Being at home full time has meant that Havvie and I are doing a lot more practical life than we did before. Having tools that are appropriately sized and safe for Havvie to use, is crucial to making practical life activities a success.
Here are our 5 most used child sized tools.
Cleaning set
We have this great 4 piece cleaning set which contains a broom, dustpan and brush and a mop from Santoys to clean up all spills. The broom gets used daily even if it’s just to do a dance with.
Child sized jug
We’ve had this jug for well over a year and it has served us well. It’s particularly useful as it’s clear glass so Havvie can see how much water is in the jug when she’s pouring. We’ve used it for pouring drinking water, watering our plants and for pouring ingredients when we cook.
Toothbrush and toothpaste
We use the Jack and Jill toothbrush and toothpaste for Havvie. It’s eco-friendly and child sized. The toothpaste in particular is great because it satisfies the need for opening and closing things as well as the need to squeeze without a whole lot of toothpaste coming out. Havvie got the hang of using both of these at around 24 months. I of course still help with brushing to get to all the hard-to-reach spots.
Hand towel
It’s not the most exciting tool but it has been so helpful in fostering independence. I’ve repurposed this oven mitt as a towel for drying hands in our kitchen as it has terry towelling on the inside of the pocket. It’s hung on a low hook so Havvie can take it off and put it back on again. Havvie uses this at least 3 times a day and is always very enthusiastic about it.
Dinnerware
I have a kitchen drawer that’s really low to the ground dedicated to Havvie’s dinnerware. We have child sized plates, bowls and cutlery stored away for her use. When she’s hungry or knows it’s mealtime, she pulls out the dinnerware and cutlery she thinks she will need. She also helps with unloading the dishwasher and putting her dinnerware away independently.
