I always love when I get to review Montessori Services products. It’s even more fun now that I have a granddaughter to help test out the products! My 2-year-old granddaughter, Zoey, and I had lots of fun testing out Montessori Services pouring activities for today’s review.
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Disclosure: I received 4 pouring activities from Montessori Services in order to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and any opinions expressed are my own. This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).
Since I started blogging, I’ve hosted a number of Montessori Services reviews and giveaways. I’ve never been disappointed with the quality of Montessori Services materials. If you read my review posts, you can find out more about some of the Montessori Services materials that are wonderful for schools and homeschools. Parents using Montessori principles at home will also find much to offer through Montessori Services or its partner site, For Small Hands, which specializes in child-size tools and materials for families.
Montessori Services Pouring Activities in This Review
Montessori Services has many pouring activities. This review just covers four of them. They were VERY EASY to assemble … it just took a few minutes to have all four sets ready.
Pouring Rice Activity
From the Montessori Services Online Catalog:
Developed by an experienced Montessori teacher, this color-coded exercise presents pouring grain from one pitcher to another.
Ages 3 and up.
Set includes:
- 2 Small Glass Creamers (G214)
- Medium-Size Tray (T250)
- Rice
- Presentation Suggestions
Rice is a fun pouring material because it can be colored according to the season or holiday. I left it white for today’s activity since it’s starting to snow where many live.
Pouring Water Activity
Description from the Montessori Services online catalog:
Developed by an experienced Montessori teacher, this color-coded exercise presents pouring liquid (water) from one pitcher to another.
Set includes:
- 2 Small Glass Creamers (G214)
- Medium-Size Tray (T250)
- Sponge
- Presentation Suggestions
I typically like to color the water for water-pouring activities, so I colored the water with food coloring.
Pouring Variation 1
Description from the Montessori Services online catalog:
Once children have mastered the basics, give them many opportunities to refine their skills in new ways. Developed by an experienced Montessori teacher, this variation with opaque pitchers presents a unique, isolated challenge.
Set includes:
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- 2 Small Stainless Steel Creamers (G278)
- Clear Acrylic Tray (T500)
- Sponge
- Presentation suggestions
I love these stainless steel creamers … they’re both sturdy and inviting!
Blue Glass Pouring Set
Description from the Montessori Services online catalog: This petite, Depression-era, pressed glass pitcher comes with four matching glasses. The pitcher pours without drips but requires significant control of movement. The pitcher hold 3 oz.; 2″ base x 3¼” high; glasses have 1″ base and are 2″ high. Please note: This set is also available in a pink color. In the photo, I’ve used a Montessori Services medium-size tray, which doesn’t come with the set. I added some blue-colored rice, although I would most often use this for water pouring activities. This very cute, tiny set is sturdier than you might think!
More Impressions of the Montessori Services Pouring Activities … from Zoey and Me
Zoey was captivated by the Montessori Services pouring sets and wanted to work with them all. Two days ago, I presented the pouring rice activity. Zoey loved the activity, although it isn’t the easiest activity for a toddler. Toddlers typically won’t be able to use the exact hand placement shown in the presentation, and there will be much more cleanup of rice kernels needed than with a preschooler. Rather than doing a lot of picking up a few rice kernels using the pincer grasp, toddler rice pouring is more likely to involve sweeping with a whisk broom and dustpan!
That’s alright! It’s a process. 🙂
Yesterday, I presented the basic pouring water activity. Many of our practical life activities are incorporated in our daily life around the house. So I don’t always have a specific material on the shelf even if we’re working on a particular skill. Zoey has had more experience pouring water, so this activity was actually easier for her than pouring rice, even though children in the Montessori sequence are supposed to master pouring rice first. Zoey spent a very long time with this activity! Zoey loved squeezing the sponge to clean up, so watch for an upcoming squeezing a sponge activity!
(UPDATE: Here’s the Montessori Squeezing a Sponge Activity for Toddlers and Preschoolers. The post includes a YouTube video.)
More about the blue glass pouring set: I’ve always loved how the Montessori Services blue glass pouring set looks in photos. It’s just as beautiful in real life! More about the pouring variation 1: The tray with stainless steel containers is meant to be a variation activity, although I think it would make a great first pouring set for a young toddler who might have difficulty handling the glass pitchers. My impressions … as always, I LOVE these Montessori Services products! They’re great for homes or schools, and the trays and pitchers can be used for many activities.
