Watering Can Fill
What you need
- a small watering can
- a bowl of water
- a tray
How to do it
- Set the tray down and place the bowl of water and watering can on it.
- Show your toddler how to dip the can and pour it out.
- Let them fill and pour again and again.
- Wipe up any splashes together at the end.
Why it matters
Filling and pouring builds hand strength and steady wrist control they'll use for cups and jugs at the table.
What they're learning
- wrist control
- Tipping the can steadily practises the wrist rotation needed later for pouring their own drinks.
- cause and effect
- Seeing water appear when they tip the can links their action directly to the result.
- focus and patience
- Repeating the fill-and-pour cycle builds the patience needed for later two-step tasks.
What to look for
Watch for them tipping the can with a purposeful turn of the wrist rather than just dumping it.
A tip
Do this over a towel or outside the kitchen door so spills are no bother.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: use a smaller cup instead of the can so it's lighter to lift
Harder: add a second bowl and ask them to pour between the two
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Fine motor activities · Activities for 1 year olds · Toddler activities with a bowl · Toddler activities with a tray · Toddler water activities