Activity
Practical lifeUse what you own
Finger transferring between two bowls
The first transfer work: moving objects from one bowl to another with the fingers, before a spoon is added.
- Ages
- 2–3 years
- Prep
- No setup
Put this to work this week
A week gives you what to gather, one change at home and one thing to observe. It starts with four short questions.
Readiness signs
Signs to look for, not a checklist to pass.
- Picks up small objects with thumb and finger
- Puts things into containers by choice
- Is past putting everything in the mouth
What to gather
Two small bowls on a tray, and about ten large objects — walnuts, wooden beads, big pasta shells
How to present it
Show it slowly and in silence. Your hands are the lesson.
- 1Set the full bowl on the left and the empty bowl on the right.
- 2Pick up one object with your thumb and first finger, move it across, and let it go. Do this three times without speaking.
- 3Slide the tray to your child and sit back.
What to say — and what to avoid
Say
- One at a time.
- When this bowl is empty you can start again.
Avoid
- Faster
- Not with your whole hand
Control of error
Anything dropped is on the tray, in plain sight, and can be picked up.
What to observe
Take these into the next cycle rather than judging the session.
- Do they take one object at a time?
- Do they finish the bowl?
- Do they start the work again on their own?
Simplify or extend
If it's too hard
Use five larger objects and one bigger bowl.
Once it's mastered
Add a spoon, which is the next work in this family.
Sources and review
Nothing publishes here without a named reviewer and the sources it rests on.
Reviewed by Nicole · August 2026
- The Discovery of the Child — Maria Montessori. Exercises of practical life