More about Montessori Services Pouring Activities
My Montessori-Inspired Water Pouring and Water-Bead Pouring features Montessori Services pouring materials!
Montessori Services Reviews
For a list of my previous Montessori Services review posts, see my Montessori Services Reviews.
Montessori Services $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway! (The giveaway is now closed.)
I’m excited to host this giveaway of a $50 gift certificate from Montessori Services, one of my very favorite Montessori suppliers for home or school! If you’re from the U.S. or Canada, this is a great time to have fun checking out the amazing online catalog at Montessori Services.
Now for the Giveaway:
What You Will Win: 1 lucky winner in the U.S. or Canada will win a $50 Montessori Services Gift Certificate!
Who is Eligible:
This giveaway is open to anyone 18 and older in the U.S. and Canada. The first entry is mandatory. You must leave a blog post comment telling why you want to win the $50 Montessori Services gift certificate (and be sure to click the green “ENTER” on the Rafflecopter form to let me know you left your blog post comment and to open up the optional entries)!
After you’ve completed your mandatory entry, there are lots of optional entries. You have many chances to win! (Note: For the extra entries, you may count ways of following that you already do. For example, if you previously followed Living Montessori Now on Twitter, you may still count that for your follow Living Montessori Now on Twitter entry!)
It’s easy to enter giveaways with Rafflecopter! Just follow the directions to enter.If you still have questions about the Rafflecopter form, here’s a 52-second video with quick directions for entering through Rafflecopter.
You must complete the Mandatory Entry to qualify for any additional entries. The giveaway closes 9:00pm PST on Friday, November 27. Best of luck! (Note: If you have any problems with the Rafflecopter form, you can sign up on the Rafflecopter form at the Living Montessori Now Facebook page (mobile friendly). Just be sure to leave your blog comment here! Both Rafflecopter forms are the same, so it doesn’t matter which one you sign up on.) a Rafflecopter giveaway
UPDATE:
It’s Saturday morning, November 28. I really appreciated all your comments and the 1,379 entries! A winner has been selected using Random.org through Rafflecopter! The winner of the $50 Gift Certificate for Montessori Services is Faye G! I’m so happy for Faye! (Note: Faye, you have 48 hours to respond to my email, or a new winner will be chosen.) The comment for Faye’s mandatory entry (why she wanted to win the gift certificate) said: “I want to win for niece and nephews.”
Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!
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I like SO many of the products at Montessori Services, but I have my eyes on the Bolt Boards.
I would love a gift certificate to help buy Christmas gifts.
I would like to buy the puzzle of Earth from space.
I am creating a home Montessori program for my 1 year old and my 3 year old. This would help me get some of the starting pieces!
I like Montessori Services labels for every day things. They area good reminder for how to take language outside of books.
I would like to win because I have a 3 year old granddaughter, and I know how successful Montessori activities are.
I love the Sharpening Pencil Activity set! So cute and fun!
My Montessori Services catalog has so many works circled. They are a great source of quality works and ideas. I use their catalogue to get my creative juices flowing when it is time to change the shelves or “follow a child.”
The gift certificate would be used to purchase some of the pouring practice items and size sorting puzzles. Although, the bolt boards would also be a great addition for the kids in my classroom. Homemade activities are nice, but prospective parents look for materials that are commercially made. And heaven knows I need to impress the parents to increase my enrollment. 🙂
I would love to win so I can purchase supplies for our homeschool
I’d love to get a movable alphabet.
Montessori Services offer great options at affordable prices for those who want to do Montessori at home! Thank you for this opportunity!
Love the Peg Loom Weaving for Beginners from Harrisville Designs. I am thinking of getting one for my boys. That and a knitting fork! =)
My one-year-old loves doing things himself and I love natural toys that encourage him play independently. We would love to be able to purchase some materials.
I like the “Can you hear it” book and CD. It looks neat! Thank you !
I really like the hands on materials for language learning.
I would love to put this away for my (not yet born) granddaughter!
I love the quality of the Montessori Services materials we have purchased for our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium. The gift certificate would be great for buying similar materials for our homeschool.
I have a toddler who is obsessed with pouring at the moment and your post got me excited about the pouring materials!
I would love to win this gift certificate as I love doing educational activities with my children and I really see them benefit from it.