3 Scatter Those Germs Away!

Scatter Those Germs Away

[This image was taken from https://food.unl.edu/documents/handwashing-sink-those-germ.png].

Age Group Recommendation: Pre-K through 3rd grade

Keywords: germs, soap, water, washing hands, health, and science fun

Brief Description: This demonstration is a simple way to show children just how important washing their hands is, especially in our current situation with COVID-19. (This demonstration take about 15 minutes overall: about 5 minutes to collect all the needed materials and about ten minutes to actually do the demonstration.)

Materials Needed: Soap, Water, Black Pepper, and any size bowl

*Background for Children:

         Sometimes washing your hands all the time can seem a little silly, especially when they look clean. But it is important to remember that although your hands often look clean, most of the time they are often very dirty because they have little things on them called germs. Germs are very bad for you and can make you sick. Germs can also move from person to person unless they are stopped. But don’t worry, there is a way you can be a hero and put a stop to those evil germs, all you have to do is wash your hands! Soap is a superhero, just like you, who wants to stop those evil germs from spreading. When you wash your hands with soap, the soap scares away those evil germs and helps make your hands super clean. By scaring those germs away from you, it helps both you and your friends stay healthy, which is super important right now because of COVID-19. So remember to wash your hands next time you use the restroom or touch your face so that you don’t help those evil little germs scatter all about.

Below are some helpful videos that were found on youtube that may be helpful in demonstrating the importance of washing your hands.

This video focuses on how to stop germs from spreading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JD85FDlxqCs

This video focuses on what germs are and how they spread: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBGsoimPXZg

This video talks about coronavirus and how we can help put a stop to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5_2WojMWOc

*Description of Activity:

1. Gather all needed materials for the experiment.

2. Fill the bowl with room temperature water.

3. Add a thin layer of black pepper over the water (not too much or else experiment may not work as well).

4. Make sure to observe the pepper that is on top of the water. (Little Hint: The pepper represents the “germs” that are on the surface of our hands).

5. Cover one finger with the dish soap.

6. Put the finger with the soap on it into the water in the bowl and watch the magic happen. (The pepper on the top of the water should move away from your finger).

*For additional directions please click the link below to watch a brief demonstration video.

Link: https://youtu.be/Gp6kUcI1StU

* Additional Background for Parents: The reason that the pepper looks like it is running away from the soap is because the molecules of soap push away from the water molecules, causing the surface tension of the water to decrease and the water molecules (as well as the pepper) to spread away from the center of the bowl.

*Below is a link to a video that was found on youtube that provides additional information on why the pepper on the water moves away from the soap on your finger.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4JET4g4LBQ

*I know these are stressful times because of the pandemic, but this is just a little reminder that you are all doing an amazing job and that we will get through this. Taking care of young children isn’t easy, especially right now, but by teaching your kids to correctly wash their hands you can help keep your family safe and can help ease some of your COVID concerns.

*Below is a coloring sheet that can be used along with this demonstration to help the children remember what they did today and why it’s important. There are also a few great songs that you can sing with your children to make sure that they are washing their hands long enough (WARNING: these songs are quite catchy and will most likely get stuck in your head).

Coloring Sheet

[This coloring sheet was inspired by a collection of other images that were found online.]

Hand Washing Songs

(Repeat ALL songs at least three times to make sure you are washing your hands long enough.)

Song #1

This song is sung to the tune of row, row, row your boat.

Wash, wash, wash your hands

Tell the germs goodbye

Between the fingers, fronts and backs

Use soap repeat, oh my

Wash, wash, wash your hands

Wash them germs away

Between the fingers fronts and backs

Rinse, you’re on your way.

Song #2

This song is also sung to the tune of row, row, row your boat.

Scrub, scrub, scrub the germs

scrub the germs away.

Scrub, scrub, scrub the germs

Scrub them down the drain!

Song #3

This song is sung to the tune of Fre a Jachues.

Tops and bottoms, Tops and Bottoms

In between, in between

All around my hands, all around my hands

Make them clean

Make them clean.

[These songs were presented to a friend of mine a few years back when they attended an early childhood alliance convention.]