particularly interesting noise when poured from pitchers. It is interesting for a child to listen to the sound of the corn as it is being poured, as you can actually hear when it spills.
 * Pouring may be done bowl to bowl, cup to cup, or pitcher to pitcher.

POUR WATER

A more advanced stage would be to show the child how to pour water. On a clear pitcher, put a piece of tape to show the level the child should fill it up from the sink.

You will need:
 * 2 clear pitchers, tray, sponge
 * Always keep a sponge handy on the tray in case a child should spill anything.

After mastering all the pouring exercises, you can introduce them to the concept of scooping (spooning).