Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before the lesson, ensure you have real soap, a small basin, water, and a clean towel ready for a practical demonstration. The central idea is for pupils to understand the importance of washing hands at key times (before/after meals, after toilet use) and to be able to imitate the basic steps of hand washing. Observe pupils actively participating in the demonstration and singing the handwashing song to show successful learning.
Class: Pre-School Level 2
Term: First Term
Week: 3
Age: 3 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Health Habits
Curriculum Theme: Health Habits
Previous Lesson: Simple Health Habits
Topic: Hand Washing Before and After Meals and Toilet Use
Subject Matter: Simple Health Habits: Washing Hands Before and After Eating and After Using the Toilet. (Weekly focus: Hand Washing Before and After Meals and Toilet Use.)
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- Identify times when hands should be washed (before/after meals, after toilet).
- Name simple items needed for hand washing (soap, water).
Affective Domain
- Show willingness to wash their hands at appropriate times.
- Appreciate the importance of clean hands for good health.
Psychomotor Domain
- Demonstrate the basic steps of hand washing.
- Participate in a hand washing song with actions.
Social Domain
- Take turns using the hand washing materials during guided practice.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 2
- Early Childhood Care and Education resources
Instructional Materials
- Real bar soap or liquid soap
- Water in a small basin or bucket
- Clean towel
- Picture cards or charts showing children washing hands
- Picture cards showing children eating and using the toilet
- Storybook about hygiene (if available)
Rationale for the Lesson
This lesson is important for 3-year-olds as it teaches them a fundamental hygiene practice that directly impacts their health. Learning to wash hands at specific times helps prevent the spread of germs and illness, empowering children to take an active role in their well-being from an early age.Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils can identify parts of their body and understand simple instructions. They may have seen adults washing hands at home.Lesson Content/Board Summary
Hand Washing Before and After Meals and Toilet Use
What is Hand Washing?
Hand washing means cleaning our hands with soap and water to wash away dirt and tiny germs that can make us sick.
When do we wash our hands?
- Before we eat our food.
- After we finish eating our food.
- After we use the toilet (wee-wee or poo-poo).
Washing hands at these times helps us stay healthy and strong!
How to Wash Your Hands (Simple Steps)
- Wet your hands with water.
- Put a little soap on your hands.
- Rub, rub, rub your hands together (front, back, between fingers).
- Rinse your hands with clean water until all the soap is gone.
- Dry your hands with a clean towel.
Clean Hands Song
Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”
Wash, wash, wash your hands,
Wash them clean and bright.
Rub the soap and rinse with water,
Make them sparkle, day and night.
Wash, wash, wash your hands,
Keep them clean and bright!
Actions: Mimic washing hands, rubbing, rinsing, and shaking hands dry.
Watch and Practise Hand Washing
Key Words
- Hands – the parts of our body we use to touch and hold things.
- Wash – to clean with water and soap.
- Soap – what we use with water to get hands clean.
- Water – what we use to wet and rinse our hands.
- Clean – free from dirt and germs.
- Germs – tiny things we cannot see that can make us sick.
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Introduce the topic by asking pupils what they do to keep their hands clean. Use the picture cards to show “before eating,” “after eating,” and “after toilet use.” Explain simply that germs make us sick and washing hands helps. Go through the “When to Wash Hands” points one by one, using gestures.
What to show or demonstrate: Use the real soap, water, and towel to demonstrate each step of “How to Wash Your Hands” clearly and slowly. Narrate each action as you perform it (e.g., “First, I wet my hands,” “Now, I put soap,” “Rub, rub, rub”). Repeat the demonstration if needed.
How to use the rhyme/song: Teach the “Clean Hands Song” line by line, demonstrating the actions. Sing it together several times, encouraging pupils to join in with the words and actions. Use it as a fun way to reinforce the steps.
How to use the video: Introduce the video as “a fun way to see how to wash our hands.” Play the video, encouraging pupils to watch the children washing their hands. After watching, ask pupils what they saw and if they can remember any steps. Have them mimic the actions shown in the video.
What to watch for: Observe if pupils are able to identify the key times for hand washing and if they can imitate the basic steps during the demonstration and song. Ensure they understand the importance of using soap.
Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques
Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Picture Talk, Question and Answer, Imitation, Practical Activity, Repetition.Instructional Procedures
Step 1: Introduction
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Engagement/Questioning
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them, “What do we do to keep our hands clean?” The teacher shows pictures of dirty hands and clean hands, asking which one they prefer.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the question, point to the clean hands picture, and show their own hands.
Learning Point: Pupils are introduced to the idea of clean hands.
Step 2: Identifying Times for Hand Washing
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Picture Talk/Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher uses picture cards to show children eating and children using the toilet. The teacher asks, “When should we wash our hands?” and explains that we wash before and after eating, and after using the toilet.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the pictures, listen to the teacher, and repeat the times for hand washing.
Learning Point: Pupils identify key times for hand washing.
Step 3: Introducing Hand Washing Materials
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Object Recognition/Naming
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows real soap, water in a basin, and a towel. The teacher names each item and asks pupils to name them too. “What is this? (Soap) What is this? (Water) What is this? (Towel)”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify and name the soap, water, and towel.
Learning Point: Pupils recognise and name items needed for hand washing.
Step 4: Teacher Demonstration of Hand Washing Steps
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher performs a full, slow demonstration of hand washing using real soap and water, narrating each step clearly (wet, soap, rub, rinse, dry). The teacher emphasizes rubbing all parts of the hands.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the teacher’s demonstration carefully, observing each step.
Learning Point: Pupils observe the correct procedure for hand washing.
Step 5: Guided Practice and Song Reinforcement
Time: 6 minutes
Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Singing
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher invites a few pupils to come forward and guides them through the hand washing steps, providing hand-over-hand support if needed. The teacher leads the class in singing the “Clean Hands Song” with actions.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils take turns practising hand washing with teacher guidance and sing the song with actions.
Learning Point: Pupils practise hand washing steps and reinforce learning through song.
Step 6: Video Reinforcement
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Visual Learning/Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher plays the hand washing video for the pupils. After the video, the teacher asks simple questions like, “What did the children do in the video?” and encourages pupils to mimic the actions.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video, respond to questions, and mimic hand washing actions.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding of hand washing through visual media.
Step 7: Evaluation/Review
Time: 4–5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.
- “When should we wash our hands?” (Show a picture of food and a toilet).
- “What do we need to wash our hands?” (Point to soap and water).
- “Show me how you rub your hands with soap.”
- “Let’s sing our Clean Hands Song one more time!”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.
Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.
Step 8: Conclusion
Time: 1 minute
Teaching Skill: Summarizing/Encouragement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and reminds them to always wash their hands to stay healthy. The teacher says, “Clean hands keep us healthy!”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond, “Yes, teacher!” and repeat the phrase.
Learning Point: Pupils are encouraged to practise good hand hygiene.
Lesson Keywords
- Hands – the parts of our body we use to touch and hold things.
- Wash – to clean with water and soap.
- Soap – what we use with water to get hands clean.
- Water – what we use to wet and rinse our hands.
- Clean – free from dirt and germs.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils who struggle, provide more one-on-one guidance during the practical demonstration, using hand-over-hand assistance for rubbing and rinsing. Use larger, clearer picture cards for identifying times to wash.
- Extension: For pupils who grasp the concept quickly, ask them to name one other time they might need to wash their hands (e.g., after playing outside). Encourage them to help demonstrate the steps to a peer.
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