Washing the Dishes

Activity Overview

Practical life activities help children learn how to take care of the space around them, as well as build their self-efficacy and skills of mastery. For some adults, washing dishes can be a chore, but for children, it is a way they can contribute and help their household. With care, attention, balance and focus students will handle delicate materials and practice sequencing in this activity. They will also work on crossing their midline and coordinating movements on both sides of the body simultaneously.

What You Need

You have two options for how to wash dishes in this activity:

1) Set up a chair or step stool at the kitchen sink or

2) Fill a sensory bin with soapy water.

• Step stool

• Sensory bin (if not using the kitchen sink)

• Water

• Soap

• Sponges or scrubber

• Rubber gloves (optional)

• Apron (optional)

• Drying towels

Steps

1. Get set up at your dish washing station.

2. Teach the sequence of washing a dish with your student – how to hold the utensils and dishware, how to wash, how to rinse. This is a wonderful moment for you to pass on the way you work in the house to your student.

3. Start with plates, then add utensils or cups once they have the hang of it.

4. If you have a drying rack or towel to dry the dishware, set it up so they have a place to put the clean dishes.

5. Give the student an opportunity to explore the water and the dish washing on their own.

Guiding Questions

• How do we hold dishes when we wash them?

• How do we know if the dish is clean?

• How does the water feel?

Extensions

• Unload the dishwasher or put hand-dried dishes away.

• What other things in your house need to be washed?

• Build this into routine! Add more challenging items to wash - a dirty whisk or spatula needs a lot of attention to detail!