Wet Mopping

Wet mopping is a  Montessori practical life activity  in Montessori teachers  training curriculum. When a water spill occurs, invite a child to come by telling them you are going to show them how to mop up the water.

Preparation

1. Walk over to where the mop and the mop bin are located.
2. Hold the bin by the holding the handle with your right hand.
3. Carry the bin over to near the spill.
4. Place the bin on the floor.
5. Go back and carry the mop as you would a broom.
6. Walk over to the spill.
7. Stand so that the spill is in front of you.
8. Place the mop head onto the floor.

Presentation

1. Place your left hand around the mop’s handle with your thumb on the top and your four left fingers wrapped around the handle.
2. Place you right hand under your left, also with your thumb on the top and your four right fingers wrapped around the handle.
3. Move the mop from left to right and then back to the left, each time to the extremities of the spill.
4. Once you have come back to your starting point, move the mop a little further away from you.
5. Step a little closer to the mop.
6. Repeat the mopping movements from left to right and back to left again.
7. Continue these mopping movements until the spill has been mopped up.

Completion

1. If during the mopping movements the mop is too full of water or at the end of the mopping, lift the mop head and place it into the bowllike part of the bin.
2. Position your left hand so your thumb is closet to your body and your four left fingers wrapped around the handle.
3. Place your right hand so you right thumb is closest to your body and your four right fingers wrapped around the handle.
4. Apply a little bit of pressure down onto the mop head.
5. Rotate the handle a little in the counterclockwise direction.
6. Reposition your hands so they are in front of you again and rotate counterclockwise.
7. Continue this until all of the water from the mop has been rung out.
8. Lift the mop and carry it back to where the mop was being stored.
9. Place the mop down in its spot.
10. Lift the bin by holding the handle with your right hand.
11. Carry the bin over to the sink and carefully pour out the water that is inside the bin.
12. Place the bin near the mop in its spot.

Tell the child that the next time there is a water spill, he can mop up the water.

Purpose

Direct: To help the child become more aware of the environment.

Indirect: Building up voluntary movements.

Points of Interests
Seeing the water get soaked up into the mop.

Age
3 years plus