4 Ways To Teach Good Hygiene To Little Kids This Back To School

This article was selected for inclusion in the Balik Eskwela campaign of the Educational resource publisher Twinkl.

Teaching small kids the value of good hygiene is of utmost importance especially in this time of the pandemic when cleanliness is crucial in preventing diseases. Even beyond the pandemic though, it’s essential for children to grow up being mindful of their hygiene. That's because having good hygiene will say a lot about how they present themselves to other people and, in general, contribute to their overall health.

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

4 Ways To Teach Good Hygiene To Little Kids This Back To School

Meanwhile, the back to the school season is upon us. Even if most kids are attending school virtually, it’s still vital for them to be conscious of their personal hygiene because they would need it more than ever when face-to-face school begins.

The importance of teaching kids good hygiene at a young age

Teaching them about good hygiene at a young age may be the most ideal way to do it. After all, the attainment of healthy habits begins in the formative years of children. As such, it’s wise to teach them all the good values that we want them to learn when they are able to understand concepts, which can be as early as the moment they enter toddlerhood.

When our children have fully grasped the concept of good hygiene at a tender age, they will grow up being mindful of its importance. With that, good hygiene becomes part of their lifestyle.

Good hygiene starts at home

Good hygiene, as with any other healthy habit, starts at home. As parents, it is our responsibility to reinforce the value of good hygiene to kids. That also goes without saying that we should keep our homes clean and conducive to the adoption of the concept of good hygiene.

Emphasizing good hygiene to small children

Teaching good hygiene to small children is not at all a complicated process. I understand that small kids have different abilities and the same goes in grasping the concept of good hygiene. 

Some kids learn fast, while some learn at their own pace. Just the same, we have to be patient in teaching different ideas to our children.

Here are some ways to emphasize good hygiene to small children:

1. Teach by example

This is probably the best way to teach our kids. It’s the same as leading by example but for this case, it’s teaching them by example. We can show them the different ways in maintaining good hygiene, such as bathing daily, brushing our teeth regularly, keeping our clothes neat, and even handwashing and sanitizing.

Of course, we also have to teach them how to actually do the things above like brushing their teeth and washing their hands properly.

2. Remind them to do it

Help your kids to adopt the routine of good hygiene by reminding them about it. Let’s face it, children are easily distracted and when they are doing virtual schooling, their minds are preoccupied with a lot of things.

When you give them snacks, remind them to wash their hands or to sanitize. Also, ask them to wipe their table with a sanitizing disposable towel or spray with alcohol to keep surfaces clean and germ-free.

Speaking of germs, this may also be the perfect opportunity to introduce to them the concept of microorganisms and how they cause diseases. Of course, try to make it simple and creative for them.

3. Use colorful visual aids

Using visual aids with attractive colors is a great way to teach good hygiene to children. These materials give step-by-step procedures that are easy to follow for small kids. If you are looking for visual aids, there are free resources on the internet for proper handwashing as well as personal hygiene.

4. Give them their own toiletries

Why not make learning fun by giving them their own personal toiletries? There are kiddie toothpaste, hand soaps, and even hand gels that look and smell attractive to children. That way, keeping themselves clean becomes not just another routine but an experience that they look forward to.

Epilogue

It’s important for kids to learn the value of good hygiene. Even if they’re just at home and doing online learning, it’s still ideal to practice healthy hygiene. After all, they would still need to bring with them the habit of good hygiene when they do return to the physical classroom.

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