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Infant and Toddler Activity

Washing Dishes

  • Social Awareness: Small Group, 16 to 36 months
  • Goals: To increase social awareness; to increase sensory motor skills
  • Materials: Plastic dishes, basin, water (lukewarm)
  • Procedure: Put the dishes in the basin and have toddlers explore the dishes. Encourage them to put the dishes in the basin, swish the water, and take them out. Talk about their actions. Ask them questions. Have at least two basins so that children can interact. Say “out” as you take a dish out and “in” as you put the dishes in. Physically guide the child’s hand, if needed. Say “Good, you took it out!” Fill the basin with a small amount of water and add a small amount of soap. Let children “wash” dishes. Add a sponge or handled scrubber for them to wash dishes. Have several towels available to dry dishes. Encourage appropriate actions; that is, placing cups on saucers, pouring, and stirring the cup with a spoon. Have children sort utensils in a storage unit. Encourage them to match items by color. Have children set the table and use dishes to serve snack.
  • Assessment: The toddler will parallel play with others while washing and drying dishes.
  • Integration: Toddlers enjoy pretending with familiar objects. The lukewarm water is soothing.