One of our favorite activities at You're Invited is working
with mortar & pestals!!
We provide the children with bowls of different textures, smells & tastes and the children experiment with their very own "creations." There is so much learning going on with this activity! The friends are experiencing science because they get to determine the mixtures and combinations. Also being developed is their creativity and learning cause and effect. Also, all of their senses are being engaged. This is an easy activity to provide for children and not very expensive once you've invested a small amount into a collection of mortar & pestals and trays.
We found the mortar & pestals on Ebay or at Worlds Fair Market for around $7 each!
The "ingredients" are seasonings from your pantry (or the 99cent store) and we added fresh rosemary, gardenia petals and mint from our own garden.
We also have salt and flour, each each with a koolaid packet mixed in for scent and color. Other great ideas are brown sugar, oatmeal, cornmeal, cocoa, peanuts (watch for allergies), bacon bits (very scentful) and we combine water with a flavored extract in paint cups with droppers!
Notice the mortars are on trays. This is done to give the children their own space and keeps the mess to a minimum!! When a child is done with this activity we either empty their mortar into the trash or back into a bowl for another friend to use.
Mortar & Pestal activites also give children agreat opportunity to develop a sense of their own power when they pound, mush, combine, determine how much and what ingredients they will use for their "creation"
For a list of mortar & pestal ingredients and activity ideas, send me an email at
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