Prolong handwashing with a song
Several Parenthackers have mentioned this particular trick in the comments of other posts, but I felt it bore repeating given cold-and-yuck season. From Heather:
This is the time of year where germs take up residence at our home and refuse to leave until mid April. During this invasion I become extra vigilant about hand washing. So to make sure we get in our full 20 seconds of "hand friction" we "sing" the theme to Jeopardy. This seems to distract the little ones from the misery they call hand washing and turns it into something fun.
Yep. Handwashing is time to pratice ABCs at our house.
Posted by: mel | 15 January 2008 at 06:09 AM
Here's the Brownie Girl Scout version (also to Twinkle, Twinkle)
Washing hands is fun to do
It keeps the dirt off me and you
Before meals and after play
We need to wash the dirt away
After playing in the yard
Use some soap and scrub quite hard
Posted by: Mommyprof | 15 January 2008 at 06:41 AM
We wash hands to the ABC's here, too. My two year old is catching on much more quickly now that we are practicing multiple times a day.
Posted by: sarah | 15 January 2008 at 08:37 AM
We use "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" since that's what's recommended in the "Potty Power" DVD. Our eldest still remembers and has fun with it.
Posted by: Sue | 15 January 2008 at 01:59 PM
we have the opposite problem - my son would wash his hands over and over again forever if we'd let him...
Posted by: Serena | 15 January 2008 at 05:41 PM
I was in the hospital recently, and they recommended singing "Happy Birthday" twice.
Posted by: Jeff | 15 January 2008 at 11:50 PM
I must be tired and caffeine free this morning as I read the headline and then sang, in my head, the quote from heather, which while it is informative and a great idea, it doesn't make for the best handwashing ditty....
Need coffee!
Posted by: CleverGirl | 16 January 2008 at 06:02 AM