Oat Tub Fill

What you need

• rolled oats
• clear plastic tubs, one wide and one narrow
• a small scoop or cup
• a tray

How to do it

1. Pour rolled oats into a shallow tray or bowl.
2. Set out a clear plastic tub and a scoop next to it.
3. Show them how to scoop oats and tip them into the tub.
4. Let them fill, tip out and start again.

Why it matters

Scooping and pouring oats into a tub sharpens the hand control they will need for pouring their own drinks.

What they're learning

wrist control

Tipping the scoop just enough to land oats in the tub builds the wrist control used later for pouring cereal or juice.

hand-eye aim

Lining the scoop up with the tub's opening sharpens the aim they'll use threading laces or posting letters.

early quantity sense

Watching the tub go from empty to full gives them a first feel for more and less, long before they can count.

What to look for

Notice if they start tilting the scoop right at the tub's rim rather than dumping from a height.

A tip

Start with the wide tub, as a narrow one can make it frustrating too soon. Oats are food, so a taste is fine, but stay beside them while they play.

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