Ways to encourage children to wash their hands

Schools, teachers, and parents all play critical roles in teaching children how to wash their hands and practise good personal hygiene. It can be difficult and time-consuming to remind and encourage children to wash their hands on a regular basis. Handwashing in the early years, KS1 or KS2, can be a challenge!

Handwashing in schools is critical, but redesigning or redecorating bathrooms may be your ideal, out-of-reach scenario. When funds are limited, we have some handwashing project ideas that can help promote good personal hygiene among students. As well as a free downloadable poster for you to put up in your bathrooms or on the doors!

Brighten up walls and mirrors

If you want children to be happy to spend time washing their hands, you should make the school toilets an attractive place to be. Painting inspirational images on the walls and decorating mirrors with something as simple as coloured duct tape will help little learners engage with and focus on what they should be doing.

Sing a hand-washing song

Teaching children a special song to sing when washing their hands is a great way for them to remember what they should be doing and encourages them to clean their hands for the appropriate length of time. Consider adding a poster with lyrics above the sinks.

Add toys or prizes to soap

Blocks of soap can be bought with little toys or prizes hidden in the centre, or if you’re feeling creative, you can make your own. This is a great way to get children scrubbing their hands because they’ll need to use up the soap if they want to win the prize!

Mix in some glitter

If you use liquid soap, consider mixing in some glitter to make it more attractive. Again, this will help encourage children to scrub their hands because hey, what child doesn’t love glitter? You could also use this as a way of showing them when all the glitter is washed off their hands, they know their hands are now clean. Try and turn these fun ways of encouragement into learning too.

Don’t forget a friendly reminder – free downloadable poster

Of course, a helpful reminder on the door before children leave the bathroom will also prompt them to go back and wash their hands, just in case they have forgotten. Download and use our free hand washing poster to put up in your schools’ bathroom to show children the correct way to wash their hands. If they see it, they are more likely to do it.

Lead by example

Finally, the best tactic of all is to lead by example. Make sure kids see you washing your hands often, so they see that it’s just as important for you too.

When kids understand the importance of washing their hands, and what exactly germs can do, it will help teach them just how valuable handwashing is.