"A Germ’s Adventure" Activity
OBJECTIVE
This activity is a hands-on exercise to help children understand how germs are spread from person to person. The activity will also focus on teaching children when and why they must wash their hands to remain healthy. The activity consists of a two part optional activity the first of which demonstrates how germs are spread through direct contact and the second how germs are spread through objects.
SKILLS LEARNED
MATERIALS
· Gather all materials that will be used as mentioned above and arrange in a space that will serve as site for activity.
· Place one Hand washing Chart in area where the children will be engaging in washing their hands. The other should remain hung in the area where the activity will occur (it will be used later as a reference to teach children to wash their hands through imitation).
PRE-ACTIVITY EXERCISE
Explain to children what germs are:
Describe to children where germs can be found.
How are germs spread?
How can we prevent germs?
· Read book ‘A Germ’s Adventure’ to children
· After reading explain to children that germs can make you sick [i.e.: a cold, chicken pox, throwing up, diarrhea, etc.] and how they can spread by not washing their hands properly and at the appropriate times.
·Advise the children that you will all play a game to show them how germs spread by using “fake germs”.
· Form groups of two to four children
· Pour a small amount of Glitte-nizer of a different color on each child’s hands and ask them to rub their hands together so that the glitter may spread evenly.
· Tell the children to shake hands with everyone in their group, in no particular order.
· Next, all participating children should look at their hands, noting that they have glitter or “germs” of a different color than they originally started with.
·Children should then try to identify how many colors they can find.
· Explain to children this is how germs spread easily through direct contact.
· Point to hand washing chart and demonstrate with hand motions how to properly wash your hands, urging the children to imitate you through each step.
·Escort children to a sink (or bathrooms if the room does not contain one) to wash their hands. Children will then see the “germs” leaving their hands.
OBJECTIVE
This activity is a hands-on exercise to help children understand how germs are spread from person to person. The activity will also focus on teaching children when and why they must wash their hands to remain healthy. The activity consists of a two part optional activity the first of which demonstrates how germs are spread through direct contact and the second how germs are spread through objects.
SKILLS LEARNED
- Germ awareness
- Gross motor coordination
- Sequencing
- Observation and experimentation
- Skills needed to wash hands properly
MATERIALS
- Book ‘A Germ’s Adventure’
- Hand-Washing Chart
- Glitte-nizers of at least two different colors.
- Sinks for washing hands
· Gather all materials that will be used as mentioned above and arrange in a space that will serve as site for activity.
· Place one Hand washing Chart in area where the children will be engaging in washing their hands. The other should remain hung in the area where the activity will occur (it will be used later as a reference to teach children to wash their hands through imitation).
PRE-ACTIVITY EXERCISE
Explain to children what germs are:
- Germs are tiny living organisms that can’t be seen with our eyes and cause disease.
- The two most common germs that can make us sick are viruses and bacteria.
Describe to children where germs can be found.
- Germs can be found virtually anywhere!
- Germs are invisible, so just because something doesn’t look “dirty” doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have germs.
How are germs spread?
- When people cough or sneeze they spread germs through the air onto surfaces and objects that others may touch. (Demonstrate coughing and sneezing into the inside of your elbow.)
How can we prevent germs?
- Washing your hands can prevent the spread of germs
· Read book ‘A Germ’s Adventure’ to children
· After reading explain to children that germs can make you sick [i.e.: a cold, chicken pox, throwing up, diarrhea, etc.] and how they can spread by not washing their hands properly and at the appropriate times.
- For examples of common viruses and illnesses that are spread amongst children refer to the brochure included in the kit
- Appropriate times to wash hands are also outlined in brochure
·Advise the children that you will all play a game to show them how germs spread by using “fake germs”.
- The glitter inside the gel solute will serve as germs
- Each Glitte-nizer color represents a different germ
· Form groups of two to four children
- Groups of four are ideal so the most amount of glitter colors or “germs” will mix; groups of two or three will be suitable.
- If teaching children on a one to one basis such as a therapy setting, therapist can act as the second participant
· Pour a small amount of Glitte-nizer of a different color on each child’s hands and ask them to rub their hands together so that the glitter may spread evenly.
· Tell the children to shake hands with everyone in their group, in no particular order.
· Next, all participating children should look at their hands, noting that they have glitter or “germs” of a different color than they originally started with.
·Children should then try to identify how many colors they can find.
- Each different color of glitter is a different ‘illness’, so while a child may have started out with just a cold or pink eye, they could end up with pink eye, chicken pox AND a cold
· Explain to children this is how germs spread easily through direct contact.
· Point to hand washing chart and demonstrate with hand motions how to properly wash your hands, urging the children to imitate you through each step.
- Make sure to read steps out loud
·Escort children to a sink (or bathrooms if the room does not contain one) to wash their hands. Children will then see the “germs” leaving their hands.