Keeping kids healthy is always a challenge, and it’s been especially hard the last few years. I have a number of hygiene and medical-worker posts with resources for parents and teachers, and now we’re starting a germ (and healthy habits) unit! You’ll find links to free germ printables used to prepare hands-on activities and a new Montessori-inspired germ pack for our newsletter subscribers’ resource library!
Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links (at no cost to you).
Montessori Shelves with Germ-Themed Activities
Montessori Shelves with Germ-Themed Activities
You’ll find Montessori-inspired germ-themed numbers, letters, and and more (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) Note: The Montessori-inspired germ pack isn’t designed as a complete germ unit but as supplemental materials. I design the packs using realistic images that I’ve often looked for when preparing a unit study (such as font cards and phonogram cards featuring the letter and phonogram related to the theme and math cards with realistic images that fit the theme and can be adapted for math activities at a variety of levels.)
You could mix your germ-themed activities among your shelves according to curriculum area. Or you could have a special germ-themed area something like the one pictured. My shelves at the beginning of our unit have a mixture of skill levels. Many of the activities can be adapted for a variety of levels. Many of these are designed for early elementary as well as preschoolers. If you’re a homeschooler, just choose the activities that work for your child’s interests and ability levels. If you don’t have room for all the activities you’d like to do, simply rotate them.
Montessori Shelves with Germ-Themed Activities and The Physician Art Print
Notice the framed art print The Physician (1653) by Gerrit Dou. It’s a free download from WikiArt. It’s a great starting point for a discussion about medicine in the 1600s!
For our monthly featured art print, I purchased a Li’l DAVINCI art frame that opens in the front for easily changing a free art masterpiece printable or vintage illustration to fit with the month’s theme. The frame can be switched from horizontal to vertical without changing the hanger, which is perfect!
If you’re wondering about the rugs and rug box I use, both the rugs and wooden rug holder are from Montessori Services. I love the Montessori Services rugs and rug holder! I used to use an umbrella stand something like these. I loved that for 1-3 rugs, but I needed something different when I had more grandchildren and some projects that needed more than one rug.
Favorite Shelves, Trays, Baskets, and More for Montessori Homeschoolers
I often get asked about the trays, baskets, etc., that I use, so I published a post with many of the items. You can find lots of helpful resources here. They’re not all essential, so don’t feel you need to have everything. Just choose what’s best for your budget and your unique family’s needs. You’ll find more ideas in the Living Montessori Now Amazon shop
Germ-Themed Books for Kids
Even though I have books on shelves, I’m now keeping many of my themed books in a forward-facing display after placing a plant where the themed book basket was before. My seasonal books are now in that book basket, although I have many of my snow-themed books on shelves for this unit.
For toddlers and preschoolers, about ¾ of the books I use are typically Montessori friendly (focusing on reality without smiling or talking animals or smiling or talking vehicles).
Books for a Germ Unit
Top Shelf of Main Themed Shelf:
- See Inside Germs has a lot of interesting information about Germs.
- The Bacteria Book by Steve Mould, which is filled with information about bacteria and other microbes
- I love DK’s First Human Body Encyclopedia for its beautiful images and easy-too-understand information.
- The Magic School Bus Fights Germs
- The Giant Germ chapter book (a Magic School Bus book)
Top Shelf of Forward -Facing Display:
2nd Shelf:
- The Fascinating Human Body Book: 500 Phenomenal Facts
- Germs: Fact and Fiction, Friends and Foes
- Germs vs Soap
3rd Shelf:
4rd Shelf:
Bottom Shelf
- Pete the Kitty: Wash Your Hands
- Germs Are Not for Sharing (There’s also a Germs Are Not for Sharing board book for toddlers.)
- What Are Germs? (Very First Lift-the-Flap Questions & Answers)
- A Germ’s Journey: Dirty Hands! Clean Hands!
On the other side of the room, is a shelf with these books on the top:
Shelf with Handwashing, Germ, and Human Body Books
- Wash Your Hands!
- The Berenstain Bears Come Clean for School
- Let’s Clean Up!
- The Magic School Bus Inside Ralphie – A Book About Germs
- The Magic School Bus Inside the Human Body
You can see more germ books as they’re published here.
See Inside Germs Book with Germ Games
See Inside Germs Book with Germ Games
Usborne has lots of fun lift-the-flap books, and See Inside Germs has a lot of interesting information about Germs. Also on the top shelf is The Bacteria Book by Steve Mould, which is filled with information about bacteria and other microbes.
