Water Scoop and Transfer – A Toddler Activity

Quick and Easy: Try this Water Scoop and Transfer

Life skills are one of my favorites to teach young toddlers. When you think about it, these are truly the skills that they will use for the rest of their lives so it’s kind of unbelievable to have the chance to teach someone those skills. This water scoop and transfer is a fun one!

RELATED: Curious how I teach my kids each day? What are they learning? You can see it in my homeschool preschool program.

Wait. What are “life skills”?

“Life skills” is the fun way to say “a skill your child will need throughout their life”. This isn’t something like the ABCs – that’s a literacy skill. These are skills like pouring, measuring, folding, cutting, etc.

Skills they will always need.

It is SO IMPORTANT to teach life skills in the toddler and preschool years.

It’s way more important than learning their ABCs and 123s at this age. Kids can (and will) learn those skills at any age – sometimes not until age 7. But life skills, like how to pour their own beverage, the foundation for that ability needs to be taught early.

How is scooping a life skill?

Think of how many times in your life you are asked to “scoop and transfer” something.

Measuring flour, moving food from dish to plate, carrying leaves to a garbage can…

This isn’t something I’m making up – I promise!

Scooping and transfering is a real skill and it’s a simple one to begin teaching to young toddlers. My son is 25 months old here.

What’s the set up for this water scoop and transfer?

It couldn’t be easier! Just run to the bathroom and grab some of your favorite bath toys. I like using bath toys because then I know for sure they float.

RELATED: Here’s a list of some of my favorite bath toys!

1. You need TWO containers for this. One will have water and the other will not. I did this using two storage container – the large one is empty, the smaller is filled with water.
2. Put the bath toys into the water filled container.
3. Add in a slotted spoon.

Make sure to model first!

Don’t forget to model a life skills activity first.

It’s easy to think “So simple! They’ll know just what to do!” But that’s because we have years of experience with this life skill.

This is brand new to them.

Model and explain aloud how to scoop the toys and transfer them to the empty container.

So many motor skills at play!

This activity is great for hand-eye coordination, grip strength, and crossing the mid-line (meaning they have to reach).

Are there other scoop and transfer activities?

YES THERE ARE!

Here are some of my favorites:

• Beans Scoop and Transfer
• Rice Scoop and Transfer
• Water Beads Scoop and Transfer
• Scoop and Pour Activity
• Balls Scoop and Transfer

It’s such a joy and privilege to introduce these life long skills to toddlers – making it fun with an activity is the icing on the cake!

Will you try this water scoop and transfer activity?