I Can Be Helpful: Day Three

Clean and Dirty--Part 2

Children will understand the difference between a clean house and a dirty house. There are things they can do to help keep the house clean.

Book:
Just a Mess--Mercer Meyer

Make a Mess:
Scatter bits of trash bags or crumpled up paper around the room. Ask if the room is clean or dirty. Sing some clean up songs and have children make the room clean as quickly as possible. Then, dirty it up and clean it again!



Songs:
Clean Up Song
Clean up,
Clean up,
Everybody, Everywhere.
Clean up,
Clean up,
Everybody do their share.

Clean It Up!
(Sung to the tune of: "Are You Sleeping")

Trash is dirty, trash is dirty,
Clean it up! Clean it up!
Put it in the trash can.
Put it in the trash can.
Clean it up! Clean it up!


Other Activities:

Body Painting

Need: water paints, tempera paints, and/or fingerpaints.

Have everyone put on his or her bathing suit. Using water paints, tempera paints and fingerpaints have children draw shapes or pictures on their body's. The children can take turns drawing shapes on their friends.

After the children have covered as much skin as possible, get out the hose and sprinkler (and sponges), and wash their "canvas" clean.

If a camera is available take a few photos of the human masterpieces.

(Can also be done in the bath with with colored bath "paints" for less mess!)

Car Wash

On a water play warm day let the children wash cars (wheeled toys) outside. Provide buckets of mild soap and sponges or rags for washing. Provide a hose to rinse the wheeled toys off. If no hose is available bring out buckets of clear water and dump them over the wheeled toys to rinse the soap off.

(Can also be done in the bathtub with smaller toys.)

It is so much nicer to have things clean, and kids can be helpful in cleaning up!