“Don’t Cry Over Spilt Milk…Just Learn How To Pour”
- Position your child in a sturdy position.
- Demonstrate pouring the liquids into both a cup and a bowl.
- Give your child a water bottle, which limits the amount of liquid that comes out.
- Have your child practice tilting the water bottle and transferring the liquid into a cup.
- Use hand over hand assistance at first to guide your child through the pouring motion.
- Start with thicker liquids, like yogurt or milk shakes, and then decrease the thickness.
- During play with your child, set up tea parties with dolls and stuffed animals.
- Have your child pour cereal from the box into a bowl and pasta into an empty pot.
- Allow your child to help you prepare meals, pouring ingredients into a bowl.
- Give your child a smaller pitcher with enough liquid to fill a cup.
- Decrease the physical and verbal prompts as your child becomes more confident in pouring.
- Make sure the cup that your child is pouring the liquid into is sturdy, so that the liquid does not spill.
- Give your child instructions, such as hold the pitcher with one hand and the cup with the other. Pour slowly, tip the cup a little.
