Preschool: Orange Juicing
“Mmmm. That’s delicious!” exclaimed a very enthusiastic child after taking a sip of his fresh squeezed orange juice. The work was presented at circle that morning. This particular child chose the orange juicing as his first work choice. He approached the work with joy and excitement. First he chose an orange half from the bowl and placed it on the beautiful ceramic juicer. He began to twist the orange. The more he twisted, the more juice he produced. He took the juicer off of the pitcher to reveal his juice and carefully poured it into a cup. With wide eyes, he took a big sip and smiled with delight.
Food preparation is an intriguing part of practical life for young children. For the orange juicing work they use a combination of physical skills: squeezing an orange takes a bit of strength, holding the small handle of the pitcher requires (and will strengthen) the pincer grip and pouring the juice requires being ever so careful. It also provides the opportunity for the child to practice concentration, order and independence. This work has certainly been a hit with many children this week.
