Pushing In a Chair

Safety

Use a stable chair that does not tip when the child pushes on its back.
Watch for fingers caught between the chair and the table edge in the first lessons.

1
Push in your own chair every time you stand up from a child's table, so the children see it.
2
For the lesson, invite one or two children to the table. Stand up slowly and step to the side of your chair.
3
Move behind the chair and hold the top of the back with both hands.
4
Push the chair in slowly until the front of the seat touches the edge of the table. The chair touching the table is the point of interest.
5
Pull it out again, holding the back with both hands, and sit down.
6
Invite the child to stand up, step behind their chair, and push it in.
7
When the child leaves the table without pushing in the chair, say: 'The chair is pushed in when we leave,' and push it in beside them.

A chair left out from the table is visible and blocks the walkway; a scraping sound shows the chair was dragged.