Practical Tuesday: Turkey Baster Activity

Turkey basters are a great first-time activity for 2 1/2 year olds and up. You need a sponge, baster, 2 glasses, food coloring. Give the child 2 glasses, one filled up with water and one empty. Put a couple of drops of food coloring in the water to make it colored. Then show your child how to use the baster by squeezing all the are out, keeping it squeezed and then inserting it into the water. Release it and watch it fill up with water. Then life it out slowly and hold it over the water to wait for the drips, then bring the baster into the empty glass and squeeze the water out. Have your child try to transfer all the water into the empty glass. Then have them transfer it back. Show the child how to clean up any messes with the sponge. It's a fun little activity that works on those pincher muscles, concentrating and coordination. As we progress, we'll do these activities with smaller tools, but start with the larger ones first :)