Food and Beverages - Safe Food Practices

Hand Washing: JK - Grade 2

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Sing and Wash

Use songs or chants to teach students how long to wash their hands. Proper hand washing should last for a minimum of 15 seconds.

Equipment/Resources:

• One of the songs/chants included below
• A sink with hot and cold running water
• Liquid soap
• Paper towels

Lesson Description:

1. Review the steps of proper hand washing with students.
2. Demonstrate how to lather by rubbing palms together, rubbing the back of hands, between the fingers and washing the thumb.
3. Have students sing or chant a song to a favourite tune while pretending that they're lathering by rubbing their hands together.
4. Have children actually wash their hands using the proper technique while singing or chanting the song.

Song #1
We wash our hands to keep them clean...
The cleanest hands you've ever seen!
Use soap and water - that's the way
To chase those yucky germs away!

Song #2
Soap and water, that's the way,
You can wash the germs away.
Keep on washing - when you do,
You'll get rid of germs, it's true.
Now your hands are clean, here's why:
Germs are down the drain. Goodbye!

Song #3
(Try this song to the tune of "Farmer in the Dell.")
Turn the faucet on; make sure the water's warm.
Put the soap on your hands, and make a soapy storm.
Scrub-a-dub each hand, each finger, thumb, and wrist.
Scrub-a-dub all over, so not a spot is missed.

Variations:
Other 15-second songs to try:

• The Alphabet Song
• Row, Row, Row Your Boat
• Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Source: Wellington-Dufferin Guelph Health Unit. Down With Germs - An educational kit to promote handwashing in schools.