How to Teach Children to Wash Their Hands

Hand-Washing

According to various studies performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, frequent hand washing with soap and water can reduce the number of illnesses and infections in children under five years old by at least 50%. As a result, one of the best things you can do to stop the spread of germs and keep your children healthy is to teach them how to wash their hands. Children are notorious for passing germs back and forth as they touch and share toys while playing. And, since their immune systems are still being developed, it’s easy for a runny nose in one child to become a full-fledged cold in another. To help keep your children from getting sick, teach them to wash their hands as often as possible.

Things You'll Need

• Liquid soap
• Gel or spray hand sanitizers
• Pre-moistened and disposable alcohol-based hand wipes
• Warm running water

Instructions

1. Children should be taught to wash their hands particularly when any of these events occur:- each time you notice that their hands are dirty;- after touching ears, faces or putting things in their mouths;- after using the bathroom;- after play time or having been outdoors;- before and after eating;- after playing with pets or touching other animals;- immediately after sneezing or coughing;- after being around sick playmates or classmates.

2. Use warm water and liquid soap. These are the best materials children should use to wash their hands. If these items are not available, then gel cleaners, spray hand sanitizers or disposable pre-moistened alcohol-based hand wipes can be substituted.

3. Teach your children to rub their hands together vigorously under running water for 20 seconds. Research has shown that this amount of time kills up to 90% of the germs found on the hand. Show them how to wash the backs of their hands, wrists, fingers and under nails.

4. Make sure that your children rinse their hands well by holding them under running water until all of the soap is gone. They should keep their hands pointed downward so that the water drains from the wrist to the fingertips and into the sink.

5. Use paper towels or an air dryer to dry your children’s hands. Leave the water running until after your children have dried their hands. Do not touch the faucet or sink. Public restrooms in airports or other places have faucets with automatic shut-off valves that make it easy to dry freshly washed hands without contaminating them again. At home you should teach your children to leave the water running until after they have dried their hands, and to turn off the faucet with the used paper towel.

6. Get your children excited about washing their hands. Sing or say nursery rhymes in the time it takes to wash properly. Songs like “ABCs” or “The Wheels on the Bus,” are great repetitive tunes they can sing to have some fun while washing their hands.

Tips & Warnings

• Purchase or make colorful liquid soap dispensers and place them in each bathroom your children use. Fill the containers with scented soap that is appealing to children such as bubble gum, cherry, orange or other fragrances.

• Consider dedicating a sink that’s easy for your children to reach specifically for hand washing. Do not use it for other chores.