MODULE 1: Hand washing with the ABC’s Background: Hand washing is vital to prevent the spread of germs and to help prevent food-borne illnesses. Because germs are invisible to the naked eye, it may be difficult for children to understand the concept of germs and the importance of washing their hands. Try the activity “Wash Away Those Germs” explained below that uses cinnamon to visibly represent “germs.” Objective: To make hand washing before eating and handling food a routine and pleasurable experience for children.

Suggested Activities: (A) Hand-washing Technique Materials:

Running water, soap, paper towels “Wash Your Hands” poster (page 12. Also available in color for

download at The Germ City website: http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/NEW/GermCity/tools.html)

Procedure: 1. Post up the “Wash Your Hands” poster. 2. Follow and act out the steps pictured together as a class. 3. Encourage children to count slowly to 20 or to sing the Alphabet Song

(which takes 20 seconds) to help make the experience fun. 4. Do this before meal-time or snack-time. Practice the routine of

washing hands properly before every meal, snack and food activity.

(B) When to Wash Our Hands Materials:

“When to Wash Your Hands” poster (page 13. Also available in color for download at http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/NEW/GermCity/tools.html)

Procedure: 1. Post the “When To Wash Your Hands” poster 2. Discussion Questions: Ask children if they washed their hands before

eating their breakfast, lunch or snack today. Ask children if they washed their hands after using the bathroom today.

(C) Wash Away Those Germs! Materials:

Oil Cinnamon Running water, soap and paper towels

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Procedure:

1. Put a little oil (vegetable, canola, etc.) on each child’s hands 2. Sprinkle cinnamon on their oiled hands to represent the presence of

germs 3. Instruct them to wash their hands in the following ways:

-Just water -With water and soap until all of the oil and cinnamon is gone

4. Discuss the difference between using just water, versus using both water and soap to wash the germs away.

(D) Getting Creative

1. Have students create their own proper hand-washing posters 2. Post above hand-washing areas

(E) For parents at home

A sample letter to the parents is enclosed on page 14 to reiterate the concepts discussed in class and to encourage related activities that reinforce such safe practices at home.

Send coloring posters (pages 12-13) home for children to color with parents

Send Hand washing Tally Sheet (available on page 15. Also available for download at http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/NEW/GermCity/tools.html) home with parents to track how often everyone washed their hands before eating.

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Wash Your HandsWash Your Hands

Cooperative Extension ServiceDepartment of Family & Consumer SciencesDepartment of Human Nutrition, Food & Animal SciencesCollege of Tropical Agriculture and Human ResourcesUniversity of Hawai’i at Manoa

http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/NEW/GermCity

Wash for

Cooperative Extension ServiceDepartment of Family & Consumer SciencesDepartment of Human Nutrition, Food & Animal SciencesCollege of Tropical Agriculture and Human ResourcesUniversity of Hawai’i at Manoa

http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/NEW/GermCity

  

   

 Dear Parents,        At school, we learned how to  

properly wash our hands.  We pract iced 

this new skill before eating our meals and snacks to help  

prevent the spread of germs that can make us sick.  

 

  Please help us pract ice this new skill at home.  Help us 

color the “hand washing” poster(s) and keep track of how  

often we are washing our hands before eating each meal.   

 

  Sincerely,   

         

 

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Before Breakfast 

Before Lunch 

Before Dinner 

Sunday  Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday  Friday  Saturday 

Hand Washing Tally Sheet Color or mark a square each t ime you wash your hands.   

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