We created a fun and exciting car wash station for the children to explore in Preschool 1. We set up large buckets filled with water and added sponges, scrub brushes and small containers for pouring and rinsing. As soon as the children saw the setup, they became very excited and rushed over to bring their bikes to the car wash area. They lined up and patiently waited for their turn. They scrubbed the bikes with sponges, cleaned the wheels with brushes, and rinsed them off using the containers. Reid said, “Our bikes are really dirty, we need to clean them properly”. While cleaning Claire was singing, “This is the way we wash our cars”. Amelia said, “our bikes are brand new now”. They worked together, gave each other instructions, and laughed as they played. This hands-on activity supported many areas of the children’s development. It encouraged physical development as they used their gross motor skills to push and ride the bikes and their fine motor skills to squeeze the sponges, hold the brushes, and pour water. Their hand-eye coordination was also strengthened during this process. The activity supported language development as they practiced communication by asking questions, giving directions, and sharing ideas. Social and emotional development was also promoted as children took turns, shared materials, helped one another, and worked together as a team. They learned how to cooperate, solve problems, and be kind and patient with their peers. The car wash also encouraged imaginative play as they acted out real-life roles and situations. Through dramatic play, they explored the concept of a car wash, developed their creativity, and used problem-solving skills to figure out how to clean tricky parts of the bikes. Additionally, this activity provided a rich sensory experience as the children explored the textures of water, soap, bubbles, and sponges. Overall, the car wash station was a fun and meaningful learning experience that supported the children’s physical, cognitive, language, social, and emotional growth. The children were highly engaged and joyful throughout the activity, and had lots of fun by playing together.
