Having many children in the same environment is an invitation for all types of germs to multiply. Why do children spread communicable diseases so easily? Most of the childhood diseases are spread by contact.
Babies, toddlers and preschoolers explore part of their world with their hands. They go from one object to another without ever questioning who went before them. Not only do they touch everything but many children get annoyed when asked to stop play-time to go and wash their hands.
By handwashing, diseases such as colds, chicken pox, conjunctivitis, hand-mouth-foot syndrome, are drastically reduced. Why you ask? All the germs will not be able to spread with the use of soap and water.
Sounds easy? It is. Time consuming? It is. Beneficial? It is. Well worth the effort.
Handwashing should be implemented many times during the day.
Before: Meals, playing with playdough, water table, rice table, or games where children will hold hands.
After: Meals, playing with playdough, water table, rice table, painting, doing any arts & crafts, after toileting, coughing, wiping runny noses and other bodily fluids such as blood, urine, and saliva, and after handling pets. For educators: as well as after using cleanng products or giving medication to a child.
How to teach children to wash their hands. It will be easier to teach children in a repetitious and fun way:
First - wet the hands. Second - put some soap. Third - scrub and make foam all over the hands- both sides and in-between fingers -let the children count up to ten while scrubbing. Fourth - rinse the soap away with running water. Fifth - dry hands with a paper towel.
After a few times, mix up the steps. They'll be quick to correct you and they'll show you the right steps. Make it fun and not a chore. Use this time to sing songs, recite rhymes or tell a short story.
Once you are finished rinsing your hands, let the water run an extra few seconds while you dry your hands with a paper towel, then use the paper towel to turn off the water. The germs get wiped off but none will get back on your hands. Door handles are another source for germs.
Babies, toddlers and preschoolers explore part of their world with their hands. They go from one object to another without ever questioning who went before them. Not only do they touch everything but many children get annoyed when asked to stop play-time to go and wash their hands.
By handwashing, diseases such as colds, chicken pox, conjunctivitis, hand-mouth-foot syndrome, are drastically reduced. Why you ask? All the germs will not be able to spread with the use of soap and water.
Sounds easy? It is. Time consuming? It is. Beneficial? It is. Well worth the effort.
Handwashing should be implemented many times during the day.
Before: Meals, playing with playdough, water table, rice table, or games where children will hold hands.
After: Meals, playing with playdough, water table, rice table, painting, doing any arts & crafts, after toileting, coughing, wiping runny noses and other bodily fluids such as blood, urine, and saliva, and after handling pets. For educators: as well as after using cleanng products or giving medication to a child.
How to teach children to wash their hands. It will be easier to teach children in a repetitious and fun way:
First - wet the hands. Second - put some soap. Third - scrub and make foam all over the hands- both sides and in-between fingers -let the children count up to ten while scrubbing. Fourth - rinse the soap away with running water. Fifth - dry hands with a paper towel.
After a few times, mix up the steps. They'll be quick to correct you and they'll show you the right steps. Make it fun and not a chore. Use this time to sing songs, recite rhymes or tell a short story.
Once you are finished rinsing your hands, let the water run an extra few seconds while you dry your hands with a paper towel, then use the paper towel to turn off the water. The germs get wiped off but none will get back on your hands. Door handles are another source for germs.
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