Her Own Little Sink: Self-Care and Washing Up

Alleluia is old enough to wash her hands (including her nails), clean her face, and brush her hair with just a little help.   I set up her own little "sink" in part of my laundry room and gave her the tools she needs to be independent.  It's nice because--even if she's mostly playing in the water--I can fold loads and loads of laundry right next to her!  (This is sold as a Cloth Washing Stand by Lord Equipment.)

Especially after eating peanut butter and honey toast, the mirror comes in handy for checking if she's cleaned off all of the goo.

You can never have too many funnels or buckets, right?

The deep dish pans don't have drains and there's no running water, so I just give her as much as she needs in the large white pitcher.  When she learns to wash clothes and dishes we'll probably fill both pans with water.

This narrow strip of the laundry room is no bigger than 2 x 8 feet.  The dish strainer mounted to the wall is from Ikea, as are the funnels.

She has a doggie nail brush and a ducky one (hand-me-downs from her older sibs).  The ladybug pot scrubber is new and came from TJMaxx.  They sit atop a cheapy clearance wooden shelf from Michael's that was just the right height for a toddler.  Right now there is a sample tile purchased from a home improvement store (back when I thought we'd put "real floors" in the laundry room) on top of the shelf.  The little plastic bowls help her to remember to put the soap and nail brush away.  They came from Target's kitchen department.

This bunny comb and brush set was too cute to pass up!

Tweet

Montessori Lite: Cards and Counters

Normally this work isn't introduced until a child is about 4 (it's 5th in the Number Work Progression), but Alleluia REALLY wanted to work with it--I think she likes the way these materials FEEL--so I gave in.

This is easy and cheap.  Go to Michael's (or Hobby Lobby or any good arts and crafts store) and buy card-sized pieces of wood.  These are for the numerals 1-9 and all you need to do is sand them a little before painting the numbers in red.  For 10 I had to buy one of those little wooden signs that hangs from a door knob (also from Michael's)--you know, those kind that can say "Please do not disturb" or whatever?  This will have to be cut down into a rectangular shape that is roughly twice as wide as the 1-9 cards.  No biggie--it's super thin wood and even good kitchen shears can cut through.  Sand it and paint.

You may want to polyurethane the cards if they will get a lot of use.

Even numbers have two columns of counters.....

...while odd numbers have the last counter in the middle.

For the counters:  you can use anything that is a uniform shape and color, but watch out if you have a child who puts everything in his mouth!  (Usually this work isn't presented until well after the age when this is a problem, but ya never know.  Plus, think about younger siblings or visitors).  I just bought those cheap glass stones you see in the dollar stores and in craft stores.  I've seen people use pebbles, poker chips, acorns--pick something you and your child like to handle.  I store these in a locked "Math" cabinet.

For a container in which to store the counters I used a heavy glass tea light holder.  I like the sound the counters make when you return them to it.  Only problem is, it makes carrying this work on a small tray a little heavy for a toddler.  (Oh, the tray was from Michael's, too, and you've seen this extra big mat before--it was sold as a table runner at Pottery Barn.)

Neat sound!

Rolling up the mat is part of returning the work.

Tweet