Posting Pens

My first homemade Montessori inspired-posting activity for baby Reagan. Posting items is a common finger-training practice which aids their fine motor and concentration skill. It is the foundation that a children need to learn to be independent (self-feeding with spoon, pouring water into cup, buttoning own clothes etc) and a skill they need before they learn to control a writing tool. Montessori explained that the term "posting" refers to grasping items with their fingers or a tool, and transferring or inserting into another container . It aids in hand-eye coordination and train them to focus until they're able to complete the task.

As I began the journey of home-making learning activities for my boy, I've started to take note of all the used and recycled things around the house that I can use to teach him. My pens posting activity today is made out of an empty milk powder container and a few writing tools like pens, pencils, markers... preferably if they are of different weight and size.

 I cut a hole on the lid of the container and taught baby Reagan how to insert them into the hole. You may increase or decrease the size of the hole, base on your baby's ability to post the pen inside by himself . Each time the pen is dropped into the hole, it made a metal-jingling sound when it hit the bottom of the tin, loud enough to amuse my baby boy.

Reagan attempted to do the activity without my help

We took turns to drop the pen inside the container and did counting together.

After a while, baby Reagan started to look for other items to insert into the hole. I know he is trying to explore and learn about the other different types of items that are able or not able to fit inside the hole. 

 Good learning baby boy, keep it up!