How To Teach Kids About Personal Hygiene

Personal hygiene is a necessary part of living an active life. Teaching children about personal hygiene will enable them to take charge of their own grooming habits as they grow up. As a parent, it is your job to encourage your children to take responsibility for keeping clean. There are some simple things you can do to teach good hygiene habits.

Step 1

Show your kids how to get their hands wet with warm water. Provide a pumping soap dispenser and teach them to put a small amount of soap into one hand. Model how to lather up until hands are soapy on the fronts and backs, as well as between the fingers. Encourage your kids to rub for 10 to 15 seconds to kill all the germs. Rinse with warm water and dry with a clean towel.

Step 2

Model brushing teeth using a circular motion on the front and backs of teeth and time your children so they brush for a full two minutes. Show your kids how to floss by putting the floss between the teeth and using a back and forth motion.

Step 3

Use soap and show your children how to scrub all surfaces on their bodies for a few seconds when bathing, using a washcloth or their hands. Help them rinse with warm water and dry off with a clean towel. If you have a hard time getting your kids into the tub, you can use bubbles, toys or bath crayons to get your child excited about getting clean.

Step 4

Show your children how to cough or sneeze into a tissue or into their sleeve to prevent germs from being spread around. Model this behavior by also doing it yourself. Teach your children to throw used tissues into the trash to help prevent the spread of germs. Show your children how to open bathroom doors and turn off bathroom faucets using a paper towel rather than their bare hand. Discourage your children from sharing cups, straws, toothbrushes, towels and silverware to also prevent germs from being shared, recommends Healthy Children.

Tips and Warnings

Make hygiene activities fun for children, and they will be more likely to participate.
Never criticize your children as a way to get them to get clean. Telling them they smell can damage self-esteem and cause them to tune you out when you try to teach them hygiene tips.