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Keeping Healthy and Safe: Fighting Germs

Young children are learning the importance of clean hands and clean environments.  Adults can support them with simple explanations, visual supports, and practice.

  • Provide a Simple Explanation
    Use simple phrases, such as “Washing hands is one of the best ways to get rid of germs! Washing our furniture and supplies helps germs go away, too!”
  • Use Visual Supports
    Provide pictures of children washing their hands or using hand sanitizer.
  • Set Them Up for Success
    Have children sing the ABCs as they scrub their hands to make sure they wash their hands long enough.
  • Provide Practice and Encouragement
    Stamp children’s hands and have them scrub off the ink to make sure they thoroughly wash their hands.
  • The opinions, resources, and referrals provided on the IEL Web site are intended for informational purposes only and are not intended to take the place of medical or legal advice, or of other appropriate services. We encourage you to seek direct local assistance from a qualified professional if necessary before taking action.

Reviewed: 2020