Dry Pouring With and Without Handles

For ages: 2, 3, 4, 5

Skills: hand-eye coordination, order, concentration, coordination, independence

Materials:

One small tray, one tumbler without handle, 3/4 full of beans, one matching pitcher, table

Presentation:

1. Invite the child to a lesson on pouring.

2. Walk with the child to the shelf where the material is kept.

3. Slide the tray gently from the shelf using two hands (thumbs on top, fingers on the bottom).

4. Holding tray at waist level, elbows close to the body, carry tray slowly to the table.

5. Set tray down gently with tumbler containing beans on the right side.

6. Pull out chair, sit down, adjust chair appropriately.

7. Look at material with hands on lap.

8. Stretch out hand, grasp tumbler, lift, and move toward empty tumbler.

9. Tilt and pour slowly into empty tumbler. Watch beans as they fall.

10. When empty, straighten tumbler, move back, look into tumbler.

11. Lower gently, place on tray, remove hand.

12. Pick up any spilled beans one at a time using three fingers of dominant hand and place each bean into filled tumbler.

13. Look at material.

14. Grasp both sides of tray with three-finger-grasp and turn tray clockwise 180 degrees using two movements.

15. Look at material.

16. Show three fingers of dominant hand and extend, grasping pitcher by the handle.

17. With subdominant hand, support the pitcher under the spout. Move toward the tumbler, tilt, and pour slowly into center of empty tumbler. Watch the beans fall as you pour.

18. Straighten pitcher, move back, look into empty pitcher, lower gently, replace on tray, and remove hand.

19. Pick up any spilled beans one at a time using three fingers of dominant hand and place each bean into filled tumbler.

20. Look at material.

21. Grasp both sides of tray with three-finger-grasp and turn tray clockwise 180 degrees using two movements.

22. Repeat steps 7-21. It is advised to repeat at least one time, but feel free to repeat multiple times if desired.

23. Push out chair, stand up, push in chair.

24. Grasp tray with both hands, lift from table, raise to waist level and carry slowly to the shelf.

25. Slide tray into position on the shelf.

Points of Interest:

The appearance of the material, color and texture of material being poured, feel of the tumbler, pouring beans slowly into the center, hearing beans fall into pitcher, seeing as the pitcher becomes full and the tumbler become empty, turning the tray, repeating the activity, seeing the spout on the pitcher, seeing and grasping the pitcher by the handle.

Control of Error:

• Seeing the tray tilt, seeing the tumbler and pitcher move on the tray, seeing beans on tray, table, or floor, hearing a clink sound when tumbler and pitcher touch, seeing and feeling pitcher wobble when lifting and pouring, tumbler and pitcher hold equal amounts, pouring material is a contrasting color to the tray and table.

Language:

• Tray, tumbler, beans, empty, full, spill, pour, pitcher, spout, handle

Variations:

Using different contents for pouring, using a variety of different textured and colored tumblers and/or pitchers.

Extensions:

Pouring from one larger vessel to two smaller ones, using a funnel or strainer, spooning and pouring, pouring with water, pouring from a larger container to a smaller one, pouring a drink on the snack table, handwashing lesson

Comments:

If possible pitcher and tumbler should match.

Material being poured should be appealing and of contrasting color to the tray.

Make necessary adjustments for left-handed child.

When grasping the handle, slightly exaggerate the three-finger grasp.