Hand Washing at Cindy’s Kids
When children first arrive at daycare they remove shoes and jackets, then go wash their hands up to the elbows as part of the morning routine.  Washing their Car Germs off!   Teaching children to wash their hands is so important    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with clean, running water and soap using warm water if it is available. If clean water is not available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be substituted, but note that these types of products don't remove dirt or soil -- soap and water are the best options.

Kids must know the proper way to wash their hands.

Up to 80% of all infections are transmitted by hands, and kids often being in such close proximity to one another at preschool and daycare, sharing snacks, toys and everything else, washing hands is an important tool in fighting germs.

Here are a few tips for teaching hand washing to preschoolers:

*Wash your own hands. Kids learn best when someone sets a good example. By staff washing your own hands in front of their little one,  they not only show her the proper technique but that the task is an important, necessary one for everyone.

*Talk about when. It makes sense to you to wash up before you eat or after you've gone to the bathroom, but your little one might not necessarily realize when they should be heading towards the sink. Tell them. Basic information isn't inherently known, it has to be taught at some point. 

*Talk about why. Again, what is obvious to adults isn't always to kids. On a basic level, explain how hand washing helps remove germs that can make them sick. Once we went on an "invisible germ hunt," ridding their skin of the microscopic creatures with the only weapon that can destroy them -- soap. 

*Talk about how (and how long). Bring your little one into the bathroom and show them exactly how hand washing is done the right way. Show him the difference between hot and cold water, marking the two somehow so he will understand. (The hot water temperature should be about 120 degrees to avoid burns.) Review the technique, showing him the proper amount of soap to use (about the size of a quarter if you use liquid soap) and how to scrub it in. Little ones have no concept of time, so set a timer for 20 seconds or simply have them sing "Happy Birthday" or the alphabet song twice.

*Make sure the sink is accessible.  At Cindy’s Kids, we have a step stool so she can reach the faucet. Make sure the soap is within arm's length

Make it fun. We buy smelling soaps.  At Cindy’s Kids, we do hand smell checks.  

Germs not welcomed at Cindy’s Kids

Key times to wash your hands include

• After using the bathroom

• Before and after eating food

• Before, during, and after preparing food

• After coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose

• Before and after caring for someone who is sick

• Before and after treating a cut or wound

• After changing diapers, or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet

• After touching an animal or animal waste

• After touching garbage

SONGS TO SING

We teach the children to sing the ABCs. Happy Birthday, or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star while washing hands

HAND SANITIZER

If soap and water are unavailable (for example at the park ),  Cindy’s Kids can use alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol to clean your hand. This needs to be locked during childcare.  This is not approved for use at the childcare.  Running water and soap is the best.