Arranging Feathers

Sweet Pea is 28 months old.

From: I thought this simple feather arranging activity from My Montessori Journey would be fun for Sweet Pea.

Materials:

• Feathers.
• Small jar or bud vase.
• Marbles or glass gems to hold the feathers steady (optional).
• Tray (optional).

Procedure:

• Spread several feathers out on a tray and place the vase next to them.
• Sit next to your tot and show them the tray.
• Move your hand slowly over the feathers and then select one as you say something like, “Oh, I think I’d like to use this blue feather.”
• Put your selected feather in the vase and then ask your tot to help you select a different feather.
• Let them pick out a feather and put it in the jar as you discuss it’s characteristics.
• Letting your tot select and arrange feathers until the vase is full.
• Ask them if they want to put the vase on display or if they want to repeat the activity and then proceed accordingly.

Observations: Sweet Pea really enjoyed this.  She had never worked with feathers before so they fascinated her.  It was especially cute because she kept trying to smell them as though they were flowers.

I tried directing her a little bit to just put feathers of a specific color in the vase, but this did not go over well.  She definitely wanted to work without any interference from me.

Notes from the Trenches: Next time I do this, I will use a wider mouthed jar and the marbles as suggested in the post from My Montessori Journey.  Sweet Pea liked putting the feathers in the jar, but couldn’t really do as much “arranging” as I would have liked.

Rating: 3 Stars * (Fun, Easy, Independent)