Handwashing Games

Teaching children to wash their hands is crucial from an early age. Hand washing removes germs, preventing illnesses such as the common cold. Turning hand washing into a game helps make the activity enjoyable while teaching children why it is important to have clean hands. Whatever game is used, make sure children wash their hands for at least 20 to 30 seconds, getting all portions of the hands including the front and back and underneath the fingernails.

Songs

• The "Alphabet Song" is another option to sing during hand washing.

  Singing a song while washing hands is an energetic way of emphasizing how long children should wash their hands. Choose a song such as "Happy Birthday" or "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." Lather the child's hands with soap and then turn on the facet so warm water is running. Start singing the song during the hand washing. Do not allow rinsing until the song is complete. Once the song is finished, rinse the child's hands thoroughly, and dry with a paper towel.

Soap Paints

• Find soap paints at most department or specialty stores in tubes or crayon shapes. Write a number on the back of each of the child's fingers using the paint. Make a game out of counting to 10 and working on number identification. Ask the child to wash each number off individually by saying one of the numbers out loud. Wash the fingers, including under the fingernails for 15 to 20 seconds. After all of the numbers have been washed, ask the child to wash their palms and backs of their hands for another 15 to 20 seconds.

Hand-Washing Chart

• Create a hand-washing chart to hang in the bathroom or wherever the child washes his hands the most. Divide the chart so that each of the week's seven days are represented. For each successful hand washing, ask the child to place a small sticker in the appropriate square. Challenge the child to get as many stickers in each of the squares as possible. At the end of the week, count up the stickers and offer the child a small reward such as a piece of candy or extra television time for a good week of hand washing. As the child becomes more comfortable with the skill, remove the rewards.

Hand Lens

• Using a magnify glass can help children understand the shape of their hand and where germs can live.

  Ask the child to draw a map or picture on her hand with a washable marker. Let the child look at the hand through a magnify glass to see the picture. Explain how the hands have lots of spaces for germs to hide, making hand washing important to remove those germs. A variation of this game is to have the child make hand prints on a piece of paper, and examine the prints with the magnify glass, again discussing how many places germs can hide. After the activity, practice hand washing with the child, using soap and warm water. Ask her to wash away all traces of the marker or paint, which will serve as a guide to those spots that need to be washed on a regular basis.