This is a quick and easy science experiment that you can do at home to visually show your kids the importance of washing your hands.
What you will need:
– a mixing bowl
– a small bowl
– pepper
– water
– dish soap
Fill the mixing bowl or dish with some water deep enough for your child to stick their finger in. Then in the small bowl pour some dish soap. Have your kids gather around the bowl of water as you sprinkle pepper into it. Pour enough pepper into the bowl so that it covers the top of the water in the bowl. The pepper will represent germs.
Then have each kid take one finger and put it into the peppered water and notice how the pepper flakes stick to their fingers. This represents how germs stick to us as we go throughout our day.
Then have your child take a clean finger and dunk it into the bowl of dish soap. Once they have done that, have them place their soapy finger into the bowl of peppered water and watch as the pepper flakes quickly dart away from their finger. This represents how when we wash our hands the germs are removed.
Here is a quick video for reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho0o7H6dXSU