Sweeping

Materials and Lessons

You are God’s instrument to help Him create and grow this child and the child’s powers. Be still and know this truth in the quiet of your heart.

Before age ~5, the child does this as an exercise that feeds his inner growth and so does it over and over, but from 5 years and onwards the child does the exercise as a “Care of The Environment” activity, hence when the need arises.

As with any lessons, practice these on your own until you master all the movements and steps.  Pause between each step about 2 seconds.  Go slow.  As you practice, do it as an act of meditation not an act of efficiency. You are cooperating with God in the creation of His child and the taking care of His world.

Once you hand this over to the child to do, do not correct the child while the child is sweeping. Let the child self-correct. This is crucial for the child to develop good judgment.  Rather, take a mental note (or write this down), and see if the child self-corrects.  If not, then redo the presentation slowing down and giving your focus to the moment at which an error was made if needed, but even then, do not say “you did it wrong here.”

Material

  • Small broom
  • dustpan and brush
  • Chalk
  • confetti (or torn up paper).

Presentation

  1. Ask the child to help you carry materials to the area.
  2. Draw a small circle on the floor.
  3. Scatter confetti around the area.
  4. Tell the child you are going to try to gather all the confetti into the circle.
  5. Take broom holding it correctly for sweeping.
  6. Sprinkle confetti around the circle.
  7. Start sweeping slowly, using long strokes, directing the confetti to the centre of the circle.
  8. When all the confetti has been swept into the circle, put the broom away.
  9. Take the brush with the right hand and the dustpan with the left.
  10. Go into the circle, bend down and sweep the confetti into the dustpan using single strokes; lifting the brush from the dustpan before bringing it back to the circle.
  11. When all the confetti is gathered into the dustpan, keep the brush (as a lid) on the dustpan and stand up, tilting the dustpan slightly backwards.
  12. Walk carefully towards the waste-paper basket.
  13. Empty dustpan in waste-paper basket brushing off with the brush the last specks of confetti from the dustpan.
  14. Shake brush over waste-paper basket. If necessary, rub the brush against the edge of the dustpan to shake off the rest of the dust.
  15. Return materials back to proper place.

Direct aim

Muscular and visual co-ordination needed for sweeping.

Indirect aim

Care of the environment.

Control of error

Visual: pieces of confetti left behind or in the circle.

Age of interest

2½  to 4½ years.

Language

Corresponding to articles used, circle (or square).

Points of interest

Brush right in the center of the circle. Clean surface appears as confetti is swept; carrying dustpan carefully, holding brush over mouth of dustpan; rubbing off circle.

Exercise

As in Presentation, child does it.

  1. Scattering confetti, as a motive of activity.
  2. As a motive of activity leading to Care of The Environment.

Other Exercises:

  1. Sweeping large areas (over a whole room). In this case suggest to the child to make several circles.
  2. Sweeping carpets with the carpet sweeper.
  3. Using floor cloth under broom to mop up remaining pieces.
  4. Using mop.
  5. Using small sweeper.