Kitchen Pouring Station
A tray, a small pitcher and a few cups. Pour, spill, wipe, pour again.
- Ages
- 18 mo–4 yrs
- Play
- 15–30 min
- Prep
- 3 min
- Mess
- some
- Energy
- calm
- Where
- at the table
You’ll need
Things you probably have at home.
- cups and a measuring cup with a spoutGet it on Amazon
- a tray with a rimGet it on Amazon
- water or dry rice
Optional
- a sponge and a towelGet it on Amazon
- a funnelGet it on Amazon
- a drop of food coloringGet it on Amazon
How to play
Before you start: Put a tray on a towel. Set out a measuring cup with a spout and three small cups. Fill the measuring cup a third full.
Pour slowly into one cup while they watch. Stop before it overflows.
Hand them the measuring cup and let them pour.
When it spills, hand them the sponge. Wiping up is part of the activity.
Pour back from the small cups into the big one.
Add a funnel and a narrow bottle once pouring into cups is easy.
What it helps with
Keep it safe
- Stay within reach with water. If using rice with under-3s, keep it out of mouths.
Make it different next time
- Use dry rice instead of water for less mess.
- Color the water and pour from a red cup into a blue one.
Cleanup: Tip the water down the sink and leave the tray to dry.
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- water
- a tub or big bowl
- a strainer, cups or a slotted spoon
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Muffin Tin Drop
10–25 min 12 mo–3 yrs Low mess- a muffin tin or ice tray
- large objects to drop in