Hand Washing Craft

This hand washing craft is useful and very fun for the kids to make and use. It is a tradition for each child to make their own hand washing station at the beginning of our annual Grandkid's Camp Out.

The finished project is filled with water by each child and placed on a kid sized outdoor picnic table. There is no problem with getting hands washed before meals and snacks because they love using their inventions.

How to make your own hand washing station:

Recycled plastic bottle
a small cork
string
piece of mesh or nylon stocking (I use mesh that I have saved from bagged produce)
soap (I cut up one bar into 6 pieces)
Clear Packing tape

Have each child select their bottle. Allow them to decorate the bottle with stickers or write their names with permanent marker. Tie the mesh around the cut bar of soap using string. Tie the soap with a piece of string to the neck of the bottle. Allow the soap to hang a little more than half way down the bottle. Near the bottom of the bottle cut a small "x" with a sharp knive. (The cutting should be done ahead of time by an adult.) Make the whole just big enough to fit the cork in for a stopper. I attach a string to the cork using hot glue and a thumbtack. (You should do this part ahead of time.) Allowing some slack attach the cork string to the bottle using clear packing tape.

Have the children fill their own bottles and be sure to notice the pride on their faces when they use their useful creations. The parents say the kids use them at home in their own backyards for weeks following the camp out.