Fun foundations class: Dirty + Clean
Dirty + Clean
English-speaking children most often include nouns (people, places, things, objects, animals) in their early vocabulary for lots of reasons:
However, it's critical to help children include words other than nouns in their early vocabularies because without non-noun words, it's very difficult to create 2-word phrases. We don't generally combine 2 nouns together unless we are making a list of things.
That's where describing words (adjectives) such as DIRTY and CLEAN come in! When children learn to incorporate describing words into their vocabulary, it gives them the tools they will eventually need to combine 2 words together into a phrase!
DIRTY and CLEAN are concepts we can include in a child's daily vocabulary in many ways. Here's a few ideas:
English-speaking children most often include nouns (people, places, things, objects, animals) in their early vocabulary for lots of reasons:
- nouns are almost always the last word in a sentence, so it is easy for children to retain that last word they hear
- caregivers practice nouns with children a LOT, from quizzing them on nouns ("what animal is this?", "who is that?") to pointing out nouns in books ("where's the dog?", using books like First 100 Words)
- children get desired objects and food when they use nouns (book, bear, apple, water, juice, etc.)
However, it's critical to help children include words other than nouns in their early vocabularies because without non-noun words, it's very difficult to create 2-word phrases. We don't generally combine 2 nouns together unless we are making a list of things.
That's where describing words (adjectives) such as DIRTY and CLEAN come in! When children learn to incorporate describing words into their vocabulary, it gives them the tools they will eventually need to combine 2 words together into a phrase!
DIRTY and CLEAN are concepts we can include in a child's daily vocabulary in many ways. Here's a few ideas:
- "Your face is so DIRTY! Let's CLEAN it off!"
- "Uh-oh, you have a DIRTY diaper! Let's get a CLEAN diaper for you."
- "Oh no, the dog's paws are so DIRTY! Let's wipe him off so he's nice and CLEAN."
- "Your cup is DIRTY! Let's put it in the dishwasher and make it CLEAN."
- "Your pants are DIRTY, let's put them in the laundry."
- "It's time to get CLEAN in the bathtub!"
language strategies discussed in class
Imitation: Check out why, how and when!
Statements vs. Questions: Why Your Language Choices Matter When You Want Your Child to Listen
Statements vs. Questions: Why Your Language Choices Matter When You Want Your Child to Listen
sensory activities
"Mud" Playdoh (made with decaf coffee)
This is a fun Playdoh recipe that makes a yummy smelling Playdoh! It is slightly more difficult than some Playdoh recipes because you do have to cook it, but the yummy smell makes it worth it! :) It's really fun for pretend play with animals (can pretend to play in the dirt or mud), trucks, tractors or flowers. It would even be a fun "garden" sensory bin in the spring with veggies, shovels, etc.
Recipe here.
This is a fun Playdoh recipe that makes a yummy smelling Playdoh! It is slightly more difficult than some Playdoh recipes because you do have to cook it, but the yummy smell makes it worth it! :) It's really fun for pretend play with animals (can pretend to play in the dirt or mud), trucks, tractors or flowers. It would even be a fun "garden" sensory bin in the spring with veggies, shovels, etc.
Recipe here.
Dinosaur Mudpit + Bath
I filled up some gallon-sized ziploc bags with a dirt/water mixture to make mud, then another with a water/soap to make a bath. All the kids took turns putting dinosaurs into the mud to "jump around" and then retrieving them to put in the "bath." We talked a lot about how DIRTY the dinosaurs were and how CLEAN they were getting in the bath.
If you do this activity at home, you could choose to let your child get a little more sensory exploration than I did in class. When we did this class, it was very chilly outside and I did not want the kids to get all wet because it would lead to a very cold day in their wet clothes after class. BUT - if this isn't a concern because you are staying inside your warm house, or because it's summer outside, you could absolutely do this with small plastic tubs, 1 filled with "mud" and the other soapy water. Or, you could do this outside in the actual mud and then bring your dinos (or whatever animal you're using) in to the actual tub.
These were the dinosaurs I used in class - I found them in the toy section at Meijer for around $10.
I filled up some gallon-sized ziploc bags with a dirt/water mixture to make mud, then another with a water/soap to make a bath. All the kids took turns putting dinosaurs into the mud to "jump around" and then retrieving them to put in the "bath." We talked a lot about how DIRTY the dinosaurs were and how CLEAN they were getting in the bath.
If you do this activity at home, you could choose to let your child get a little more sensory exploration than I did in class. When we did this class, it was very chilly outside and I did not want the kids to get all wet because it would lead to a very cold day in their wet clothes after class. BUT - if this isn't a concern because you are staying inside your warm house, or because it's summer outside, you could absolutely do this with small plastic tubs, 1 filled with "mud" and the other soapy water. Or, you could do this outside in the actual mud and then bring your dinos (or whatever animal you're using) in to the actual tub.
