Washing Dolly's Hands

What you need

• a washing-up bowl with a little warm soapy water
• a doll or chunky toy
• a tea towel

How to do it

1. Put a washing-up bowl with a little warm soapy water on a tea towel on the floor.
2. Tell them the doll has mucky hands and needs a wash.
3. Let them wash the doll's hands the way they wash their own: wet, soap, rub, rinse.
4. Dry the doll's hands on the tea towel, then wash any other toys that need it.

Why it matters

Washing someone else's hands means saying the steps out loud and being the one who knows how.

What they're learning

Washing hands

Doing every step on a doll is going through the steps without needing their own hands.

Caring for others

Looking after the doll is gentle, careful play.

Pretend play

Being the grown-up who knows how.

What to look for

Watch for them saying 'now rinse' or 'now dry' to the doll.

A tip

A few centimetres of warm, not hot, water is plenty. Stay close and tip it away straight after.

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