My Own Bath Wash
What you need
- a sponge or a cloth
- a bar of mild soap
- a small cup for rinsing
How to do it
- In the bath, hand your child the sponge and the soap and tell them they're in charge of the washing.
- Go round together, naming each part as they wash it: arms, tummy, knees, toes, behind the ears.
- Sing it to a tune they know: this is the way we wash our knees, wash our knees, wash our knees.
- Let them rinse with the cup, then check together: anywhere missed?
Why it matters
Their own body, washed part by part with their own hands, is a job they can own, with you only naming the next stop.
What they're learning
- Naming body parts
- Elbows, ankles, behind the ears.
- Doing it themselves
- Sponge in their hand, not yours.
- Remembering the order
- What's still to wash?
What to look for
Notice them remembering a part you haven't named yet.
A tip
Keep the water shallow, test the temperature yourself first and keep soap away from eyes. Stay within arm's reach the whole time they're in the bath.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: you wash, and they point to each part as you name it
Harder: let them choose the order and tell you what comes next
