Tong Transfer

Transfer Activities

Tong transfer activities are a wonderful way to develop fine motor skills, coordination, and concentration. Transfer activities can be introduced to children from the time they are capable of self-feeding. However, transfer activities are also enjoyed by toddler and preschool aged children. For added complexity, try introducing different types of tongs, and chopsticks. Remember to present from left to right to prepare your child for writing and reading. See our instructional video guide and a range of home lessons below to introduce your child to tonging activities.

In our video demonstration, we introduce tong transfer as part of the Practical Life curriculum in Montessori education. The activity helps children refine their ability to grip, control, and release objects using purposeful movement. The educator begins with familiar tools, such as kitchen tongs, and moves on to alternative options like tweezers or chopsticks to increase the difficulty.

This activity can be set up easily using bowls, ice cube trays, or silicone moulds and objects such as pom-poms, large buttons, or soft wooden beads. The goal is to encourage repeated movement and focused attention. Over time, this strengthens the hand muscles used for tasks like pencil grip, scissor use, and other daily activities.

Introducing this activity during calm periods of the day, such as after a snack or before quiet time, can help your child stay focused. It also offers an excellent opportunity to observe their problem-solving approach and persistence with new challenges.

For older children, you may add elements of sorting by colour or size to further extend the experience. This also brings in early mathematical concepts, including categorisation and comparison.

Home Lesson One

1. Locate two containers, such as an ice cube tray and a bowl, or two bowls and a set of tongs
2. Locate a set of objects for transferring such as large beads or other objects that are not a choking hazard
3. Place the objects you are going to transfer into one container on your left
4. Show your child how to transfer one object at a time into the second container, using tongs, in a left to right movement
5. Invite your child to take a turn
6. Return the objects to their original container

You can label each step out loud to help your child follow the sequence and understand the task. Clear, slow demonstrations are key to fostering independence.

Home Lesson Two

1. Extend on this activity by using different types of tongs

Each tool introduces a new level of difficulty. Observe how your child adjusts their grip and technique with each variation.

Home Lesson Three

1. For a further extension use chopsticks and smaller objects

For children confident with tongs, chopsticks are a fun and challenging next step. Start with larger items and progress to smaller ones as your child becomes more skilled.