How to teach your kids good hygiene
Being a kid is messy – and where there’s a mess, there are germs. Lots of them. While you can’t always be there to stop your child from sharing toys, touching their face or skipping the sink, you can make learning the hygiene basics fun no matter how old they are.
By turning essential hygiene habits into games or hands-on activities, your child can become a hygiene hero – keeping themselves (and others) safe from germs and viruses at every age.
That’s why we’re covering some of the top hygiene tips you can teach your kids as they move through the years.
Toddlers: Teach them the handwashing basics
Teaching your kids how to wash their hands is one of the easiest ways to protect them from getting sick and to prevent the spread of germs. Show them how to practise good hand hygiene with the five points of handwashing:
Wet their hands with running water and put soap on them
Rub soap between their palms, the back of their hands and wrists
Rub soap between their fingers and around their nails. Do this for at least 20 seconds
Rinse with running water
Dry completely with a clean towel.
It’s also a good idea to explain when your child should be washing their hands, such as:
Before they eat
After they blow their nose, sneeze or cough
After they play with other kids or on the playground
When their hands look dirty.
Fun hygiene activity: Glitter or paint wash-off
Grab some glitter or paint and cover your child’s hands. Explain to your child that the paint or glitter are ‘germs’ and that these germs can make them (and other people) feel sick.
You can give your child something to hold that’s easy to wash (like a fork or plastic toy) to show them how quickly the germs can spread from their hands to something else. With your child’s hands covered in glitter or paint, it’s time to put the five points of handwashing into practice. Make sure your kid washes off all the ‘germs’ and praise them for doing a good job.
Helpful hygiene tip: Sing ‘Happy Birthday’ twice to keep them scrubbing for 20 seconds.
The daycare days: Covering coughs and sneezes
Teaching your child to cover their mouth and nose is key to stopping germs in their tracks. This can be an important step to maintaining a healthy immune system, even if your child doesn’t go to daycare.
Show your kids how to cover their mouth with a tissue, their sleeve or elbow when they cough or sneeze.
Explain that they should put used tissues in the bin straight away and remind them to wash their hands after using it.
Teach your child to keep their hands away from their face after coughing, sneezing or after using a tissue.
Fun hygiene activity: The sneeze dance
Put on some music and turn it into a fun game – teach them how to do the “elephant trunk” or a “dab” dance move using their elbow. It’s a great way to build the habit, so it feels natural when they do need it. Create a dance routine or jingle like: ‘Cough and sneeze? Elbow please!’ and encourage them to join in. Talk about good, clean fun!
Primary school: Keeping shared spaces clean
It might be tricky to teach your child to wash their paintbrushes after using them, or to not accept a toy that was in another child’s mouth. But, if they can help keep a shared space (like their classroom desk) clean, they can prevent the spread of germs and reduce the chance of getting sick.
Fun hygiene activity: DIY posters or flashcards
Get crafty and make colourful posters with simple hygiene reminders: “Wipe toys after play!” or “No hands in mouths!”
Put these visual aids around the home in key areas, like your living room or bedroom, as a fun reminder on how to keep their items and spaces clean. And if you want to make something small that they can take to school, help your kid make funky flashcards. These are simply small visual aids that can fit into their pocket or backpack so they can have an on-hand reminder of how to practise good hygiene.
How to make hygiene a habit at any age
Making your kid’s hygiene habits stick can feel like an uphill battle. But with these simple tips, you can turn your child into a hygiene superstar:
Set a routine and stick to it: Practise good hygiene at the same time each day like washing hands before meals.
Use visual aids at home: Posters or charts are great for reinforcing hygiene steps. You could even make a handwashing certificate as a reward.
Set a positive example: Kids love copying adults, so show them what great hygiene looks like.
Praise your kid when they practise good hygiene: This can help them continue their good habits both at home and when they’re at daycare.
Remember, they’re still kids!
Learning good hygiene takes time, practice and patience. But when your child is back to running around and just being a kid, you’ll know the effort paid off.
And if they do catch a bug, you can easily book a telehealth appointment with a medical doctor or nurse practitioner through our partner hub.health. No waiting rooms, no need to leave the house – just expert health advice and care, right from your couch.
The information contained in this article is provided as general information only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For personalised medical advice, always consult your qualified healthcare professional.