Free Printable: Germs Mini Unit (subscriber freebie) from Trillium Montessori
Free Printable: Germ Game by Dizzy Ozzy at TPT
There are actually two germ games on the tray. Stop the Infections from Trillium Montessori is on the top. It’s a Montessori-style game. Below it is a game with some cartoon images and a bit more advanced level. I like to play both of them as cooperative games with a team of microbiologists moving around the game board together. Because my grandkids range from 4¾-9 years in age, I sometimes have more than one activity on a tray. I have limited shelf space, and they’re able to put together the activities they want to do, which is often preferred for elementary-age kids.
Germ Printables and Book Pages with Materials for Germ Experiments in the Background
Germ Printables and Book Pages with Materials for Germ Experiments in the Background
I love DK’s First Human Body Encyclopedia for its beautiful images and easy-too-understand information. It’s the open book on the easel.
Free Printables: Germs Mini Unit (subscriber freebie) from Trillium Montessori
Seemi’s germs mini unit has a number of great activities for a germ unit. I used the 3-part cards and Tell Me About Germs book here. See below to learn about the fun books and activities in the background!
Germs Sand Writing Tray with Movable Alphabet Spelling
Germs Sand Writing Tray
Free Printables: “b” for bacteria and “v” for virus sand writing tray (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)
Free Printables: “ge” in germs (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)
While I like to have just one phonogram in the words I feature, I couldn’t skip the word “germs” for our germ unit. So I’m mainly focusing on the ge (or soft g) at the beginning of germs. I’ve featured /er/ before, so I just quickly review that and mainly emphasize “ge.”
You’ll see a variety of simple letter writing trays in my previous unit study posts. I often used the wooden tray from the Melissa & Doug Lace and Trace Shapes. You can use whatever tray or container work best for you, though.
The sandpaper letters I use are available in print or cursive.
I typically now use this lovely spelling/alphabet tray from FamilyTreeWW on Etsy. I like it for writing more than one letter or spelling words. (Note: If that sand tray is currently unavailable, you’ll find lots of other options for Montessori sand trays on Etsy.)
If you would like help with introducing phonetic sounds, introducing objects with sounds, or beginning phonics in general, check out my DIY Beginning Montessori Phonics with Preschoolers.
Germ Riddles, Booklet Making, and Phonogram Work
Free Printables: Germs Mini Unit (subscriber freebie) from Trillium Montessori
Free Printable: Cut and Paste Initial Hard and Soft G from This Reading Mama
I used two more activities from Seemi’s germs mini unit again here. They’re the Who Am I? Riddles and pages for booklet making (to go with the Tell Me About Germs book shown by the easel above).
I also have a cut-and-paste activity to focus on hard g and soft g sounds. It even includes the word “germs.” (See it in the next photo.)
Hard G and Soft G Sort and Germs Spelling
Free Printables: “ge” in germs (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)
Free Printable: Cut and Paste Initial Hard and Soft G from This Reading Mama
Free Printables: Virus alphabet cards with (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)
This shows the control card I put together for the Cut and Paste Initial Hard and Soft G along with movable alphabet and virus alphabet spelling. There are many different ways you can use the virus alphabet cards, depending on the age and level of your child. You’ll see many different ideas in previous units.
Germs Up Close and Germs Are Not for Sharing Books with Germ Subtraction Activity
Handwashing and Germ Subtraction Activity
Free Printable: handwashing numbers and symbols and 1-10 spinner (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)
I changed the subtraction activity a bit from when I took the shelf photo. I used smaller pom poms for the germs and added a TubSchroom that I had purchased but hadn’t installed yet. This is not at all essential! I was just looking for a fun way to show the germs (I used pom poms) going down the drain. I was originally going to sweep the pom poms away with my hand, but I thought it would be fun to catch them with the TubSchroom. The point is, just be creative in preparing an activity that will be fun for your kids!
Germs Up Close and Germs Are Not for Sharing Books with Germ Subtraction Activity
I like focus on the size of germs and handwashing concepts before doing the subtraction activity. Germs Up Close has some great images and information about germs. I used Germs Are Not for Sharing for some basic handwashing information. This is the paperback version, which is great for preschoolers. There’s a board book version with different text and illustrations, which I love for toddlers.
I printed out 2 copies of the handwashing numbers 1-10. I always start with 10 pom poms (germs), which I’ve already explained are much, much smaller than the pom poms and in much greater numbers than 10. We use the TubSchroom to capture the number of “germs” that are washed away with some handwashing. If there are still “germs” left, then the handwashing needs to go longer to wash away the rest of the “germs.”
Of course, you can use thes handwashing math cards in a variety of ways for simple counting, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, or greater than, and less than.
Handwashing Printables and 5-Step Handwashing Puzzle
Handwashing Printables and 5-Step Handwashing Puzzle
Free Printable: Personal Hygiene and Germs! Hand Washing Activities by Teach With Me at TPT
This free printable has a number of helpful handwashing activities. The 5-step handwashing puzzle has a version in color, a black-and-white version, and a version that’s blank except for the numbers. You can use one of the pages as a base for younger kids, and kids can make their own puzzle, too!
