Everyday activities like hand washing are a brilliant chance for your child to learn, not just about germs and the importance of keeping clean, but also new words for actions like 'splash' and 'rub'.
Check out how you can build extra learning into hand washing in the video below.
Why talk your child through hand washing?
- Talking to your child about hand washing lets them know the importance of having clean hands to stop them getting sick
- It lets them hear lots of new action words like 'wash', 'splash', 'rub' and 'wipe'
- It lets children practise following simple instructions
How to talk through hand washing with your toddler
- Talk through all of the actions, from turning on the tap, to getting their hands wet, to rubbing in soap and washing it off and eventually drying their hands and turning off the tap. Use lots of action words like 'rub, rub, rub' and 'splash, splash, splash'
- Repeating words helps them to link the words to the actions
- Give simple instructions like 'turn on the tap' and 'rub in the soap', 'give your hands a rub' and 'wipe them dry'
Learning routines
Everyday routines and chores are ideal opportunities for your child to learn new words while they learn about their days.
- Why not try letting your little one role play as you cook together?
- Or you could chat through cleaning tasks
- Or try sorting laundry together with your child
Image caption, Describe what you're doing at every step, including turning the tap on.
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