Hand washing is essential for kids to learn early because it helps prevent the spread of germs and diseases. When children wash their hands regularly and thoroughly, they reduce their risk of getting sick and the risk of spreading germs to others.
Reasons why hand washing is essential for kids
- Kids are exposed to more germs: Children touch and put their hands in their mouths more frequently, which increases their exposure to germs.
- Kids have weaker immune systems: Children’s immune systems are still developing, making them more susceptible to getting sick.
- Kids spend time in close proximity to others: Children often play and interact with others in close proximity, which increases the risk of germ transmission.
- Kids learn by example: Children learn best by observing and imitating the behavior of others, so it’s essential for adults to model good hand-washing habits.
By teaching children to wash their hands regularly and properly, you can help protect their health and promote good hygiene habits that will serve them throughout their lives.
What kids learn about self-hygiene from hand-washing
When children learn about hand-washing, they can learn several important concepts related to self-hygiene:
The importance of cleanliness
Hand-washing teaches children that keeping their hands clean helps prevent the spread of germs and illnesses.
Proper hand-washing technique
Children learn to wet, lather, and wash their hands to remove germs effectively. Given the surge in viruses, children should be totally aware of the right way to handwash, as it is one of the essential skills to have in self-hygiene.
The Role of Soap and Water
Children learn soap, and water is essential for cleaning and keeping their hands germ-free. They can also share the same knowledge with their fellow friends and initiate a healthy life in the peer circle.
The need for regular hand-washing
Children learn that hand-washing should be a regular part of their hygiene routine, especially after using the bathroom, blowing their nose, or playing with pets.
Responsibility for personal hygiene
Children learn to be responsible for their health and well-being by taking care of their hygiene.
Through hand-washing, children learn important concepts related to self-hygiene that will serve them well throughout their lives.
By establishing good hygiene habits early on, children are more likely to maintain these habits into adulthood, which can help promote good health and well-being.
Benefits of Singing Songs While Washing Hands
Singing songs while washing hands can have several benefits, including:
- Time management: Singing a song while washing hands can help children know when they have scrubbed their hands long enough to remove germs effectively.
- Increased enjoyment: Singing can make hand-washing more fun and enjoyable for children, making them more likely to want to wash their hands regularly.
- Better memory: By associating songs with hand-washing, children are more likely to remember the importance of good hygiene habits.
- Improved hand-washing technique: Singing can distract from the monotony of hand-washing, which can help children pay more attention to the task at hand and increase the thoroughness of their cleaning.
- Encouragement of creativity: Singing can also encourage children to use their imagination and create their own songs or hand-washing games.
Incorporating singing into hand-washing routines can help make this important task more engaging and enjoyable for children, which can help promote good hygiene habits and reduce the spread of germs.
Best hand-washing songs for kids
Several popular hand-washing songs are fun and educational for kids:
“Happy Birthday”:
This classic song lasts about 20 seconds, which is the recommended length of time for hand-washing.
“The ABC Song”:
His familiar tune can help kids remember hand-washing steps in order (Wet, Lather, Scrub, Rinse, Dry). Here are the lyrics to the “ABC” hand-washing song for kids:
(Verse 1)
A, B, C, it’s easy as 1, 2, 3
Wash your hands, and you’ll be healthy
A, B, C, it’s easy as 1, 2, 3
Wash your hands, and you’ll be healthy
(Chorus)
Wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry
Wash your hands, and you’ll be fine
Wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry
Wash your hands, and you’ll be fine
(Verse 2)
A is for wet, your hands must be wet
B is for lather, use soap and don’t forget
C is for scrub, scrub all around
Rinse, rinse, rinse, the soap must come down
(Chorus)
Wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry
Wash your hands, and you’ll be fine
Wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry
Wash your hands, and you’ll be fine
“Row, Row, Row Your Boat”:
This nursery rhyme can also be a hand-washing song, with the lyrics “Wash, wash, wash your hands” replacing the original lyrics.
“This is the Way We Wash Our Hands”:
A simple and catchy tune that teaches kids the steps of hand-washing. Here are the lyrics to “This is the Way We Wash Our Hands”:
(Verse 1)
This is the way we wash our hands
Wash our hands, wash our hands
This is the way we wash our hands
So early in the morning
(Chorus)
Wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry
Wash our hands, and we’ll be fine
Wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry
Wash our hands, and we’ll be fine
(Verse 2)
This is the way we get the soap
Get the soap, get the soap
This is the way we get the soap
And lather up our hands
(Chorus)
Wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry
Wash our hands, and we’ll be fine
Wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry
Wash our hands, and we’ll be fine
“If You’re Happy and You Know It”:
This popular song can be adapted to include hand-washing, with the lyrics “Wash your hands if you’re happy and you know it”.
