Help Wanted: Hand Washing for Toddlers!

By: Christine Cox, The Choosy Mommy

I can finally say that Capri is fully potty trained! It took us awhile, but we rarely have any accidents anymore. I am beyond happy that she has mastered these skills, but as soon as she is finished in the bathroom, she just sprints away, back to whatever she was doing prior. I get it…going potty interrupts her playtime, but we really need to work on just one thing before she gets back to playing – hand washing!

I stand there and wash my hands after I take care of her and her potty, so I am sure she knows what I am doing. But for me to convince her to take one more minute out of her playtime to do this is a nightmare. In her mind, she isn’t dirty because she always washes her hands when she is ooey, gooey or sticky. She just doesn’t recognize the importance of washing her hands after using the potty because germs can’t be seen.

Hand washing is by far the best way to prevent germs from spreading. I have noticed so many friends of mine posting on their Facebook about how their children are sick and most of these children are around others either at a childcare, preschool or regular school. Not to mention it is starting to be cold and flu season again so hand washing becomes ten times as important. Germs spread so fast in close-knit environments because we all know children improperly cough or sneeze (they don’t cover their mouth) or they touch an already contaminated object and put their finger in their nose, mouth or rub their eyes. At least when children are around each other, they can “see” that someone is sick and can gain a better understanding of germs. However, toddlers don’t even understand what a germ is and a lot of children, no matter the age, don’t understand the importance of stopping a germ in its tracks until they are already sick and it is too late!

Hand washing is a habit that starts at home. And it is going to start in my home NOW! I don’t want to scare my little girl with the “germ talk” but I most certainly am going to mention to her “don’t touch – that is germy” when she is interested in touching yucky things and I will move forward from there with hand washing.

My 3 year old loves Choosy so I am going to show her Choosy’s steps to hand washing and leave it in the bathroom. Maybe if she sees Choosy doing this, she will imitate it and do it too. I think I will also hang this poster up so that she can see Choosy washing his hands.

Additionally, Choosy Kids has a wonderful new song about washing your hands. Check out this video featuring Choosy Trainer, Courtney, at the recent 2015 conference for National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), demonstrating “My Hands Need Washed.” Want to download your own copy of this music? Click here to buy it. You better believe I will be playing it constantly in my house and sing it while we are washing.

By the way, did you know that December 6-12 is National Handwashing Awareness Week? Check out these additional resources from Henry The Hand.

How did you teach your children about germs and washing their hands? I would love to hear your tips!

About the Author: Christine Cox is the blog master and The Choosy Mommy for Choosy Kids. She has always had a passion for writing and is honored to contribute her work to this blog. Most of her writing inspiration comes from her daughter, Capri, who is fun-loving and full of energy, and newborn son Cam. Click here to learn more about Christine.