6 Tips to Teach Your Child About Good Personal Hygiene

Teaching your child about hygiene and having them remember it can be a challenging task for parents. However, parents must set them up for such healthy habits, especially if the child goes to a daycare center, where they may be exposed to germs and diseases.

While a daycare center or child development center can conduct sessions with healthcare professionals to promote personal hygiene, how can parents instill these practices in children at home to keep them healthy and safe? Continue reading to find out.

Start in the Early Years

Parents should start teaching personal hygiene to children from an early age. You can do this by simply asking them to wash their hands after playing and before eating. Tell them the importance of hygiene and how it can keep them from getting sick.

Be a Good Role Model

Children are observant of their parents. If you want your child to maintain good hygiene, do the same. Children learn by example, so you demonstrate proper hygiene practices. Wash your hands before meals, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, and shower regularly.

Communicate the Importance

Your child is more likely to adopt a behavior if they know the importance of it. Therefore, explain to your child why good hygiene is important. Show them cartoons like Ozzy & Drix to explain how germs can make them sick and how washing their hands and staying clean can help them fight germs and diseases.

You can also ask your child’s daycare center teacher to communicate the importance of good hygiene, as children take their teachers’ opinions in high regard.

Make it a Routine

Consistency is the key. Establish a routine for personal hygiene at home to make it a regular part of your child’s daily routine. It can be brushing the teeth twice daily and showering in the morning. Moreover, you can make it a responsibility for your child to follow through with this routine. Let them choose a toothbrush or toothpaste to make it more enjoyable.

Provide Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcements can help parents teach children to learn desired behaviors. Simply praising your child or giving them 10 minutes of extra screen time when they practice good hygiene can encourage this behavior. You can also maintain a progress and rewards sheet to track their behavior and motivate them to continue practicing good hygiene.

Incorporate Fun Activities

Teaching personal hygiene can be easy when combined with fun activities and games. You can encourage your child to sing a song in the shower or have a contest to see who can brush their teeth the longest. It can make the learning process more enjoyable and memorable for your child.

While you teach these skills to your child at home, our experienced and trained teachers at The Whole Child Development Center can help them learn the importance of hygiene. We are a child daycare center and a babycare center in Dallas, TX.

Contact us now to learn more about our classes and programs.