Glitter Germ Experiment
Just because we can't see germs, doesn't mean that they're not always there! This experiment helps to illustrate for little ones the importance of hand washing to stay healthy.
Materials Needed:
- Shallow dish
- Glitter (If you don't have glitter available, you can use cinnamon or cocoa powder)
- Water
- Dish soap
Directions:
Pour water into a shallow dish. Sprinkle glitter generously over the water.
From here, there are two ways of conducting the experiment. You can pour a few drops of soap directly into the dish or you can dip your child's finger into the soap, and have them place their finger into the dish.
As the soap is added, watch as the glitter rushes away. The more soap that is added, the more quickly the glitter moves away. While working through this experiment, talk to your child about the importance of hand washing, finishing the experiment by washing hands at the sink.
Additionally, some great questions to consider during or after the experiment might be:
What is a germ?
How do germs get on your hands?
How do you get germs off your hands or body?
Why do we need to wash our hands?
What does a germ look like?
Are all germs bad?
Additional Resources:
- Germs, Germs, Germs Educational Video
- The Bacteria Book by Steve Mould
- Why Wash Your Hands? by Sally Huss
- Cutie Sue Fights the Germs by Kate Melton
- A Germ's Journey by Thom Rooke, M.D.