Toy Washing Station
Warm bubbles, a toothbrush, and a job they take extremely seriously.
- Ages
- 18 mo–7 yrs
- Play
- 15–45 min
- Prep
- 5 min
- Mess
- some
- Energy
- calm
- Where
- at the table
You’ll need
Mostly things you probably have at home.
- washable toysGet it on Amazon
- warm water
- two tubsGet it on Amazon
Optional
- dish soapGet it on Amazon
- a spongeGet it on Amazon
- a towel for drying
- cotton buds for the fiddly bitsGet it on Amazon
How to play
Before you start: Set out two tubs: one with warm soapy water, one with clean rinse water. Lay a towel beside them as the drying rack.
Line the dirty washable toys up and inspect them together with great seriousness.
Wash: into the soapy tub, scrub with a sponge or an old toothbrush.
Rinse: into the clean tub.
Dry: onto the towel, lined up in a row.
When the line is empty, look at the gray rinse water together — the evidence is the reward.
What it helps with
Keep it safe
- Warm, never hot.
- Standing water needs constant supervision, however shallow.
- Do not wash anything with batteries or electronics.
Make it different next time
- Add a 'muddy' stage first with a little cocoa in the water.
- Run it as a production line with one person per station.
- In the fall, scrub a muddy pumpkin or potatoes from the garden with a brush.
Cleanup: The toys come out clean, which is the rare activity that leaves the house tidier.
Three more like this
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Bike And Trike Wash
20–50 min 2–10 yrs Some mess- a trike, scooter or ride-onto buy
- water
- two buckets
Learn something
Bath Pouring Station
15–40 min 12 mo–6 yrs Low mess- a bath, sink or tub of water
- cups and containers
