Wash the Germs Away - Girl Scouts Heart Of Central California

3. Required Activity: Handwashing Demonstration
Materials:
Cooking oil (Olive, Canola, Vegetable, etc.)
Ground cinnamon
Liquid hand soap bottle (does not have to be antibacterial)
Instant hand sanitizer gel bottle
Sink with cold and warm running water
Clean paper towels
Today we are going to see a special demonstration of handwashing. We need two volunteers to help with this handwashing
demonstration.
Instructions:
1. Go to the sink and roll up your sleeves so that hands and wrists are exposed.
2. Rub about 1 tablespoon of cooking oil on your hands like lotion application.
3. Ask your leader to sprinkle approximately half of a tablespoon of ground cinnamon on your hands.
4. Rub the cinnamon with oil all over your hands.
5. Washing Dirty Hands
a. Use one of the following practices for washing your hands:
i. Wash with cold water for 10 seconds
ii. Wash with cold water for 20 seconds
iii. Wash with warm water and soap for 10 seconds
iv. Wash with warm water and soap for 20 seconds
6. Look at everyone’s hands and see if you can answer these questions:
a. Did the cold or the warm water remove more of the oil and cinnamon from your hands?
b. Did soap help remove more of the oil and cinnamon from your hands?
c. How long should you wash your hands to remove the oil and cinnamon on your hands?
d. If the oil and cinnamon were germs, who would have the most germs on their hands?
Optional Activity: Handwashing Chart
Materials:
Pencils or Markers
Paper
Instructions:
1. Review the handwashing chart.
2. Discuss with the troop how the chart can be used at home to make proper hand washing a good habit!
3. Track how often and when you properly washed your hands.
4. Keep the chart in your bedroom or post it outside the restroom door.
5. Bring the filled in chart to the next troop meeting and compare it with your troop!
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