We own plenty of Montessori manipulatives.  You know…the little spoons and cups and bowls, all made especially for little hands.  Joseph loves using them.  He loves to scoop beans from bowl to bowl and pour rice from pitcher to pitcher.  He loves the feel of something that is made precisely for his hands.  Something that’s not too big and not too small.  It’s just right. 

It all seemed a little isolated though.  I mean, sure he could scoop beans from bowl to bowl, but I still couldn’t convince him to scoop a spoonful of food into his mouth.  Then we went outside and Joseph opened up his sandbox and climbed in.  He picked up the shovel and started scooping the sand into the back of the toy boat.  Just like that.  And I realized all the practice has paid off…even if for now it’s just in the sandbox.