Glo Germs Activity
Checking Hands for Glo Germs
This isn’t on our shelf because I just used it as a one-time group activity. Of course, we can do it again if requested!
Free Printable: Germ Experiment by Ms Noemis STEAM Center at TPT (This printable goes with the Glo Germ gel. It has links to some educational videos along with an image that shows the areas most frequently missed, less frequently missed, and not missed during handwashing.
I purchased the Glo Germ Mini Kit, which includes a blacklight keychain. My 3 grandkids and Caleb’s parents all did the experiment with me. (It’s fun for adults, too!) It was interesting to see which areas were missed in handwashing and how long it takes to remove all the “germs”!
Free Printable: Pepper “Germs” Experiment and the Importance of Hand Washing by Teach With Me at TPT (This is another experiment you can try to show the importance of washing with soap to remove germs.)
Shelf with Nancy B’s Science Club and Magic School Bus Books and Lab Kits
Shelf with Nancy B’s Science Club and Magic School Bus Books and Lab Kits
These aren’t free printables, but they’re a great way to study germs! You only need to get one kit, but I got both to let you know a bit about the differences.
Nancy B’s Mighty Microbes Lab definitely includes more in the kit than the Magic School Bus. It’s also a bit more expensive.
The Magic School Bus Fights Germs and The Giant Germ chapter book didn’t come with the Magic School Bus kit. I just had them for our germ unit.
The Magic School Bus Rides Again: The World of Germs doesn’t include everything shown in the photo on Amazon, such as the agar, yeast, and buillon. That said, the experiments in the included booklet are very inviting for Magic School Bus fans. While both kits can make studying germs much easier and more fun, I still prefer the Magic School Bus kit for kids who love the Magic School Bus!
The tray on the left shows the materials used for the first experiment in Nancy B’s Might Microbes Lab, which is for making a batch of agar to be used in later experiments.
The Magic School Bus experiment (Ralphie’s Experiment #1) is an experiment to grow mold on bread.
Free Germ Pack
Montessori-Inspired Germ Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).
More Hygiene and Medical Worker Printables and Activities
- Handwashing Activities for Kids – Free Songs and Lessons
- Fun with Handwashing + Handwashing Song by a 2 Year Old
- Montessori-Inspired Hygiene Lessons to Help Kids Stay Healthy
- Free Songs about Getting a Shot {Kids’ Vaccination Resources}
- Focusing on Toddler Manners in the 100 Acts of Kindness Challenge (uses free hygiene printables from Every Star Is Different)
- Montessori Self-Care Printables for Multiple Ages (includes germ and hygiene printables from Every Star Is Different)
Free Medical Worker Printables and Montessori-Inspired Medical Worker Activities
Free Doctor and Nurse Do-a-Dot Printables (Montessori-Inspired Phonics Instant Download)
Free Medical Worker Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Downlaod)
Don’t miss our themed monthly packs! You’ll get the link and password for the Living Montessori Now subscriber library with the current pack and all the past monthly packs if you subscribe to the Living Montessori Now weekly newsletter!
Free Ambulance Printables and Montessori-Inspired Ambulance Activities
Free Dental Health Printables and Montessori-Inspired Dental Health Activities
Free Dentist Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
The Ultimate Montessori-Inspired Dental Health Unit
Again, don’t miss our themed monthly packs! You’ll get the link and password for the Living Montessori Now subscriber library with the current pack and all the past monthly packs if you subscribe to the Living Montessori Now weekly newsletter!
Montessori-Inspired General Anatomy Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Skeleton Activities
- “All About Me” Free Printables and Activities for Back to School
- Free Skeleton Printables and Montessori-Inspired Skeleton Activities
- Hands-on Fun with Montessori-Inspired Human Skeleton Activities
- Free Brain and Growth Mindset Printables and Montessori-Inspired Brain Activities
- Brain Hemisphere Hat and Montessori Activities to Learn about Parts of the Brain
- Free Brain Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Free Brain Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Free Heart Printables and Montessori-Inspired Heart Activities {Human Heart and Valentine Hearts}
- Montessori-Inspired Heart and Circulatory System Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Heart Unit {Hundreds of Human Heart and Valentine Heart Resources}
- Free Heart and Valentine Do-a-Dot Printables (Montessori-Inspired Instant Downloads)
- The Best Heart Books for Kids {Human Heart, Love, and Valentine’s Day Books}
- Human Body Unit Study Pinterest Board
If you’d like ideas for calendar-based themes throughout January and February, see my January-Themed Activities for Kids and Feburary-Themed Activities for Kids.
Wishing you a happy and healthy 2023!
Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!
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