These were the dinosaurs I used in class - I found them in the toy section at Meijer for around $10.
signs taught in class
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DIRTY
To sign DIRTY, use your dominant hand and place it underneath your chin with your fingers seperated, palm facing down. Now wiggle your fingers. Imagine if you had eaten something very messy and it was dripping down your face - that would be very DIRTY! |
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CLEAN
To sign CLEAN, brush your dominant hand over your non-dominant hand twice, from wrist to finger tips. Imagine you are brushing crumbs off your hand. |
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BATH
For BATH, make both hands into a fist with your thumbs pointing straight up. Now rub your fists up and down on your chest, palms facing your body and thumbs pointing up toward your face, with hands moving in an alternating motion (when your left hand is up, your right hand is down). Repeat the motion multiple times as if you are scrubbing your chest clean. |
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WASH
Make the sign for WASH by making both hands into a fist shape with your thumbs on the side of your hands (the letter "A" in ASL if you know the alphabet). Face the palm of your non-dominant hand up and rub your dominant hand in a circular motion over it, palm down. Imagine you are scrubbing an item. **Note: the picture here shows the non-dominant hand flat, but I always learned that this sign has both hands in a fist shape. |
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Songs from CLEAN + Dirty class
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LYRICS FOR "THE BATH SONG"
1. Can you wash your hair? I can wash my hair. 2. Can you wash your feet? I can wash my feet. 3. Face 4. Knees Chorus: I can wash my hair. I can wash my feet. I can wash my face. I can wash my knees. This is the way we take a bath. 5. Can you wash your shoulders? I can wash my shoulders. 6. Toes 7. Hands 8. Nose Chorus: I can wash my shoulders …toes… ...hands… ...nose... This is the way we take a bath! |
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LYRICS FOR "5 CLEAN SQUEAKY PIGS"
(Tune of 5 Little Speckled Frogs) 5 pigs so squeaky clean Cleanest you’ve ever seen Wanted to go outside & play Oink! Oink! 1 jumped into the mud Landed with a big THUD Then there were 4 clean squeaky pigs. HOW MANY?? Count... |
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LYRICS FOR "DIAPER CHANGE SONG"
(Tune: She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain) 1. Oh it’s time to change your diaper ‘cause it’s dirty (x2) Oh it’s time to change your diaper ‘cause it’s dirty Oh it’s time to change your diaper, It’s time to change your diaper It’s time to change your diaper ‘cause it’s dirty 2. We just changed your diaper, now it’s clean!... |
MOVEMENT SONGS FROM CLEAN + DIRTY CLASS
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LYRICS FOR "I'M SO HAPPY"
Chorus: Naa, naa, naa I'm so happy Oh, so happy Sing with me (2x) 1. Clap, clap, clap your hands Stomp, stomp, stomp your feet Swing, swing, swing your arms Dance everybody and sing with me! Chorus 2. Jump, jump, jump around Touch the sky and touch the ground Shake, shake, shake your hips I know a song, and it goes like this! Chorus Clap, clap, clap your hands Stomp, stomp, stomp your feet Swing, swing, swing your arms Dance everybody and sing with me! Jump, jump, jump around Touch the sky and touch the ground Shake, shake, shake your hips I know a song, and it goes like this! Chorus |
bOokS FOR TALKING ABOUT CLEAN + DIRTY!
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The book we read in class was I'm a Dirty Dinosaur by Janeen Brian. We LOVE LOVE LOVE this book at our house! It has lots of fun movements that keep kids engaged and my little guy first learned how to "stomp" from this book. I love the sing-songy rhythm, the way it targets body parts, and you can also sing it to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" if you choose. The pages are a nice cardstock, so they are harder to rip, and this book's illustrator won awards for this book - she did it with real mud!
Note: This is an Usborne book that can be purchased through me here (I'm a consultant for Usborne Books....because I'm kinda a kid's book-aholic... ;) |
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There are TONS of great books out there that talk about baths, but one that we love at our house is another Usborne book called How to Bathe Your Little Dinosaur (by Jane Clark). If your little one likes dinosaurs, loves baths or struggles with the bath routine, this is a great book for you! In it, the dirty little dinosaur doesn’t like to wash. How will he be clean in time for bed? The illustrations are adorable, it's a durable board book and it has a playful rhyming text. I love that it puts the child "in charge" of washing the dinosaur - this can be very helpful for children who find routines challenging, need to have some extra control in their world or need extra help practicing routines.
There are 3 others in this "How To..." series, including one about brushing teeth, one about going to bed and one about eating. If any of these routines are either a challenge or a favorite, they might be a great fit! Note: This is also an Usborne book that can be purchased through me here, along with all the "How To..." books in the series. |
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