Spooning is a Basic Exercise within the Practical Life area of a Montessori classroom. One of the first lessons introduced in the early childhood classroom, this work further develops focus, concentration, visual and fine motor development.
The spooning work will also help a child master the three-finger grip and thus prepare him for activities outside the Practical Life learning area. This work is fantastic because there is a lot of creativity you can throw into the mix depending on materials available, interests of children, and themes throughout the year.
Children seem to enjoy transfer work, including the sounds, the objects, and the utensil. Plus, children work on their fine motor skills and pre-reading left to write skills.
What is Spooning?
Practical Life Lesson
- Go to the shelf, remove the tray and walk carefully to a table.
- Identify objects on the tray: “This is a bowl with objects in it. This bowl is empty. This is the spoon.”
- “Handle.”
- “Spoon.”
- Place the spoon in the dominant hand, holding out thumb and index finger in L shape and placing the handle in the cradle
- Grasp the neck of the spoon with the ends of the thumb and index finger.
- Turn and lift a spoon to gather beans or beads (from the left bowl).
- Move slowly above the empty bowl on right. Repeat the procedure until all beans have been transferred.
- Check to make sure all objects have been moved from left to right. Repeat, moving objects back to the original bowl.
“A three-year-old educated according to Montessori pedagogy, becomes a master of his hand and undertakes with a joy a variety of human activities. These activities allow him to develop the power of concentration.” ~ Dr. Montessori
Spooning Lesson Variations
I adore this variation sifting shells from grains.
Montessori Services has great Starter Sets available for purchase at a very reasonable price.
Best,
Marnie