Here are the lyrics to the adapted “If You’re Happy and You Know It” hand-washing song:
(Verse 1)
If you’re happy and you know it, wash your hands
If you’re happy and you know it, wash your hands
If you’re happy and you know it, then you really ought to show it
If you’re happy and you know it, wash your hands
(Chorus)
Wash them up, wash them down
Wash them all around
Wash them nice and clean, then you’ll be healthy
If you’re happy and you know it, wash your hands
(Verse 2)
If you’re tired and you know it, wash your hands
If you’re tired and you know it, wash your hands
If you’re tired and you know it, then you really ought to show it
If you’re tired and you know it, wash your hands
(Chorus)
Wash them up, wash them down
Wash them all around
Wash them nice and clean, then you’ll be healthy
If you’re tired and you know it, wash your hands
Handwashing Song– Wiggles:
This song is a fun way to let kids watch and wash hands. The original version had 15 counts but that has been updated to 20 counts since 2020.
Here are the lyrics to the popular hand-washing song from The Wiggles:
(Verse 1)
Here we go, round and round
Washing our hands, never to be found
Germs on our hands, must go down the drain
Washing our hands, again and again
(Chorus)
Wash, wash, wash your hands
Wash, wash, wash your hands
Wash them nice and clean, then you’ll be healthy
Wash, wash, wash your hands
(Verse 2)
Rub, rub, rub with soap
Rub, rub, rub with soap
Scrub all the dirt, from your fingertips
Rub, rub, rub with soap
(Chorus)
Wash, wash, wash your hands
Wash, wash, wash your hands
Wash them nice and clean, then you’ll be healthy
Wash, wash, wash your hands
(Bridge)
Rinse, rinse, rinse them off
Rinse, rinse, rinse them off
All the soap and dirt, go down the drain
Rinse, rinse, rinse them off
(Chorus)
Wash, wash, wash your hands
Wash, wash, wash your hands
Wash them nice and clean, then you’ll be healthy
Wash, wash, wash your hands
The most important thing is to make hand-washing fun and engaging, so feel free to get creative and come up with your own hand-washing songs and games.
Washy Washy Clean
Perfectly rhyming song for the kids to wash their hands! The music will further encourage them to wash their hands more often! Here are the lyrics-
It’s fun to wash your hands
And I know you understand
So we washy washy clean, scrub scrub
We start with washing palm to palm
Between each finger let us rub
Now the back of the hands, its such a simple plan
We washy washy clean, scrub scrub
Clean the base of the thumbs one by one
Then the back of the fingers this is fun!
Don’t forget your fingernails, its about details
We washy washy clean, scrub scrub
Now move on to the wrists, let us rub
I think were nearly done, so now what
Just rinse the soap away, dry our hands and were ok
We washy washy clean, scrub scrub
So we washy washy clean, scrub scrub
We washy washy clean, scrub scrub
It’s fun to wash your hands and I know you’ll understand
We washy washy clean, scrub scrub
Pinkfong: Wash Your Hand
Here’s another foot-tapping song on handwashing for kids! This song describes the entire process of handwashing for kids. Here are the lyrics-
Oh, no! Dirty Germs! Bubble, bubble, soap bubbles. Wash like this, rub like me. Right hand, left hand, up the wrists. Here, there and everywhere.
Right palm, left palm together. Greet like this, rub like me. Flip your hand and scrub the back. Here, there and everywhere.
Fingers, fingers between fingers. Fold them all, rub like me. Don’t forget under the nails. Here, there and everywhere. Wash your hands. Get away, germs! Dirty little germs go. Bye, bye!
Bubble, bubble, soap bubbles. Wash like this, rub like me. Right hand, left hand, up the wrists. Here, there and everywhere. Here, there and everywhere.
How can you make hand-washing a family activity
Here are some ways to make hand-washing a fun family activity:
Play games
You can make hand-washing a game by timing each other to see who can wash their hands the fastest or counting the number of times you have to scrub.
Use fun soaps
Encourage kids to choose their favorite soap or bubble bath and make hand-washing a sensory experience.
Create a routine
Establish a hand-washing routine as a family, such as washing hands every time you come home or before meals.
Reward system
Set up a reward system for hand-washing, such as a sticker chart or a prize for reaching a certain number of successful hand-washings.
By making hand-washing a fun and interactive experience, kids are more likely to view it as an enjoyable part of their daily routine and will be more motivated to keep their hands clean.
I’m a former teacher (and mother of Two Childs) with a background in child development. Here to help you with play-based learning activities for kids. ( Check my Next startup Cledemy.Com)