Home Hunt- Spouts

As I sit here eating breakfast with my three year old on a lazy Sunday morning, we are enjoying cups of tea together with our yogurt and cereal.  My french press is sitting between us, and little girls asks, "Mommy, what's that?" pointing to the spout on the front of the pitcher.

This lead me to an explanation of what a spout is and what it does, and then a search for other items in our kitchen that also have spouts for pouring.  I find practical activities like these to be such great learning opportunities, and a way to incorporated exploration into every day.  It's practical learning with life application all around us.

How about you?  Why don't you go on a spout hunt today?  Search your home for things with spouts. What shapes do they come in?  Triangles?  Circles? Are they for liquids?  Gels? Dry goods?  

Here are some places to start:

Cartons (milk, juice, goldfish crackers boxes, etc)

Boxed dish detergent

Salt container

Coffee Creamer

Measuring cups and spoons

Pitchers

Tea Kettle

Watering Can

Condiments

Soap

Instant rice or potatoes

Spices

For an added activity, perhaps with older children, have them try to pour certain objects (say water, rice, salt) from a container without a spout into a cup with a smaller opening.  Then have them try it again from a container with a spout into the same cup.  See if they can pour more successfully without spilling.  Can they pour the same amount without spilling, just more quickly?  Talk about how spouts help us.