Description

Sifting dry ingredients with a strainer or sieve, may appear to be an unnecessary activity, but it serves two purposes. First, it improves the Child’s gross motor muscles, and secondly, it helps develop focus, patience, and concentration.

Features of the Strainer or Sieve

Use the terms, strainer or sieve interchangeably, we don’t mind; just remember to keep one strainer for baking and a separate strainer for playing in the sand-pit!  Made from stainless steel, our strainer or sieve helps develop the young Child’s muscle control and gross motor muscles.

The size of the holes in the sifter, determines which materials will pass through the sifter.  The Guide can plan simple experiments, involving the sifting of different materials.

Objectives of the Strainer or Sieve

• the Child learns how to sift various products, and to understand what happens to each product when it is sifted e.g. flour, sugar and water
• indirectly, they
  • improve gross muscle control
  • hand-eye coordination
  • concentration
• this activity supports the traditional Montessori practical life curriculum

Size of the Strainer or Sieve

29 cm in diameter / (11½”)

Related Products

• Baking 3-part cards
• Soft fruit cutter to slice bananas

Further Reading and Reference Materials

1. Using sieving in the sensory activities, written by the Prairie Girls’ Guide to Montessori
2. Sifting flour by the Ann Arbor Children’s House.com