Montessori practical life allows for a lot of creativity, using different materials and tools. Those plastic ice cubes that are so popular at parties can provide many methods of meeting those five direct aims of Montessori practical life.
Types of Plastic Ice Cubes for Montessori Practical Life
Plastic ice cubes come in a wide variety of colors and shapes. Shop your local grocery stores, dollar stores, and other major retailers. Use general shapes, such as plastic balls or cubes, for year-round activities. For some holidays, you can find thematically-shaped plastic ice cubes to add a seasonal flair.
Hand Transfer with Plastic Ice Cubes
The advantage of the plastic party ice cubes is some are relatively large in size. These are perfect for small hands to grasp as they embark upon their journey of hand strengthening exercises in Montessori practical life. Start with large activities, simply transferring plastic ice cubes from one bowl to another. Turn the activity into a sorting activity, perhaps by color, by having them transfer the plastic ice cubes from one large bowl to multiple bowls.
To make the hand transfer of plastic ice cubes more appropriate for that pincer grasp, use smaller containers that can only hold one ice cube in a snug fashion. For example, transfer the cubes to small bowls that can only accommodate one cube. Or, try placing them in actual ice cube trays.
Using Tools with Plastic Ice Cubes
These plastic party ice cubes tend to be fairly resilient when being used for tonging and spooning exercises in Montessori practical life. When using tongs, the most appropriate ones are those that can open wide. Some may fit in those tongs that resemble scissors, which is a great way to prepare for later cutting works.
When choosing a spoon, find one that can only accommodate one ice cube at a time. This will require more precision in control. It will also require a longer process of transferring the ice cubes, which will lead to be better concentration.
Another activity similar to using a spoon is using a slotted spoon. Float several plastic party ice cubes in a bowl of water. Use a slotted spoon to get them out of the water, taking time to drain the water. Place them in another bowl of water. Or, place them into an empty bowl to be poured or placed back into the original bowl, using fingers.
Pouring with Plastic Ice Cubes
Children can practice careful pouring from one pitcher to another, by pouring both the water and the plastic party ice cubes. This requires immense control, as the cubes plopping into another pitcher can cause the water to splatter and spill.
Otherwise, use a strainer that fits over the second pitcher when pouring from the first pitcher into the second pitcher. Then, either pour the cubes into the second pitcher, or use fingers to place the cubes into the pitcher, prior to pouring back to the first.
Plastic party ice cubes provide both color and theme to activities in the Montessori practical life area. Use them in hand transfer, with tools, and in pouring exercises, to help children gain control, coordination, concentration, independence, and order.
TLE 101
Andrea Coventry - Andrea Coventry is a Montessori child, now Montessori educator, with 25 years' experience with children, publishing online since 2007.
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