I left this activity out on a tray for my son to discover on his own time during the day. Sure enough he did and truly enjoyed the activity.
I presented the activity on a tray with one empty bowl, a small spoon and one bowl with peppercorns. Traditional Montessori presentation means having two identical bowls but I couldn’t resist this sweet little star shaped cardboard box I recently purchased from a local arts and crafts store.
I loved using peppercorns because of the sensory experience. My son enjoyed smelling and feeling the peppercorns. Plus they make a nice sound as they drop into the empty container.
Before diving into the activity, I explained what was on the tray and then demonstrated how to spoon the peppercorns from one bowl to the other, then how to place the spoon once the exercise was over. This website gives a very detailed overview (even includes a video) of how to present this activity to a 2-3 year old.
Simple but presentation really matters. This part is easy to forget especially with a 2.5 year old preschooler. Good luck!
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