Welly Boot Scrub

What you need

• muddy wellies
• a bucket of water
• an old scrubbing brush or a sponge

How to do it

1. Take the muddy boots outside next to the bucket, and look together at where the mud is: the soles, the toes, the sides.
2. Let your child scrub each boot with the brush, dipping it in the water whenever it clogs up.
3. Turn each boot over and dig the mud out of the grooves in the sole with the edge of the brush, or a stick.
4. Rinse them with a pour of clean water and stand them upside down by the door to drain.

Why it matters

Mud packed into the grooves takes hard scrubbing and close looking, and a clean pair by the door shows the job is done.

What they're learning

Scrubbing

Hard, short strokes with the brush.

Hunting the last bits

Mud hiding in the grooves.

Looking after their things

Clean boots, ready for next time.

What to look for

Notice them turning a boot over to check the bottom.

A tip

Scrub on the doorstep or the grass in old clothes. Stay beside them the whole time they're near the bucket, and tip the muddy water onto a flower border when you finish.

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