How to Teach Children to Wash Their Hands

The American Academy of Pediatrics says a child should wash her hands frequently to help prevent disease. In fact, the AAP names hand-washing as one of the most important acts of disease prevention for children. Hand-washing is something adults do frequently without even thinking about it, but they must teach their children to add it to their routine. Showing your child how to wash his hands is easy if you utilize a few child-friendly methods.

Things You'll Need

  • Soap
  • Water
  • Crayons
  • Paper
  • Glitter

Instructions

  1. Sing Your Hands Clean

    • 1

      Pick out a song that is 15 to 20 seconds in length, as that is the amount of time the AAP suggests for hand washing.

    • 2

      Teach your child the song and have her sing the song for you.

    • 3

      Tell your child that the song is his hand-washing song and that, every time he washes his hands, he should wash them until the song is over.

    • 4

      Have the child go to the sink and begin washing her hands. Have her start her hand-washing song and sing it in its entirety. Once the song is over, her hands should be sufficiently clean.

    Cleaning the Whole Hand

    • 5

      Tell your child it is important to wash all parts of the hands because germs like to hide.

    • 6

      Use glitter germs to establish a routine of using soap when hand-washing. To create glitter germs, sprinkle glitter on your child's hands and have him rub them together. Tell him the glitter represents germs.

    • 7

      Point out that glitter can be trapped under the fingernails, in between the fingers and down on the wrists.

    • 8

      Have the child wash her hands with water only and show how many glitter germs remain.

    • 9

      Have your child wash his hands with soap and note that all the glitter germs are gone. This shows the importance of using soap every time he washes his hands.

    Germ Reminders

    • 10

      Have your child draw some germs on pieces of paper.

    • 11

      Cut out the germs and place them in areas throughout the house as a reminder to wash his hands.

    • 12

      Place a germ cutout in the dining room as a reminder to wash before eating, by the toilet to remind your child to wash after using the restroom, and on the front and back doors to remind her to wash her hands after playing outside.

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