One crucial skill for kiddos to learn is how to properly wash their hands (especially with that nasty flu out there). A few techniques I’ve found to be helpful include:
- Remind your child to wash the “fronts and backs and in-betweens.”
- After soaping up, sing the “ABC’s” with your child before rinsing off. This serves a double purpose — it gets those hands squeaky clean, and works on the alphabet!
- Make sure the sink and soap are accessible to your child. Obvious, I know, but if there is a safe step-stool at the sink, your child is more likely to get the job done.
- Ask your child to help you wash YOUR hands. Intentionally do it incorrectly so that he/she gets the chance to correct you!
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I struggled with this with my stubborn 3-yr-old until I recently told him to put the soap all over his hands so it looked like he had on “soap gloves.” Finally worked!
I’ve got a cute song to help with washing your hands. It is to the melody of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”:
Wash, wash, wash your hands,
Wash them ’till they’re clean.
First you do the outsides,
And then the in betweens!
That’s a fabulous song! Thanks so much, Daryl!