Some children may be heading back to school, and some may be staying home and attending a virtual classroom, but it has never been more important to instill good hygiene habits in all children, particularly when it comes to handwashing! Regardless of whether children are heading back to in-person education or not, they may still be going to the store with Mom or Dad, to your office, and to other places where they're coming into contact with potentially harmful bacteria on a daily basis. Your goal is to help your patients stay happy and healthy, and as a healthcare professional, you are in a unique position of authority to help healthy habits sink in for young patients and their parents alike. SmileMakers is here to help generate ideas with this list of 4 ways to instill good hand washing habits.

Add Fun and Encouraging Signage to Your Office

A perfect place for handwashing signage is in the bathroom or above a sink in your office where patients will be washing their hands. These peel-and-stick wall decals are fun, encouraging, and provide a simple reference that helps to reinforce good hand washing habits. (They are also helpful for parents who may need a refresher on how long to wash!)

Break It Down

Some children like to learn why something is important and how it works before doing something new. This is especially true when it comes to changing a habit that has been ingrained in them that they think is correct. Maybe no one has been supervising their hand washing techniques for a while, or maybe they were never really taught the proper method. Older children who have been washing their hands incorrectly for a few years may be reluctant to change. By explaining how proper handwashing gets rid of germs, these precocious kids will be more receptive to taking on a new habit. Plus, as a figure of authority, they'll look up to you and listen to your advice even if they don't want to listen to Mom or Dad.

Make It Fun

As we are all spending more time at home, this also means more time on social media. A great way to engage parents and their kiddos is by creating a quick video and posting it to your social media feeds. This is a perfect way to demonstrate proper handwashing techniques and provides an accessible reference for parents to show their children at home. You can make it fun and gamify it by humming a song for the recommended minimum 20 seconds it takes to wash your hands and challenging viewers to guess the song in the comments section. See who gets it right and ask them to post their own handwashing humming challenge in return!

Reward Patients Who Do a Good Job

It has been proven that positive reinforcement is effective motivation. One way you can encourage good behavior and healthy habits is by handing out stickers to young patients who successfully wash their hands the right way. Our hand washing stickers feature friendly, smiling faces and colorful characters that are sure to brighten little patients' days and give them a take-home reminder of the importance of proper handwashing.

SmileMakers Is Thinking of You!

We are here to help make running your practice successful and fun. Whether it is making it convenient to restock supplies and rewards or helping to generate ideas of how to interact with your patient community and boost engagement, we are here for you! Feel free to reach out anytime by visiting us at SmileMakers.com and let us know how we can help you.