Hey Pandas, What Is The Best Way To Demonstrate Why It Is Important To Wash Your Hands To Young Children? (Closed)

People have criticized the bread experiment used in elementary schools as "bad science." Could you suggest a better way to show first graders why it is helpful to wash hands before eating? As a first grade teacher, I do not want to create misconceptions. But a demonstration is very impactful. Thanks for your suggestions.

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Take a washable marker and scribble on the child’s hand. Tell them to wipe it with a towel. It doesn’t come off very well. Then have them wash with just water. It works better, but it’s still there. Then wash with soap, and your kid can see that the better they wash, the more the marker comes off. Explain that the marker represents germs. Depending on how young the kid is, you can describe the germs as tiny bad guys that need to be stopped.

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Zephyr

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I saw a teacher who had the children use hand lotion that when used (and a black light shone on it) it would glow. Usually the teacher would tell them how to wash their hands, then put have them put the lotion on, then have them wash their hands. It’s a good and cool way to show how to properly wash their hands.

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Penny Tent (she/her)

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First thought: onions. Just touch freshly cut onions and then try to get rid of that smell.

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Xottel

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I don’t have kids of my own,why would I I’m not even a teenager yet but I have so many younger sisters (3) I would say,if you don’t wash your hands after flushing the toilet the sound of the toilet flushing will always scare you.needless to say my sister washes her hands now

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