Outdoor Sweeping

Material

- One Hard Broom for outdoor use
- Outdoor Cleaning Gloves
- An Outdoor Bin

Presentation

Introduction

Invite a child to come by telling them you have something to show them. Tell the child that you are going to show him how to sweep outdoors. (If it is cold outside, put on a jacket.)

Preparation

1. Walk over to the broom stand.
2. Place your left hand around the outdoor broom’s handle near the top of the handle.
3. Lift the broom just a little.
4. Using your right fingers, lift the string of the broom over the hook to loosen the broom.
5. Once the broom is free, place your right hand around the handle under your left hand and bring the broom in close to your body.
6. You and the child go outside.
7. If there are any doors to be opened, you can ask the child to open and close the door for you.
8. Place the broom down gently on the ground (bristles down first and then the handle).
9. Look around the outside area for any dirt or leaves you can sweep into a corner.
10. Once you have found something to sweep, decide on a corner for you to sweep into.

Presentation

1. Pick up the broom with both hands (left hand above your right).
2. Stand behind the leaves you would like to sweep into the corner.
3. Stand with your feet together and place the broom down in front of you and about a foot away from you.
4. Place your left hand around the broom’s handle with your thumb on the top and your four fingers wrapped around the handle.
5. Place you right hand under your left, also with your thumb on the top and your four right fingers wrapped around the handle.
6. Apply pressure to the front of the broom’s bristles
7. Push the broom away from you in the direction of the corner.
8. Once the broom is about two to three feet away from you, lift the broom a little off the ground and give it a good shake.
9. Place the broom back down just behind the leaves and dirt.
10. Take a step closer to the broom.
11. Put pressure on the front of the bristles and again, sweep in the direction of the corner.
12. Continue this until you have swept the leaves and dirt into the corner.
13. Once the leaves and dirt have been swept into the corner, don’t forget to give the broom a good shake.

Completion

1. Hold the broom with both hands in front of you and carry it back into the classroom.
2. Go over to the broom hook.
3. Remove your right hand from the handle of the broom and pinch the tip of the string with your right thumb and index finger.
4. Place the string up and over the hook.
5. Remove your right hand from the string and then your left hand from the broom’s handle.
6. Go back outside and show the child where the cleaning gloves can be found.
7. Show the child how to put on the gloves, the right one first and then the left.
8. Look to see where the closest outside bin is located.
9. Bend down next to the corner and scoop up the dirt and leaves using both hands.
10. Carry the dirt and leaves carefully, so as not to spill, over to the bin and throw it in.
11. Come back to the corner and repeat until you have carried all of the rubbish into the bin.
12. Show the child how to take your right glove off first by pulling on the tips of the fingers with your left hand.
13. Place the right glove onto the ground.
14. Then show the child how to take off your left glove by sliding your hand out of the glove with the help of your right hand.
15. Hold your left glove at the opening part with your left hand and walk over to the bin.
16. Place the glove over the center of the bin, turn your head away and give the glove a good shake.
17. Place the left glove down near the bin.
18. Go get the right hand glove and carry it with your right hand in the same way as the left hand glove.
19. Place it over the center of the bin, turn your head, and give it a good shake.
20. Pick up the left hand glove with your left hand and place both gloves into the outdoor basket for cleaning gloves.

Invite the child do outdoor sweeping.

Purpose

Direct: To help the child become more aware of the environment.
 
Indirect: Building up voluntary movements.

Points of Interests
Getting the leaves and dirt into the corner.

Age
3 years plus

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