Tasting Bottles

 Materials:

  • 4 pairs of bottles with droppers

  • 1 pair saline solution (salt)

  • 1 pair sweet solution (sugar or honey)

  • 1 pair sour solution (lemon or lime)

  • 1 pair bitter solution (cream of tartar, strong tea, grapefruit rind)

  • Small pitcher

  • Two small, distinct glasses, a spoon, and a napkin on a tray

  • Extra glasses, spoons, and napkins for the guide

  • A box, basket, or tray for the bottles

Purposes: To realize there are four fundamental tastes

Age: 3 ½ and up

Preparation: 

  • The child has worked with sensorial pairing exercises

  • How to Use a Dropper as a preliminary exercise

Presentation: Pairing

Introduction: Greatest Contrasts

*Note: Start with the sweet pair, this tends to be exciting for the child.

  • Invite the child for a lesson on the Tasting Bottles.

  • Show them how to carry the box with both hands, return it to the shelf, and have them carry it to a table. Return for the rest of the materials, both bringing them to the table.

  • Place the trays in front of the child and the guide.  Have the child fill the pitcher with drinking water.  

  • Move cups above the tray and fill them with water. Invite the child to pour water into their cups.

  • Move one set of bottles down the right edge of the table.

  • Place a bottle in front of the child. Open bottle, pick up the spoon, drop 3 drops into spoon, replace dropper, and taste.

  • Rinse the spoon in a rinsing cup and place it on the tray.

  • Take a sip of water from the drinking water. 

  • Invite the child to do the same and then move the bottle to the left edge of the table.

  • Repeat for the rest.

Pairing

  • Take out the other set of bottles and place them down the right edge of the table.  Select a bottle from the left and place it in front of the child.  Select a bottle from the right and place it by the base. 

  • Taste the first bottle, rinse the spoon (do not sip water), taste the other bottle, rinse the spoon, and take a sip of water.

    • If they are the same, place them together in front of the tray.

    • If they are different, place the bottle on the right in the discard area beside the tray.

  • Select another bottle from the left and repeat the process until you have two pairs.  

  • Separate bottles and invite the child. Take your tray, fade, and observe.

  • When the child is complete, show them the clean-up process of replenishing the tray, throwing the cups in the trash, and tasking the spoon to be washed.

Control of Error: 

  • The child’s own judgment/discrimination of taste

Language:

  • Sweet, salty, sour, bitter

Following Exercises:

  • Smelling and Tasting: Have the child hold their nose and taste an aromatic food.  Then taste again without holding their nose.  This can help the child feel the connection between the olfactory and gustatory senses.

Memory Games:

Distance Game: one set on one table, other set across the room.

Pedagogical Notes:

  • There are several styles of bottles that can be used.  Be sure to have a preliminary exercise so the child has previous experience with whatever type of bottle you are using. 

  • Do not let your face/expression reveal what you think about the taste.  We can influence the child this way.

  • This material needs bottles washed and fresh solutions daily. 

  • Use empty water bottles for your solutions and store them in the refrigerator. This makes bottle preparation fast and easy.

  • Do not make your solutions too strong.  The child’s sense of taste is much more sensitive than the adults'.

  • You may want to keep the second tray in another location so that it does not turn into a two-child work.