Dry Pouring With Handles

For ages: 2, 3, 4, 5

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

Materials:

One small tray, two matched pitchers (equal in volume), enough rice to fill one pitcher 3/4 full, 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 pitcher containing rice on the right side.

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

7. Look at material with hands on lap.

8. Extend 3 fingers of dominant hand, grasp handle with three-finger grip.

9. Support spout with subdominant hand, lift, move towards top of empty pitcher. Tilt and pour slowly and carefully.

10. Listen for the last grain of rice to fall.

11. Straighten pitcher, move to position and set down gently, look into empty pitcher.

12. Pick up any spilled rice one at a time using three fingers of dominant hand and place each grain into filled pitcher.

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. Repeat steps 8-14. It is advised to repeat at least one time, but feel free to repeat multiple times if desired.

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

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

18. Slide tray into position on the shelf.

Points of Interest:

Appearance of materials, color and texture of beans, grasping the pitcher by the handle, pouring rice slowly into the center, hearing rice fall into pitcher, seeing one pitcher become full as the other empties, turning the tray.

Control of Error:

• Seeing the tray tilt, seeing pitchers move on the tray, seeing rice on table, tray, or floor, hearing clink of two pitchers hitting each other, pouring material is of contrasting color to the tray

Language:

• Tray, pitcher, spout, handle, rice, empty, full, spill, pour

Variations:

Use different contents for pouring - macaroni, peas, corn, beads, etc., use different pitchers of various textures and colors, use opaque vessels

Extensions:

Use a funnel, strainer, baster, pour from 1 pitcher to 2 smaller pitchers, pour with water, pour from a large container into a smaller one, pouring a drink at the snack table, or lessons that involve pouring such as Handwashing or Making Bubbles.

Comments:

If possible, pitchers should be a matched set. Rice or other materials used for pouring should be pleasing to the eye and of contrasting color to the tumblers or tray.

Make necessary adjustments for a left-handed child. Start with material on the left.