Transferring water from one container to another is a common practical life activity in the Montessori classroom. Luckily, these types of activities are easy to set up at home as well!

Today, prepare an area where your child can practice transferring water from one jar to another using an eyedropper.

When children grasp anything with a two finger pincer grip, whether it’s a knob on a puzzle, a piece of yarn, or in this case an eyedropper handle, it is preparing the hand for writing with a pencil.

For this fine motor practice, you’ll need:

Two small glass jars or ceramic bowls
An eyedropper
Water
Optional: Food dye to color the water

Here’s how to set things up! On a tray or at a low table, place the two jars or bowls. Pour a small amount of water in one, maybe 1-2 tablespoons. If the jars are clear glass, considering dropping a little food dye in to add some interest for your child!

Next, invite your child to join you! Examine the eyedropper together. What do you think it does? Where should you hold it? Is the end part squishy? How does it feel in your hand?

The first time around, show your child how to transfer water from one bowl to the other using the eyedropper. Dip the dropper into the water, squeeze until bubbles appear, then release, allowing the dropper to fill up with water.

Carefully taking the dropper over to the empty bowl, show your child how to squeeze the dropper, safely depositing the water into the empty bowl!

That’s about it. This fine motor task will be fun and interesting for your child, and is perfect for practicing concentration, hand-eye coordination, and graceful movements!

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