Lesson 07 — Washing Hands, Washing Me
Learners practice a full handwashing routine step by step, learn when to wash, and discover how soap and water keep germs away — using water with care.
Objectives
- D03.S4.K.01 Show a self-care routine (washing hands, brushing teeth) and tell when to ask a grown-up for help.
Essential question
How do I keep my hands clean and safe?
Materials
Standard materials
- Soap and water · 1 station A sink, basin, or bucket with safe water and soap
- A towel or clean cloth · per learner For drying hands
Low-tech / no-cost
- A bucket or bowl of water and ash or soap Handwashing works with running water, a pour jug, or ash when soap is scarce; demonstrate with what is available
- Voice and body Practice the six handwashing motions in the air while singing; no water needed to learn the moves
Enriched / lab & device
- A timer or a short song · 1 A 20-second song or timer so learners wash long enough
- Glitter or washable paint · small amount Sprinkle a pinch on hands to show how soap and water wash "germs" away
Works in different contexts
- large-group Demonstrate once at a visible station, then send small groups to wash while others sing the handwashing song and practice the motions in the air
- self-directed A learner follows the six steps at a basin alone, singing the song to time themselves, then checks their hands for missed spots
- outdoor-only Wash at an outdoor tap, a stream (only with safe water), or a shared jug; conserve water by wetting, lathering with the water off, then rinsing
- multi-age Older learners demonstrate the steps and help younger ones reach the tap and check that fingers, thumbs, and wrists are all washed
Lesson 7 — Washing Hands, Washing Me
Summary
Learners practice a complete handwashing routine — wet, lather, scrub every surface, rinse, and dry — and learn when to wash. They discover how soap and water carry germs away, and they use water with care so there is enough for everyone.
Objectives
- Show a self-care routine (washing hands) with growing independence. (D03.S4.K.01)
Connection
Hands touch everything: a door, a pet, the ground, a friend’s hand, your food. Washing your hands is one of the simplest, most powerful ways to keep yourself and the people around you healthy. Whether you wash at a sink, a tap, a bucket, or a stream, the trick is the same: soap, water, and a good scrub.
Materials
- Soap and water (a sink, basin, or bucket with safe water)
- A towel or clean cloth for drying
Preparation
- Set up a handwashing station with safe water and soap.
- Have a short 20-second song ready to time the scrub.
Facilitator note
This lesson is written to the learner (“you”). As facilitator, model the steps slowly, then watch each learner and gently correct. Honor every context: where water is scarce, teach the “wet, turn off, lather, rinse” method that saves water, and mention that ash can work when there is no soap. Where a learner cannot use their hands, a caregiver or older peer can help wash them. This is care, never a test — celebrate the effort, not perfection.
Procedure
- Gather (5 min). Think of all the things your hands touched today. Hands carry tiny things you cannot see — we call them germs — that can make bodies sick. Washing hands washes germs away.
- Learn the steps (10 min). Say the steps and practice the motions in the air:
- Wet your hands.
- Soap them up.
- Scrub every part: palms, backs, between fingers, thumbs, wrists, and under nails.
- Rinse the soap away.
- Dry with a clean cloth.
- Wash for real (15 min). Go to the station and wash your hands, doing all six parts. Sing a short song to yourself while you scrub — about 20 seconds is enough.
- When do we wash? (10 min). Name the times hands need washing: before eating, after the bathroom, after playing outside, after coughing or sneezing, and after touching an animal. Point to a partner and share one time you will remember.
- Close (5 min). Show your clean hands. Remember: washing your hands is a small act of care — for you and for everyone around you.
Differentiation
- Support: Practice the motions in the air first, then wash together; use a visual step card if it helps.
- Extension: Invite learners to teach the six steps to someone younger, and to notice one way to save water while washing.
Assessment
- Formative (observation): Can the learner show the steps of handwashing and name one time to wash, with growing independence?
- Self: The learner checks their own hands for missed spots after washing.
Resources
- World Health Organization, “Hand hygiene” (why and how to clean hands): https://www.who.int/teams/integrated-health-services/infection-prevention-control/hand-hygiene