Thanks to Dawn and Double Duty Divas for partnering with me to make this post possible. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always!
Our oldest is working hard on learning how to ride a bicycle. Her confidence is growing with every ride around the block! It wasn’t long ago that she couldn’t really figure out how the pedals worked, and now she can’t be stopped!
But the more she uses her bicycle, the more it gets, well, USED. And every once in a while, it needs some maintenance and care provided to it so that it can stay in good working order. Teaching children how to care for their possessions is an important aspect of helping them understand how to get maximum value from them. The idea of bicycle maintenance isn’t new to Darah, since she’s seen her dad work on his bicycle many times. But this weekend, she got the chance to give her own bike a little TLC!
All you need to get started with basic bicycle care is a bottle of Dawn and some water. We all know that Dawn cuts grease in the sink, but it can do the exact same thing with bicycle wheels and chains! Wherever grease and dirt can be found, let Dawn get to work for you. All you need is a few drops!
Let your child take the lead, but provide some guidance. They will be shocked by just how much grime-fighting power they can get out of just a tiny dab of Dawn. Have them help you fill the bowl with warm water and teach them how to ring out a sponge if they don’t already know. Then, set them free on their bicycle to get to scrubbing!
While Darah was cleaning her bike, her father was talking with her about the various parts of the bicycle, teaching her the names of the parts, and talking with her a bit about their jobs, and how they all work together to make a bicycle. By seeing and touching the parts as she cleaned and as she learned about them, I think she really absorbed what she was hearing. It was a sensory experience!
Darah felt proud of the work she did on her bicycle, and Dawn did a great job of making it easy to wipe away the grime that had accumulated on her bike during her practice sessions. I’m guessing that she’s going to ask to clean her bike again before it really and truly NEEDS to be cleaned. But that’s perfectly fine with me…this activity helps her better understand bicycle mechanics, and instills in her the importance of taking care of what is yours. And maybe we can work her up to cleaning our car for us, too! 🙂
If you’d like more ideas on great ways to put Dawn to use once your dishes are clean, check out Dawn’s page for a big list of alternative uses!