Pre-Writers Club: Sneezes

Physical Development - Health & Self-Care (40-60+ months): Shows some understanding that good practices with regard to exercise, eating, sleeping and hygiene can contribute to good health.

What you need:

We read Germs vs Soap before doing this activity. We talked about how germs are so small that we can't see them but they are all around us on our bodies, in the air and on objects. I explained that if germs get in our bodies they can make us feel unwell.

This activity is a really good way to show children how we can spread germs when we sneeze. I filled a spray bottle with some water. I added a small amount of food colouring in the hope that it would show up on the tissue but it didn't really show much colour.

Sophie and Benji sat opposite each other and pretended to sneeze. As they did, they pulled the trigger on the spray bottle. They were surprised that the spray landed on the other person! We talked about how sneezing can spray the germs into the air and they can land on people or surfaces which other people might touch.

We talked about ways to stop the germs from spreading. Then we sprayed the bottle again but put a tissue in front of the nozzle. This time the tissue caught the water.

We looked at the tissue and talked how the germs would go on the table if we put it down. Then we decided to put it in the bin and wash our hands. They really enjoyed this activity and it was a really visual way to show them why we use tissues.

We also talked about what we could do if we needed to sneeze but hadn't got a tissue. I sprayed the water in to my elbow as I pretended to sneeze and showed them where the water had landed. Although I couldn't put my germs in the bin, they weren't on my hands.

Then I taught them the saying:

Catch it, Bin it, Wash it.

Finger Strengthening – Squeezing the trigger on the spray bottle develops the muscles needed to control a pencil when writing. Strong hands and fingers mean it will be easier for your child to hold a pencil for longer periods of time before fatigue sets in. Learning how to squeeze things will also get your child’s hands ready to use tools like scissors.

If you have a go at this activity and share any photos on social media I would love to see them. Please tag @miniwritersclub and let me know how you get on.

Anna

Amazon Affiliate Links:

Clicking the link below doesn't cost you any extra but as an Amazon Associate I earn a small percentage from qualifying purchases.