Becoming a Montessori parent doesn't have to mean making big or expensive changes to your home or your life. Sometimes just simple changes, tiny ways to increase independence and accessibility in your home. These tiny changes can make such a difference in our toddler's ability to move successfully in the world.
Lately for us, it's a simple tiny watering can that is making all the difference. Teddy is in love with it lately. Filling it up, dumping it out, attempting to water both our house plants and outdoor flowers. The old saying that toddlers plus water equal fun really is true. Any access to water, especially purposeful access is such a great activity for toddlers.
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Reasons to Get Your Toddler A Tiny Watering Can
While any watering can could have the benefits of a toddler having access to water, I love tiny watering cans for a few reasons. One, toddlers are always going to want to fill a watering can all the way to the the top. If the container is too big the watering can will be too heavy for them to purposefully move. While some heaviness might make for some good maximum effort work, if it's too heavy it will be impossible to do anything with it.
Two, limited size means limited mess. That watering can is going to get dumped. Whether you are inside or outside, it's almost a guarantee that your toddler will tip that thing right over. It might be purposeful or it might be an accident, but dumping is a pretty expected way to explore. A smaller container means a smaller amount of water dumped into your house plant, or onto your floor.
Three, repetition is so important for toddlers. It's through repetition that they are harnessing their powers of concentration, and learning. A smaller can allows for more repetition by giving plants a smaller amount of water at one time. This way the poor plant has a chance at not getting overwatered if the process is repeated a couple of times.
Even if you don't have plants, a tiny watering can is a great way to get wet and stay cool this summer. It opens up practical pouring opportunities, it gives opportunities to learn about filling and dumping, about full and empty, about wet and dry. Plus then some opportunities to learn to wiping up spills and cleaning floors. These are all truly the work of toddlerhood!
Have you added a small watering can to your environment? Would you like a post with some choices?
