How to Encourage Kids to Wash Their Hands

The leaves are changing colour. The air is getting colder. And while there’s general excitement about the last few very festive months of the year, parents have an additional worry: cold and flu season.

Likely, as a parent and an individual, you’ve adopted extra sanitation practices over the past few years, but what about your little ones? You might have a child that loves playing with the foamy goodness of hand soap, or you might have a child that runs from running water.

These are a few ways you can encourage kids to wash their hands.

Create a routine

Routines make life easy, especially when you have little ones to care for. Turn routines into habits by setting some rules, like always washing hands before eating, or always washing hands when you come home. Preferably both.

Personalize, personalize, personalize!

Nothing makes a child feel more special than something meant just for them. Colour-code your child’s soap bottle or dish (or sanitizer bottle), write their name on it, or let them decorate it with stickers. When you personalize their hygiene tools, kids get super enthusiastic about using them.

Make it accessible

Ensure that your little one can comfortably wash their hands. Here are some accessibility tips to keep in mind:

• A stepstool that reaches the height of the sink
• Easy-to-press hand soap pumps
• A clean, dry, easy-to-reach hand towel

Get involved

The most effective way to get your kids to wash their hands? Wash your own and lead by example. It is endearing the way many children mimic the actions of their parents. Use this to your advantage when trying to instill healthy hygiene habits in your kids. Rather than trying to verbally convince your child to wash their hands, just do it. Hygienic magic will follow.

Make it mobile

To avoid broken habits and confusion around handwashing and general hygiene, carry a child-safe hand sanitizer or sanitizing wipes with you when you’re not home. You’ll take comfort knowing that your little ones’ hands are clean, even when you’re on the go, and that the habits you worked so hard on at home aren’t forgotten.

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Kinder Buddies Oakville Child Care is a Quality First Daycare and Infant Care facility in Oakville, Ontario. We take care of children from the age of 6 weeks to 5 1/2 providing nutritious meals and fun activities all day long.