A Fun Way to Show Kids How Soap Gets Rid of Germs
Getting kids to wash their hands properly with soap can sometimes feel like a never-ending battle. They’ve heard “wash your hands !” so many times —but when germs are invisible, it can be tricky for little ones to understand why it's so important.
That’s where a little kitchen science comes in.
This simple black pepper and soap experiment is a fun and visual way to help kids see how soap works to remove germs so we can keep healthy. It's absolutely fun too!
What You’ll Need:
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A bowl of water
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Ground black pepper
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Soap
What to Do:
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Pour some water into a shallow bowl.
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Sprinkle/grind black pepper over the surface. This represents the "germs."
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Ask your child to dip a clean, dry finger into the bowl. What happens? (Usually, nothing much—germs are stubborn like that!)
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Now, pump some soap onto your child’s hand/ finger and lather it up.
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With their soapy finger, have them gently touch the water's surface again.
Watch their reaction as the pepper ("germs!") quickly scatters away from the soap.
Why It Works:
The soap breaks the surface tension of the water and pushes the pepper to the edges of the bowl—just like it pushes germs off our hands in real life. It's a quick, visual way to show that soap is needed to wash off germs.
This activity is especially great for toddlers and preschoolers who love cause-and-effect play. Plus, it turns handwashing into something they want to do (win!).
Here's a little video (if you can't view the video, check it out on our Insta)
