Montessori Monday: Washing Clothes & Walking the Line

Yesterday we took Froggy Boots to one of the parks near our house.  When I was a kid I had my own names for the different parks we went to.  I think when she gets older she will probably call this park Sandbox Park because there is a gigantic sandbox there.

Last time we went to Sandbox Park I came up with the idea to use Froggy Boots' little garden rake to make a "road" around the sandbox for her to walk on -- similar to the Montessori version, "walking the line."  Although she did walk on the "road" once, she wasn't to interested in it at that point.

However, when we returned to Sandbox Park yesterday, she asked me to make a "road" for her.  So, I did!  She walked on the "road" a couple times and then pushed her dump truck on it a few times.  She put quite a bit of effort into staying on the "road."  And, if she moved off of it, she quickly got herself back on track -- or, I guess, on "road."

Oh, and I'll add that when I told Froggy Boots that we were going to the park, she immediately went and put on her pumpkin hat and a necklace out of her play jewelry box and said, "I'm ready!  Let's Go!"  She also picked up her new purse to take with her.

Here are some pictures:

Walking the "road"

Walking the "road" with her truck.

Walking the "road" with her truck.

Yesterday I also made a trip to our local Value World thrift store.  While I was there I picked up a few preemie sized baby clothes for Froggy Boots to use with her baby dolls.  She has been very interested in taking clothes off and on her baby dolls recently.  But, all she had to choose from were some old doll clothes that were mine when I was little.  I thought some used baby clothes would be a cheap solution to this issue.

As an extension I planned a baby clothes washing practical life activity for today.  I'm glad I did!  It was perfect timing.  One of my friends from church happened to deliver her second baby today.  I met her and her husband at the hospital and picked up their little boy to come play at our house for the day until his grandparents arrived to stay with him.

This afternoon after nap and snack time, Froggy Boots, Little K and I headed outside to wash, rinse, and hang baby clothes (and a few dish towels thrown in there as well).  Froggy Boots ended up not being to interested in this activity at first -- she doesn't like bubbles (in water) and there were lots of bubbles in the washing tub.  But, after she watched Little K for a while, she joined in!

Little K really got into this activity!  After I showed him each step, he started right in!  He washed, squeezed and twisted the clothes, rinsed, squeezed and twisted the clothes again, and then hung the clothes on the clothesline with clothes pins like a real expert!

Here are some pictures (I've left Little K's face out of the pictures for privacy):

washing and rinsing tubs

Little K washing doll clothes.

Little K squeezing and twisting.

Little K rinsing doll clothes.

Little K hanging doll clothes on the line with clothespins.

Later, after watching Little K for a while, Foggy Boots joined in the activity.  She picked a baby hat and slowly started dipping it into the rinsing water tub.  She was still not interested in touching the bubbles in the washing tub.  After a while she was putting her hands right into the rinsing tub with the hat.  And, eventually she worked her way up to the washing tub -- bubbles and all!  I was so happy that she decided to give the bubbles a try!

Froggy Boots continued washing and rinsing the same baby hat for the entire time!  And then, when she was done, I helped her to hang the hat on the clothes line with a clothespin.

Froggy Boots gently dipping the hat into the rinse tub.

Froggy Boots dipping the hat into the bubbles!

Froggy Boots once she has become more comfortable with the activity.

The clothes line filled with baby clothes and dish towels!

I was so glad I planned this activity for today!  Little K really enjoyed it!  And, if he had not been here to do the activity with us, Froggy Boots might not have joined in.  Once she saw that Little K was washing the baby clothes in the bubbles, she probably realized that bubbles might not be as scary as she had previously thought.