Washing Your Hands
Importance of Washing Hands to Stop Germs From Spreading
Washing your hands properly is not always modeled in the home. The classroom is an ideal instructional place to teach proper hand washing techniques.
Why Wash Your Hands?
Washing your hands is the best tactic to STOP germs from spreading. Schools are full of germs and students have some power in stopping the germs from spreading. Create a mini-lesson on washing their hands in the classroom and tell them when and how they should be washing their hands. Twenty students washing their hands at 15 seconds will take approximately 5 minutes. Now you must multiply 5 minutes by a minimum of three for how many times they must wash their hands but the time spent is worth it. A germ reduced classroom will reduce students from missing school and learning the fundamentals.
When to Wash Your Hands?
- After Using the Bathroom
- Before Snack or Lunch
- After Recess
- After Blowing Your Nose
- After Coughing
- After Playing Outside
How to Wash Your Hands?
Have students wash their hands in warm water. Have them use the classroom soap and really lather it up. Have the students wash the fronts and backs of their hands; have them pretend they are a surgeon about to go into surgery. The students should massage the soap into their hands, between the fingers and around the nails. They should wash their hands for approximately 15 seconds. You can have a timer, or have them sing happy birthday at a normal pace. To make washing hands more fun, have students create songs that are 15 seconds long or have them read spelling words at the sink.
Proper hand washing techniques are not always modeled in the home so be the teacher that teaches them a lifelong skill. What a powerful lesson for the students to learn because it will keep them healthier and spend less time away from school because of illness.
