Toy Wash Station Narration

A shallow bin or large bowl

Warm water and a tiny squirt of dish soap

A small brush or sponge

A towel for drying

5-6 washable toys (plastic animals, toy cars, rubber ducks)

Fill a shallow bin with warm water and a tiny squirt of soap.

Set out a towel, brush or sponge, and 5-6 washable toys.

Invite toddler: "Your toys are dirty! Let's give them a bath!"

Model narrating: "Pick up the cow. Dip in the water. Splash!"

Show scrubbing: "Scrub, scrub, scrub! Making the cow clean."

Narrate rinsing: "Rinse the cow. Pour water over it. Drip, drip, drip!"

Dry together: "Wipe with the towel. Pat, pat, pat. All dry!"

Repeat with each toy, using the same action words for repetition.

Water play is inherently motivating for toddlers, which makes it the perfect vehicle for language. They're so engaged with the splashing and scrubbing that they absorb vocabulary almost effortlessly.

Use the three-step pattern for each toy: scrub, rinse, dry. Predictable sequences help toddlers anticipate and eventually narrate the steps themselves.

Add descriptive words: "The water is warm. The sponge is squishy. The duck is slippery!" The more sensory words you use, the richer their vocabulary becomes.

Lay towels under the bin and dress toddler in a smock or old shirt. Expect splashing — it's part of the joy.