Kid Activities About Personal Good Hygiene

Good hygiene helps children to look clean and neat, and can also prevent them from spreading germs that cause illnesses such as colds, influenza and stomach viruses. Allow children to learn about good personal hygiene with engaging activities that will increase their understanding of why regular hand washing and tooth brushing is important.

Tomato Soup Experiment

In her book "Healthy Me," Michelle O'Brien-Palmer recommends an activity to teach children the importance of hand-washing by showing them how many germs live on common household objects. Place approximately 1/4 can of condensed tomato soup on each of four styrofoam plates or inside cleaned-out peanut butter jar lids. Rub the child's palm, a doorknob, the flush handle on your toilet and the telephone handset with one of four cotton swabs. Swish one contaminated cotton swab through each puddle of tomato soup. Place the plates or lids in separate zip-top plastic bags and label each bag with the household item swabbed for that particular lid. Leave the bags on a shelf or large windowsill. Each day for seven days, have the child draw what he sees growing in each bag. As the week progresses, the different bacterias, viruses and molds will grow in the tomato soup. Teach your child to wash his hands frequently to avoid allowing those germs to stick to his hands.

Pass the Germs Experiment

Hygiene Educ.com, a hygiene education resource from Proctor & Gamble and the Institut Pasteur, suggests an experiment that teaches children how germs are passed from one person to another. Cover a marker with glue from a glue stick, and roll it in glitter until it is well-covered. Have each person use the marker to write her name on a sheet of paper, then pass it to the next person in line. After everyone has had a turn, ask each child to look for glitter on her hands, body, hair and clothing. Point out that as children share items in the classroom or at home, germs are just as easily spread. As kids touch their faces or hair without washing their hands, germs attach to these parts of their bodies. Take the children to a sink and show them proper hand-washing techniques. Show them how the glitter sticks under their fingernails, and emphasize the importance of washing under the nails to remove germs.

Brush Your Teeth

Ask a local dentist or dental hygienist if you can borrow a model of the mouth and a large toothbrush. Show kids the proper way to brush their teeth. ND Orthodontics recommends the use of disclosing tablets for children. These are small tablets made of harmless dye that sticks to plaque on the teeth. Give each child a disclosing tablet to suck on for a minute, then have them spit out the saliva and dye that has accumulated in their mouths. Have them look at themselves in the mirror to see all of the plaque that was stuck to their teeth. Pass out toothbrushes and instruct the children to brush all of the red dye off of their teeth. Point out where the plaque accumulates close to the gum line and in between the teeth while stressing the importance of regular brushing and flossing. Allow the kids to take home their new toothbrushes as well as samples of floss, if possible.