Mini Pestle and Mortar

Mini Pestle and Mortar

pilon et mortier petits

A mini pestle and mortar, ideal for grinding spices, grains or egg shells in the Practical Life area.

Set up an activity tray with a pestle and mortar a bowl with item to be ground (clean egg shells or dried outumn leaves for example) and an empty container for the ground product.

ELG: Moving and handling: children show good control and co-ordination in large and small movements. They move confidently in a range of ways, safely negotiating space. They handle equipment and tools effectively, including pencils for writing.

These are real objects and have not been designed as toys, please always assess the risks of using these items.

65mm diameter x 40mm

How We Montessori offers a huge range of ideas for a pestle and mortar (see Useful Links tab):

• Nuts to add to icecream or for desserts.
• Garlic to add to pasta sauce or butter (to make garlic butter).
• Egg shells - before placing in compost.
• Nuts and dried spices to make your own Dukkah.
• Ochre (or soft stone), add water and combine to make paint.
• Dried spices, try buying coriander or cumin seeds and have the child grind them and store them, rather than buying ground.
• Dried spices for curry, marinades, dressing, sauces, pastes or seasonings.
• Herbs to go into herb butter.
• Dried lavender to release scent for pillows or scented sachets or to put into play-dough.
• Fresh herbs, to release flavor.
• Chillis to release flavor before going into stir-fry.
• Fresh basil, garlic and pine nuts to add to oil to make pesto.
• Fresh mint before placing in tea or fresh mint tea (served cold).
• Biscuits or graham crackers for desserts, a cheese cake base or pie crust.
• Candy, candy cane or peppermints to make peppermint bark.
• A range of spices or herbs for a sensory tray or provocation.