Sweeping

Material

- One Broom
- One Dustpan and Brush
- A Tray containing:
Chalk
A Sponge
A Container with moss peat (dirt)

Presentation

Introduction

Choose an area of the room to be swept. Place a stool near by. Invite a child to come by telling them you have something to show them. Have the child pick up the sweeping tray and place it onto the stool. Tell the child that you will be showing him how to sweep.

Preparation

1. Hold the bottle of moss in your left hand and take off the bottle top (as explained in Opening Bottles).
2. Place the lid upside down on the tray.
3. Show the child how to take out a pinch of dirt by pinching your right thumb and index finger into the moss to grab some. Sprinkle the dirt in a small area.
4. Repeat if you think there needs to be more dirt.
5. Close the bottle and place it back onto the tray.
6. Pick up the chalk and squat down near the dirt.
7. Ask the child where the most dirt is on the floor.
8. Have him show you where by pointing.
9. Draw a circle the size of your dustpan around the area where there is the most dirt.
10. Place the chalk back onto the tray.

Presentation

1. Walk over to the broom stand.
2. Place your left hand around the broom 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. Carry the broom over to the chalk circle.
7. Stand near the circle (about a foot and a half away).
8. Place the broom bristles onto the floor to the right side of your body.
9. Rotate the grip of your right hand so your palm is facing up.
10. Rotate your left hand and grip the broom so your left palm is also facing up.
11. Place the bristles about two feet away from your body and about two feet away from the circle.
12. Apply a little bit of pressure onto the bristles and sweep the broom towards the circle to bring all the dirt into the center of the circle.
13. Stop once you are just slightly in the circle. Lift the broom just a little off the ground and give it a good shake.
14. Place the broom now three feet away from you (to your right) and two feet away from the circle.
15. Take one step closer to the broom but keeping your same distance to the circle.
16. Repeat the sweeping movements as above.
17. Sweet around the entire circle always moving just a little to the right until you have swept all the way around the circle.
18. Place the broom laying down a little ways away from the circle.
19. Squat down and ask the child if he sees any dirt outside of the circle.
20. If he does or you do, pick up the broom and sweep the dirt into the center of the circle.
21. If all the dirt has been swept into the circle, carry the broom in the same way as before over to the broom hook.
22. Remove your right hand from the handle of the broom and pinch the tip of the string with your right thumb and index finger.
23. Place the string up and over the hook.
24. Remove your right hand from the string and then your left hand from the broom’s handle.
25. Go over to the hook with the dustpan and brush.
26. Place your left hand around the handle of the brush and take it off of the hook.
27. Place your right hand around the handle of the dustpan and remove it from the hook.
28. Carry them over to the circle of chalk.
29. Place the dustpan on the floor near the circle and remove your right hand.
30. Place the brush onto the floor.
31. Secure your left hand grip around the handle and place your left thumb above the handle near the top of the bristles.
32. Grip the dustpan’s handle tightly with your right hand. (Your four fingers wrapped around the handle and your thumb around the other side.)
33. Place the edge of the dustpan at the edge of the circle in front of you.
34. Place the brush bristles across the circle and rotate it slightly towards you.
35. Apply a little pressure onto the brush and sweep the brush in towards the dustpan.
36. When you get to the edge of the dustpan, apply more pressure.
37. Sweep the dirt into the dustpan.
38. Lift the brush and give it a good shake.
39. Repeat the brushing if needed.
40. Lift the brush and the dustpan.
41. Move 90° to your right.
42. Place the dustpan down first at the edge of the circle and then the brush at the opposite edge of the circle.
43. Sweep in as before.
44. Lift the brush and then dustpan.
45. Place them to the side of the circle.
46. Check to see if all the dirt from the circle has been brushed into the dustpan.
47. If it has not, sweep using the dust pan again.
48. If you are done with the dustpan, pick it up with your right hand making sure it remains in the flat position.
49. Pick up the brush in the other hand.
50. Walk over to the bin.
51. Place the dustpan over the center of the bin and tilt the dustpan slightly at an angle and down.
52. Wait for the dirt to slide off and into the bin.
53. Use the brush to gently sweep off any of the dirt still in the dustpan.
54. Walk over to the hooks.
55. Place the brush down onto the ground.
56. Place the dustpan back onto the hook (using the help of your left hand if needed) and then place the brush back onto the hook.

Completion

1. Pick up the sponge with your right hand and wipe away any of the chalk you may still see on the floor.
2. Place the sponge back onto the tray.
3. Invite the child to sweep.

Tell the child that once he is done sweeping, he can put the tray back onto the shelves.

Purpose

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

Points of Interests
Getting the rubbish into the chalk circle.

Age
3 years plus

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