A Fun Holiday Hand-washing Activity for Kids

As our families and friends gather to celebrate the holidays, we look forward to enjoying good company, delicious food and exchanging gifts.  One aspect of the holidays we don’t enjoy, however, is exchanging the germ du jour.

Many adults are aware that frequent hand-washing—and hand sanitizer use in a pinch–can help avoid the “re-gifted” germs that cause colds, flu, the stomach bug (norovirus) and more.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tell us that hand-washing is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others, so how can we help the children in our lives practice proper hand hygiene?

The American Cleaning Institute offers a fun resource for children to “Create a colorful holiday!” with its “Clean Your Paws for Santa Claus Coloring Page.”  The image caption clarifies that handwashing “with soap and warm water for 20 seconds” precedes the reward of reaching for a cookie.  Why not print out a few copies and share them with the children at your holiday gathering?

Here’s wishing you Happy, Healthy Holidays!

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