Charlotte’s current favorite activity, or work as Montessori would call it, while the kids have their lessons is one that has engaged all three of my kids. I’m not sure what to call it, as it’s a DIY work and doesn’t really have a name, but it’s the perfect Montessori activity for practicing fine motor skills with a child 18 months to 2 years.
For my kiddos this has been the window that they’ve found this activity most engaging. With the different variations, it’s easy to keep them interested as they perfect their pincer grasp and work those fine motor skills in their hands.
The best part is that this fine motor skills work is so easy to DIY. All you need is an empty spice jar, the type that has a lid with holes, a bowl, and some skinny beads. I got these a few years ago, though the strand I found in the store was multi-colored.
The work itself is simple enough- the child opens the lid (great for helping them practice with a flip top), and then shakes the beads out of the jar into the bowl. Then they put the beads in through the holes. You’ll be surprised how many times in a row your child will repeat this process with the utmost concentration.
This bead and bowl combo has been the best variation I’ve found so far because it is very versatile- I swap out the bowl every month or so and switch the colors of the beads. Right now you see that we have yellows and oranges in keeping with our fall theme, but in another month, I’ll switch to red and green for Christmas and then blue and white for the rest of the winter. It keeps the work new and exciting, keeping Charlotte coming back time and time again..
That being said, there are a couple of variations that are worth mentioning.
A parmesan cheese container and a handful of q-tips will be just the right size for a younger child with less dexterity.
And a spice jar with tinier holes combined with toothpicks is perfect for an older child with more dexterity but who is still interested in this type of activity.
Here’s a quick little video of Charlotte working with her jar of beads this morning.