While searching for something to do on a boring morning at home. I came up with a simple project that was fun and completely free.
Here is what you will need:
something to pour- we used birdseed, rice would work, beans, waterbeads etc.
A container to keep your pouring material in
empty clean jars/ containers in different sizes, shapes and so on
a measuring cup or spoon
funnel to make pouring easier on small containers
a bin to contain it all or a table cloth/ mat something to make clean up easier for you
VARIATION:
Use a marker, rubber band, or washi tape to make a mark on the jar. Ask how many scoops to make it to that point? Then how many more to make it to the top?
We did this project outside. Just because I like doing projects like this outside it could easily be done inside. I had the kids predict how many scoops it would take to reach the top of each jar. These were all jars I had saved from around the house. Some were the same volume containers just in different shapes to fool the kids. We used a 1/2 cup measuring cup to measure and pour. The kids got better about predicting as we went on.
There is real learning going on in this simple, and fun activity. We talked about which bottle they thought would hold the most birdseed and which they thought would hold the least.
So what did they learn? They learned how to measure, how to make comparisons. How to make judgements based on prior knowledge and based on assumptions. They were also developing hand eye coordination all the while.
Have you ever done a similar project with your kids? What did you do and how did it go? Leave a comment I would love to hear about it.
