Bicycle Sprinkler Car Wash – Outdoor Preschool Fitness Activity

by Kelly Pfeiffer

Set up a tricycle or bicycle car wash for preschoolers outdoors for a summer cool off activity full of physical fitness. Preschoolers will have fun and get exercise as they use muscles to pedal through a sprinkler car wash. Add buckets and sponges for even more dramatic play so preschoolers can scrub their bikes clean. Let preschoolers use their imaginations if they want to make a sign or invent a paying system for their bicycle car wash.

What You Need

A Sprinkler

Small Buckets and Sponges (optional) Caution: Never use a 5-gallon bucket around small children

Bicycle Sprinkler Car Wash Set-up

Some preschoolers will not feel comfortable if water sprays their face. Adjust the sprinkler to a low spray level at first and increase the height of the water spray as preschooler’s comfort level increases.

Extra Dramatic Play Options

Small Buckets and Sponges – Set out buckets of water and sponges for preschoolers to scrub their bikes clean. Preschoolers can ride through the sprinkler to get their bikes wet, scrub with sponges and then ride through the car wash again as the final rinse.
Caution: Never use a 5-gallon bucket around small children.

Dry Erase Board – Preschoolers may want to make a sign to place in front of their car wash.

Plastic Cards – Most preschoolers understand the concept of “paying” for items with a plastic card. Save those dummy type cards that arrive in the mail with credit offers and let preschoolers use them to pay for the car wash.

Toy Cash Register – Another way to play for a car wash is with cash. Also many toy cash registers have plastic cards and slots to slide toy credit cards through.

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