Healthy Habits for Little Hands

As parents, we strive to instill healthy habits in our children, and one of the most important habits to cultivate is proper hand hygiene. With the prevalence of germs and illnesses (whether we are in a pandemic or not!), it's crucial to teach our kids the importance of washing their hands regularly and effectively, which is why we created Happy Happy Handwash - our kids natural hand soap.

Let’s explore how to keep germs away and leave more room to play, with a Creatively Clean hand-washing routine that kids can follow consistently!

Why Hand Washing Matters:

Children are prone to picking up germs as they touch surfaces, play with toys, and interact with other kids. Whether it's a pacifier, a toy, or their own hands, young children are notorious for putting things in their mouths. As they get older and begin to explore their environment, touching and playing with everything they can get their hands on, can lead them to come into contact with germs on surfaces like doorknobs, shopping carts, or playground equipment. Establishing a clean hand-washing routine that is memorable and fun is crucial to help kids stay healthy and avoid getting sick.

The Right Way to Wash Hands:

Teaching kids the proper technique for hand washing is essential to ensure that they effectively remove germs from their hands. Here are the steps to follow for a thorough Creatively Clean hand-washing routine:

1. Wet hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), and have them apply a dabble of “Cake” and a dollop of “Ice Cream”.
2. Lather hands by rubbing them together and admire the foamy texture together. Make sure to show them how to lather all surfaces, including the backs of hands, between fingers, under nails, and even higher up towards their wrists.
3. Scrub hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Encourage kids to sing "Happy Birthday" twice, to make it fun and associate the experience as a celebration.
4. Rinse hands well under clean, running water to wash away the soap and germs.
5. Dry hands using a clean towel or air dry them. Avoid using a shared towel, as it can harbor germs.

Establishing a Clean Hand Washing Routine for Kids:

Now that we know why hand washing is crucial and how to do it correctly, let's discuss how to establish a clean hand-washing routine that kids can follow consistently.

1. Start early: Introduce hand washing as a regular part of your child's daily routine from an early age. Make it a habit to wash hands before meals, while learning to potty train, after playing outside, and after coming home from school or other activities.
2. Lead by example: Children often learn by imitating their parents and caregivers. Be a role model and practice good hand hygiene yourself. Wash your hands regularly and make sure to demonstrate the proper hand-washing technique to your child.
3. Make it fun: We designed Happy Happy Handwash with Velvety smooth "Cake" and "Ice Cream" scents for a foamy, festive handwash party experience! Have the kids guess each scent individually, and then mix and match to make hand hygiene an entertaining and engaging, sudsy activity. 
4. Set reminders: Kids can easily forget to wash their hands, so set up reminders to reinforce the habit. Use timers, alarms, or visual cues like a sticky note on the bathroom mirror or a hand-washing chart. 
5. Educate about germs: Teach your child about germs and how they can make us sick. Use age-appropriate language, visuals, and games to explain the concept of germs and the importance of hand washing in simple terms. Help them understand that hand washing is not just a rule, but a vital skill to protect their health.

Here are Two Games you can Play!

1. "Germ Tag": In this game, one child is "it" and is designated as the "germ." The other children try to avoid being tagged by the "germ," who must tag them with a Dabble & Dollop fruit sticker, to represent the spread of germs. After a few rounds, the kids can see how quickly the "germs" have spread, demonstrating the importance of hand washing.
2. "Germ Experiment": Fill a clear container with water and glitter or small hole-punched bits of leaves to represent germs. Have the children stick their hands in the container and observe how the “glitter” sticks to their hands, demonstrating how germs can easily spread. Then, have the children mix and match Happy Handwash on their hands and observe how the glitter is removed, showing how hand washing can prevent the spread of germs

At Dabble & Dollop, we understand the importance of keeping kids' hands clean and healthy. With over two decades of experience in the ingredient industry, we designed Happy Happy Handwash as a specialty-formulated, kid-safe handwash that uses natural, pH-balanced, non-toxic ingredients that are gentle on little hands and that parents can trust.

Our handwash is a fun and enjoyable way to teach our littles about hand hygiene and it is enriched with coconut cleansers and clinically-proven moisturizers to leave hands feeling soft and nourished. 

As a parent, you can trust that Happy Happy Handwash is safe for your children, and kids will in turn love using it as an engaging, sensory-based learning experience.

Hands down, the best way to stay healthy and wash your hands!

Find great visual aids from the CDC Here.