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Germ Demonstration for Kids

The concept of germs can be hard for young children to comprehend. They cannot see them, nor is it easy for them to understand how they cause sickness. Nonetheless, the importance of properly washing hands to kill germs can be demonstrated with one of several kinds of germ-simulating gel and a black light.

  1. Background on How Sickness is Spread

    • Start the demonstration by asking the children how sickness is spread. Most of them will know that it is by coughing on someone, sneezing, or from drinking from someone else's cup. It is useful to write these ideas down. It might even be a good time to review the proper way to cough or the importance of covering your mouth when sneezing.

    Introduce Concept of Germs

    • Introduce the idea that germs are the agent that causes sickness. It will be hard for them to conceptualize something that they can't see. Explain how germs are everywhere; including all over their bodies right at that very moment, as well as how some types of germs don't hurt us and some make us sick. Teach them that the bad types of germs are often in our saliva and mucus, which is why it is important to wash our hands properly.

    The Demonstration

    • Have all of the kids rub the germ simulating gel on their hands vigorously and then ask them in an orderly fashion to wash their hands. The idea that they're rubbing "germs" on their hands might make some of them squeamish, while others will enjoy the concept. After they are done washing have them put their hands under the black light, exposing all of the "germs" that they did not wash off.

    Washing Their Hands Again

    • In order to reinforce the importance of properly washing their hands, send them back to wash their hands again. Ask them to take their time and do a good job, perhaps counting to 15 or 20 out loud. Let them put their hands under the black light again. Point out how much more germs were washed away when they washed well. Inevitably, some "germs" will remain on their hands. You can point out that we can never get rid of all of the germs.

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