Hygiene Resources for Children

Kids should be encouraged to practice good hygiene at home, too.

Learning about hygiene can help children understand their bodies, hygiene's function and how to prevent, for example, stomach bugs. Children can often be made fun of by fellow students for lack of hygiene. The school environment can be a negative place where social interactions take over when learning should be most important. Giving children different hygiene resources can boost self-esteem and confidence by teaching them how to stay clean.

"Gelmo Storybook"

The Gelmo Storybook is a free printable book that teaches hand-washing for grades K-2. Join the Scrub Club as they fight Enzo the Germ and his sneaky henchmen in Scrubville. They learn how to wash hands, be sure to scrub under their nails and dry their hands with a paper towel. Brightly colored, this 14-page hygiene resource is illustrated for kids.

"Milk Matters with Buddy Brush"

"Milk Matters with Buddy Brush" is a hygiene resource and coloring book for grades K-3. From the National Institutes of Health, kids can learn how to effectively brush their teeth with Buddy. This book has a double message, which also details calcium, how milk matters and how it makes your bones and teeth really strong. Buddy shows kids that calcium can come in cheese, broccoli, macaroni and cheese, yogurt and milk. This hygiene resource is also free to print.

"Personal Care" Activity Book

Designed by the Ohio State Department of Health, Personal Care is an activity booklet for second and third graders. This hygiene resource is filled with coloring pages and connect-the-dots puzzles. Follow the Healthy Hare Family while they teach a wide range of hygiene from baths and showers to hand-washing, hair care, clean clothes, diet and much more. Black and white, this resource is free to print, too.

"Healthy Owl" Activity Sheets

From the Tennessee Department of Health comes Healthy Owl. Join him in learning how to be strong, get a good night's sleep, eat good meals, exercise, and buckle your safety belt when riding in a car. Each Healthy Owl Activity Sheet can be printed for free; select the image you would like to color, click on that image to display a larger version of it, then click on your browser's "Print" button to print.

References

• The School Run: Personal Hygiene Learning For Kids

Resources

• Tennessee Department of Health: Healthy Owl Activity Sheets
• Mississippi Office of Healthy Schools: Hygiene Resources