Match Game

I started my Montessori time with lil C again, today. Actually, I dont have much idea on what kind of work to start with a 23month old toddler. Most of the work-play that we learnt during the workshop was for 2.5 years and above.

A week ago, I started lil C with the 1st spooning activity, and activity that is recommended to 2.5 y.o child. Using 'kacang kuda' (not sure what that kind of beans it is in English) and showed him to transfer the beans using the spoon from left to right. In the begining, he was very interested and did the first transfer from L-R well. Then, transferring the beans from R-L, he got confused and used his hand instead.. then continued with lifting the right bowl and pour it into the left one.. hmmmm... Well, his best performance was when the beans spilt onto the tray, lil C go,"O-Oh! Spill! Mama, Spill" and picked them back to the bowl. Such a cute soul. After that 1st activity, I decided that I will only start introducing the rest of the formal activities later.

Currently I am reading an interesting book : Montessori from the Start by Paula Polk Lillard, Lynn Lillard Jessen. I like this book because it suggested the Montessori activities from baby to 3 years old, and the first environment to prepare for Practical Life Excercise is the kitchen. So, today I did the matching game with lil C, using spoons & forks.

Materials : 3 spoons & 3 forks (all of the same brand)

M : Christian, what is this? (Showed him the spoon)
C : Poon
M : Good! (put the spoon on the table and took the other spoon to show lil C) What about this?
C: Poon (This time he answered with more confident after he got the first one correct)
M : Good Job! (placed the spoon together as a group)
What is this, sweetie? (Showing him the fork)
C : Foor (fork)
M : (Give lil C a big smile) and this?
C : Poon (spoon)
M : Smart boy! And what about this ?
C : Foor (fork) More!! (and took the last fork from my hand and placed it where the rest of the forks were.)

Lil C uses the term more if he saw the same item with more quantity, something like when we adults uses numbers for counting. After one presentation to him, he took small plastic spoon, showed to me and said, "Poon" and placed it at the spoons' group! Innocent mind, yet it has great potential in him!

Here's his work!