Here are simple ways to teach good hygiene to small kids.
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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.
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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Those are all excellent ways for teaching kids good hygiene. Luckily my parents taught me at a young age the importance of good hygiene, something I have carried with me in my adult life.
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed so important to learn children at a young age the benefits of good hygiene!
ReplyDeleteGood hygiene is so important. Especially now! We talk about it with our kids constantly.
ReplyDeleteThese are great tips. I especially like the idea of using visual aids. Kids are visual, and those kinds of aids can help them connect the dots.
ReplyDeleteIt is really important for kids to learn proper hygiene. These tips will surely help.
ReplyDeleteThis is so important - particularly these days! I agree it starts at home - we have a policy of cleaning our hands first thing when we come in and if you instill these thing at home it's much easier to translate them to an early years setting and visa versa.
ReplyDeleteNnniiiccceeeee....teaching by example is literally like the only way they can learn without forgetting what you taught them. Personally, I learned good hygiene just looking at what Mummy did from way back when I was little!
ReplyDeleteThese are all excellent ways to teach children about good hygiene. My daughter has just always loved to be clean as well as nicely dressed, but I love the idea of colorful visual aides.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! Going to be so necessary as people transition back into in-person schooling.
ReplyDeleteI agree, nowadays its so important to teach them such a thing and keep their hands clean at all time. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteFransic - https://www.querianson.com
Teaching kids good hygiene habits is so important, especially now. I agree with your tip of getting their own special toiletries with fun flavors and colors!
ReplyDeleteFrequent handwashing is really essential. We also need to teach our kids how to brush their teeth.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips to teach good hygiene to kids. Liked the idea of using visual aids. Would be very useful.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on teaching kids about proper hygiene from home. All teachings starts at home, and school is secondary outlet. Your kids might also influence their friends to do good hygiene as well.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips for the little ones. Hygeine has always been important, but it seems it is even more important now during a pandemic.
ReplyDeleteThese tips are indeed very helpful! It is absolutely important for kids to be aware about the importance of proper hygiene, especially these difficult days when virus transmission is very rampant.
ReplyDeleteI love these tips and seriously its so important!
ReplyDelete