“Remember to wash your hands!” Everywhere you go, teachers, parents, and friends always talk about how important it is to wash your hands. But what exactly does handwashing do? And why do we have to do it so many times? These tips about handwashing for kids will help answer your questions about handwashing once and for all!
Why kids need to wash their hands
Did you know that handwashing is one of the most important ways to stay healthy? It’s true! Washing your hands can prevent you from getting sick and feeling terrible.
Plus, when your hands are nice and clean, this can prevent friends and family from getting sick.
Wondering why?
Germs easily spread from one person to another through touching, talking, and doing things we do all the time. So, handwashing can cut down the number of sicknesses.
How helpful is handwashing for kids?
How much of a difference can you make? Let’s look at some common situations.
Fewer people get sick.
Want to avoid a breathing infection? Washing hands with soap can help. If a sick person is near five kids, at least one might be protected from handwashing.
What about diarrhea? Washing hands with soap is even better at keeping those germs away. If a person with contagious diarrhea hangs out with three other kids, at least one of those kids can avoid getting sick just by handwashing.
More people can avoid antibiotics.
If we all wash our hands, less germs will get people sick.
If fewer people are sick, fewer people will need medicine like antibiotics.
Of course, antibiotics are important when we truly need them.
However, antibiotics can become less effective over time if given too often.
That’s why cleaning your hands can make a big difference.
Wash away food crumbs.
After you cook or eat, handwashing with soap is the best way to eliminate food particles lingering on your hands.
If you are near someone with a food allergy, handwashing can keep them safe.
Soap versus hand sanitizer: which is better for kids?
Sanitizer bottles are everywhere these days, and they can be super convenient.
Hand sanitizers with more than 70% alcohol can remove most germs. A small bottle can easily fit in your backpack, lunchbox, or pocket.
But if you can choose between soap or sanitizer, always pick soap!
Handwashing with soap is the best way to get rid of dirt, bacteria, and viruses from your hands.
When should you wash your hands?
Make it a habit to wash your hands…
Before cooking and eating.
Germs can enter our bodies through our eyes, nose, and mouth! Germs can easily get into food or drinks when people make or eat them.
After cooking and eating.
For the same reasons, you will want to wash after you cook or eat, especially if you’re around people with food allergies.
After using the bathroom.
Feces (yup, poop) from people and animals are a major source of germs for many illnesses. These invisible germs get onto hands after using the toilet and changing diapers.
After being around someone sick.
Germs pass easily between people through air, food, and objects you touch.
When you go home.
After being out and about, lots of germs can follow you home. So, wash your hands right away when you walk into the house.
How long should you wash your hands?
Want to make sure you wash your hands long enough? Count to 20 out loud or in your head. Another great method is to sing Happy Birthday twice!
What’s the right way to wash your hands?
Now that we know why handwashing is important, how do we wash our hands properly?
Rub your hands together to make the soap bubbly and foamy.
Spread the soap all around your hands up to your wrists.
Gently scrub, scrub, scrub between your fingers, under your nails, and along your fingertips.
Rinse the soap off your hands with water.
What should kids do after handwashing?
Lotion or petroleum jelly can keep your skin soft and protected. After you wash and dry your hands, it’s the perfect time to rub some lotion onto your skin.
Why is lotion helpful? Washing your hands or using too much hand sanitizer can be harsh on the skin.
When the healthy oils on your skin are washed away, you can feel itchy and uncomfortable. Sometimes, dry skin can crack and let germs sneak in, which can cause an infection.
All healthy habits take practice and time, so come back and review these tips step by step. Together, we can prevent sick days for everyone!
Human Body Learning has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on information from peer-reviewed research studies, academic institutions, and medical associations.
Published on March 18, 2022. Updated on April 19, 2024 by Betty Choi, MD
Published on March 18, 2022. Updated on April 19, 2024 by Betty Choi, MD
Betty Choi, MD
Dr. Betty Choi is a Harvard-trained pediatrician who makes learning fun and doable. She created the kids’ anatomy book Human Body Learning Lab, which Science Magazine recommended as a “notable standout in the genre.”
