Colleen Beck, OTR/L is a pediatric occupational therapist and the owner and author of The OT Toolbox website. She manages all of The OT Toolbox social media accounts and runs the popular newsletter.
Colleen created The OT Toolbox in 2011 and since then has written thousands of blog posts designed to support therapy providers, educators, parents, counselors, admin, and caregivers in promoting the healthy development of kids.
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by
Colleen Beck OTR/L
With kids, germs and illness happen. We found this fun germ book at our library recently and had so much fun reading and learning about how germs spread, that we had to make a Germ Craft to go along with the book. Get ready to teach kids about germs and get crafty!
This book about germs is a fun addition to a fine motor germ craft!
Make these! So cute. Not like real germs.
Germ craft to show how germs are spread:
Did you know we do a lot of crafts and activities based on books? This one had to be added to “read and create about it” list. It really is a gem of a germ book. Because fuzzy germs are cute. And we sure do love our craft time.
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This time of year especially, it’s important to teach kids how germs and sickness are spread from person to person. Germs, by Ross Collins is such a cute book that shows in detail how a germ gets into a person and is fought off by white blood cells. The pictures in this book are detailed and fun. My kids giggled at the pictures of the germs and were mesmerized by the silly story. We decided to make a germ of our own that was just as fun and silly!
Germ craft for kids
For your germ craft, you’ll need just a few materials:
This is such a fun and addicting craft to make. First, chose the colors of Embroidery Floss you want to use for your germs. Next, create puff balls from the thread. Simply use a fork to wrap the thread around and around the edges. Tie the thread to one prong of the fork or just hold it in place with your thumb. Then, wrap the thread around the prongs of the fork and until you have a a large puff. Feel free to use a whole length of the thread.
Tie a small piece of floss around the middle in a knot. Slide the floss from the fork and snip the looped edges. Fluff out your puff ball by lightly pulling at the threads. Careful! The threads will pull right out of the pom pom if you pull too hard. With scissors, snip any stray threads.
Next, Glue on the Googly Eyes. How cute are these germs?
Germ Book and Germ Activities
First, read the book, Germs. Then, make a few germ crafts for the kiddos. Use these cute germs in showing kids how the icky germs are spread. Practice blowing them from your child’s hand and they can see how a cough or sneeze will make the puffball germs (and real germs!) fly.
Set them on a table surface and notice how a little breeze or breath will make them move. Use a tissue and cover the child’s nose. They can hold the tissue in place and try to blow the germ crafts. Do they blow as far or move at all? Teach kids about germs and how they move when a tissue is used.
Place the germ craft on the floow and use a straw to blow the germs. See how far they spread on a hard floor.
How many other ways can you think of to use these pretty little friendly germs spread just like bad, illness inducing germs?
, by Ross Collins is such a cute book that shows in detail how a germ gets into a person and is fought off by white blood cells. The pictures in this book are detailed and fun. My kids giggled at the pictures of the germs and were mesmerized by the silly story. We decided to make a germ of our own that was just as fun and silly!
