Hand Washing Activity

Here is a fun activity to help teach your child proper hand washing. You can do this activity at home or with a play group. Proper hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent illness. So even though spring is here, which means it is almost the end of the flu season, it is always important that children wash their hands properly to prevent getting sick.

First teach them the the four steps:

1. Use soap and running water.

2. Rub hand back and forth.

3. Rinse hands with water.

4. Dry hands with clean towel or paper towel.

Here is a poster that you can download to help teach the steps and you can put it up in your bathroom to remind your kids to wash their hands.

Spanish Poster

English Poster

Here are some songs you can teach them to sing while they wash their hands. If they sing one of these songs while they are scrubbing their hands they will know that they are washing long enough.

Spanish Song

Lávase las Manos

**To the tune of Feliz Navidad

Lávase las manos cha. . cha. . cha . . cha . . cha. . . cha.
Lávase las manos cha. . . cha. . . cha . . cha . . . cha . . . cha.

Agua caliente, jabón y quince segundos,
Cha . . . cha . . . cha . . .cha . . .cha . . cha!

Qué tengas buena salud
Qué tengas buena salud
Qué tengas buena salud

Desde mi corazón

English Song

**To the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

I can wash my hands you see,
Wash them clean as clean can be.
Inside, outside, my fingers, too
Around my thumbs and then I'm through,
Now rinse away the dirt and stains,
Send those germs down the drain!

Next teach them to wash their hands after:

1. Playing with pets

2. Using the bathroom

3. Sneezing, blowing your nose, and coughing

4. Touching a cut or open sore

5. Playing outside

6. BEFORE eating

To end the activity here is a coloring sheet you can print for them to color.