**Lesson Plan: Health Habits - Care of Hands (Nursery 1)**
**Age Group:** 3-4 years
**Duration:** 30 minutes
**Objective:**
To introduce young learners to the importance of hand hygiene and to teach them proper hand-washing techniques.
**Materials Needed:**
- Hand soap (preferably liquid)
- Access to water (sink or basin)
- Hand towels or paper towels
- Visual aids (images or videos of the hand-washing process)
- Glitter or washable paint (optional for demonstration)
- Storybook about hand hygiene (optional)
- Stickers for reward
**Introduction (5 minutes):**
1. **Greeting:** Warmly welcome the students and gather them in a circle.
2. **Introduction to Topic:** Introduce the day's lesson. "Today, we are going to learn about taking care of our hands. Our hands help us do many things like eat, play, and hold things. But it's also important to keep them clean so they can stay healthy."
**Activity 1: Storytime (Optional) (5 minutes):**
- Read a short, engaging storybook about hand hygiene. This could be a story about a character who learns to wash their hands properly.
**Activity 2: The Importance of Hand Washing (5 minutes):**
1. **Discussion:** Show images or a short video illustrating how germs can make our hands dirty and why it's important to wash them.
2. **Demonstration:** Use glitter or washable paint to simulate germs. Place a small amount on your palms and shake hands with a few children to show how 'germs' spread. Explain that washing hands helps remove these 'germs' so we don't get sick.
**Activity 3: Hand-Washing Demonstration (10 minutes):**
1. **Demonstrate:** Show the step-by-step process of proper hand-washing:
- Wet your hands with water.
- Apply soap and lather by rubbing your hands together.
- Scrub all parts of the hands: back of hands, between fingers, under nails, and wrists.
- Rinse hands thoroughly with water.
- Dry your hands with a towel or paper towel.
2. **Song Time:** Teach a simple hand-washing song to make it fun and memorable. For example, sing to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star":
```
Wash, wash, wash your hands,
Make them nice and clean.
Rub the bottoms and the tops,
And fingers in between.
```
**Activity 4: Hands-On Practice (5 minutes):**
- Take the students in small groups to the sink and guide them through the hand-washing steps. Ensure each child gets a chance to practice.
**Conclusion (2 minutes):**
1. **Recap:** Gather the students back in a circle and recap the importance of clean hands.
2. **Q&A:** Ask a few simple questions, like "Why do we wash our hands?" and "When should we wash our hands?" (e.g., before eating, after using the restroom, after playing outside).
3. **Reward:** Hand out stickers as a reward for participation and good listening.
**Follow-Up Activity:**
- Encourage children to remind their family members to wash their hands. They can even teach them the song!
- Provide hand-washing posters for students to take home to reinforce the habit outside the classroom.
**Note for Teachers:**
- Ensure all activities are age-appropriate, engaging, and fun.
- Be patient and give positive reinforcement to encourage children's participation and reinforce good behavior.