Bean Pouring (as opposed to pouring, you know,lunch…)

Kids love to pour things out.  I figured if I gave Bl (15 mo) a pouring activity, he might get all his pouring practice out before he got around to dumping his lunch all over the table.  Didn’t quite work, but he still seemed to really enjoy it.

Here is an easy & fun version for the little ones (although Br(3) took a turn at it as well):

Pouring Beans!

Materials:

– 2 cups (I used 2 double-handled cups, the same size, to make it easy for him to grip & hopefully encourage him to go both directions – work on both brain hemispheres!)

-dried beans (for this first time I used dried lima beans as they were the biggest I found.  larger pieces don’t “stick” as much together, so are easier.  As the Bl gets better at it, we’ll move to smaller things-smaller beans, lentils, rice, salt, water… oh the messes to come :)  )

-tray (the one we used was from The Dollar Store)

bean transferring
Initially, he just wanted to transfer the beans. Hey, good fine motor practice!

I initially put the tray in front of him, with the intent of “modeling” how to pour it from one cup to another.  Before I had a chance, he was already fascinated with just transferring beans one at a time between the cups! Once he seemed to bore of just transferring, I modeled slowly how to lift the cup, then, once it is fully over the other cup, turn it to pour the beans into the cup still on the tray.  I also modeled picking up any beans that spilled & putting them back in the cup.

pouring beans 2

There is a great “control of error”- the lima beans spilling out of the cup on to the metal tray- he could easily & successfully remedy (picking them up and putting them back in the cup). Bl definitely noticed and was interested in picking up those pieces that spilled.  I know Montessori philosophy is big on “self-correcting activities”-  activities where it is obvious to the child when a mistake is made & they can correct it themselves without an external entity having to point it out.

While simple, this activity is great for a number of other reasons.  Pouring activities help build both physical & cognitive skills.  I found this explanation on the value of pouring activities at the site “Simply Montessori” that I liked.  It also helps build skills necessary for independence.  At 15 months, there aren’t a lot of things Bl can do independently yet, but this is an activity that can help build the skills necessary so he can!

 

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The importance of boogeying in the kitchen

I was speaking with one of the Early Childhood Education experts from First 5 of El Dorado County the other day (Kristen Torres, to be specific).  She was telling me she gets asked all the times by busy parents “what is the ONE thing I can do for my children that will make the most difference?”  Kristen’s response “Dance!”

While I am all for getting my “boogey” on, mostly in the kitchen these days, and grabbing whatever kid wanders by first to conscript in, I was a little surprised by her answer.  Kristen went onto explain that “rhythm” is important for a number of developmental steps (at this point I was concerned for my best friend’s son…hope he inherits his mommy’s rhythm!).

Language is rhythmic, walking & running is rhythmic.  By dancing with your children, you are helping to develop their rhythmic awareness in a fun & engaging way (all about play as learning!).  There often happen to be other side benefits: bonding (see my “conscription” above), aerobic exercise, “crossing the midline”- left/right & top/bottom (important for connecting brain hemispheres), vestibular system development (inner ear- important for balance & sensory integration) from our fancy spinning, and if you sing along loudly like me, vocabulary development.*

*on that note, be a little careful of your musical choices.  Like don’t accidentally download the ORIGINAL version of CeeLo’s “Forget You” like my husband did.  Don’t want to develop that kind of vocabulary….

So, grab that kid, crank those tunes (but try not to blow out their developing ear drums…), and get your dance on!  If your husband gives you funny looks when he comes in, pass him a kid and tell him it’s required curriculum: you’re making your kids smarter!  :)

 

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The importance of a balanced diet… (oh, and potty training)

We all know it is important for children to have a healthy, balanced diet for them to reach their full potential, physically & mentally.  Vitamins, minerals, proteins, blah, blah, blah…

I have a skinny kid.  You never would have guessed it when he was a baby.  Br was a “triangle” shaped baby (the pin-head didn’t help…) Once he got mobile, eating fell way down on his priority list.  Personally, we’ve often had to catch ourselves when Br is acting up and consider “when was the last time this little monster kid ate?”  When Br started preschool, we gave them a heads up to watch for that, and remind him to have snack…

With this in mind, Br was having a tough time about when dinner was ready last night.  We’d had a busy day (see the “Plumbing” activity, and some other stuff I haven’t blogged yet), plus I was trying a new tactic on the potty training front.

Potty Training aside:

Br has been great for #1 for probably close to a year, but still struggles for #2.  I’d read the suggestion if the child has an “accident”, to have them clean themselves up & then have them “practice” what they would do if they feel the urge to “go potty” 10 times.  The theory is you provide muscle memory so they are quickly able to respond correctly next time, and, probably most importantly, you make having an “accident” laborious enough they’d rather just go in the potty in the first place.  He found the first 3 times amusing (especially as we tried from a different place in the house or outside each time). After that, he kept suggesting we should only need to do “2 more?” (I guess we do a lot of “2 mores”?).  Turns out it was a prime opportunity to work on counting backwards & subtraction: “Not 2 more. You’ve practiced 3 times, so we have 7 practices left!”, etc.  And we got to do it twice yesterday…

BTW, I think the saddest voice I have ever heard my husband use was when potty training came up when we were out somewhere. He voiced the most pathetic ” I HATE potty training. *sigh*”

So, dinner time:  Br wouldn’t eat much.  We offered “dip” (ketchup).  He tried cajoling, reasoning, veiled threats… nothing was working.  Finally, Br randomly perked up and said he “needed chopsticks”.  I’d assumed eating was a lost cause at this point, so didn’t bother to protest when he ran to the silverware drawer.  Now, we have a number of chopsticks laying around as I am a firm believer if I am eating Chinese food, I must be “authentic” and eat it with chopsticks. ( My husband only eats “Lemon Chicken”, which isn’t authentic at all, and feels no such compulsion.)  Br has tried chopsticks on a few occasions after watching me, with little success.

Br returned to his seat, and my husband tried to get him to spear his chicken with the end of one chopstick. That didn’t work. But then Br tried to use the chopsticks…as chopsticks! And succeeded (mostly…we reloaded the plate from his seat a few times)!

He ate the rest of the chicken on his plate, plus I managed to sneak in a few more green beans by exclaiming over how “I bet those would be tricky! Let’s try that!”, followed by the “wow, can you do it again? Oh, I don’t think Daddy saw.. could you show Daddy how you did that?”

Parental unearned success I am claiming anyways: my kid ate a good, well-balanced (literally!) dinner, and got some fine motor practice in as a bonus.

Once again the power of novelty wins the game….

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