Keep her healthy; help her to wash her hands.
It's difficult for a preschooler to conceptualize germs because, well, germs are invisible. And what she can't see she doesn't think exists. So teaching her to wash her hands to get rid of those germs---that she doesn't think exist---sounds like a near impossible task. But washing hands---the best way to avoid getting sick and making others sick---is too important a lesson to give up, so below are some creative handwashing activities to help teach her how. Remember, keep it fun!
Singing
Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends washing hands for at least 20 seconds, kids can count this time by singing a song that is about 20 seconds long, or singing a shorter song twice. This approach entertains the child while he washes and helps him do a thorough job. The CDC recommends singing "Happy Birthday" twice, but there are plenty of other songs to sing, too, and ones that are more suited to handwashing (test their times to see if they need to be sung twice). Adaptations of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" and "Old MacDonald" are just two examples of popular children's songs that now have been repurposed for handwashing. You can find the lyrics to these two and more at www.preschooleducation.com/shealth.shtml. You can switch up the songs, but keep the activity of singing consistent. Start a routine so that when a child goes to the bathroom to wash his hands, he sings. The routine will help him associate the two and make him think of washing as something he wants to do.
Story Time
The CDC website is a helpful resource for how and when to wash your hands. The concepts of washing with warm, clean water and soap; washing before eating or treating a cut; and washing after handling animals, blowing your nose or going to the bathroom are great to share with your preschooler. But don't overwhelm her with details; instead, help her learn by watching someone else do it. Create a fictional story and, as the character battles warlords or digs for China, make her pause and wash her hands. Your preschooler will have fun with the story and she'll learn again and again when she should wash her hands. Feel free to use a more concrete story in the form of a children's book about handwashing. There are plenty to choose from at your local library or bookstore.
Make the Sink Fun
If you make the sink fun and visually stimulating, a child will be more likely to go in to wash his hands. A couple of ways to make this happen is to provide a child-safe stool, which gives the feeling of "I can do it myself"---something every preschooler loves to think. Also, have a colorful or bubbly soap. If the soap is fun, kids will be more likely to wash in general and wash for longer.
Apply These With Your Preschooler
Activities like these will help your preschooler start a habit of washing her hands because she'll find it fun. And if you haven't caught on, the common link between all these activities is the emphasis on modeling and repetition. In addition to the above, make sure she pays attention when her classmates wash, and make sure parents and teachers model good washing behaviors. If everyone around the preschooler is washing, she'll likely wash, too.
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