Activities for How to Teach Personal Hygiene to Toddlers

Sing a Song

• Sing a song about washing your hands, brushing your teeth, or combing your hair. Kids will love "The Rinse and Spit Rap" by Peggy Collins, found on the Songs for Teaching website. See the Super Simple Songs website for a song about taking a bath, which teaches kids how to wash themselves thoroughly. Or, sing a song that describes your entire morning or nighttime hygiene ritual to help toddlers remember what they must do. Make up a song for your child, using his name; he'll be even more excited to sing if he knows the song is just for him.

Take a Bubble Bath

• Sometimes children learn proper hygiene simply by playing--in other words, they learn that hygiene can be fun. Make bath time a fun ritual by adding bubbles. Let your toddler play with toys that float, too, like boats and a rubber ducky. Give your child a waterproof toy animal or doll, telling her she's in charge of bathing the toy. As your child cares for her doll, she'll learn to care for herself too. As the Parents website states, most children (and adults) don't need to wash their hair daily, so teach your child a routine that works for her hair type, such as washing it every couple of days and rinsing in between.

Read a Book

• Read a storybook about a character who learns about personal hygiene. If kids read about a character who had a terrible toothache from cavities, they'll likely want to keep their own teeth healthy. Choose an engaging book that clearly and simply explains personal hygiene to toddlers, and read it in an animated voice. Ask your toddler questions as you read, such as "What do you think happened then?" See the Story Place website to hear the story "I Will Not Take a Bath," a great one for teaching kids to bathe regularly.

Play Hair Stylist

• Help a toddler learn to enjoy brushing her hair by playing hair stylist with her. Don't spend a long time on elaborate hairdos; instead, create simple and fun hairstyles. Try spiking hair up or using colorful hair clips. Fix your own hair in an unusual style, too, or let your toddler play with your hair. Use a detangler to make hair easier to brush, since kids will enjoy hair brushing more if it doesn't get tangled. For dry hair, try working in light, sweet-smelling oils like coconut or almond oil to tame hair, suggests Parents, which will also show kids that caring for hair can be fun.

Chart

• Create a chart that lists the different personal hygiene tasks children need to do each day, and let your toddler put a sticker beside each tasks he completes. Seeing all the tasks he's completed will give your toddler a sense of fulfillment, while showing him that taking responsibility for his own personal hygiene isn't so hard. The chart will motivate him to keep learning to care for himself better, especially if he gets a small prize at the end of the week.