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Teaching personal hygiene habits to your child early on can help them develop life-long skills for good health. Read on to learn which habits to begin teaching and when, as well as how to make the learning process go a little smoother.
Hand Washing
Children can begin washing their own hands at around 2 years old, with some help of course. Start by teaching them the 5 steps: wet, lather, scrub, rinse and dry. Make it fun by having them sing the “happy birthday” song twice while scrubbing.
Your kids will need reminders of when to wash their hands, such as before eating, and after going to the bathroom. If you’re kids aren’t very interested in washing their hands, try some fun soap like this Mickey Mouse Shaped Foaming Hand Soap Dispenser.
Bathing
For bathing, age 3 is ideal to start teaching a child how to clean themselves. Begin by letting them participate in small ways, like pouring soap or water. During this time, it’s also important to teach your little one that bathing isn’t just about cleaning the body—it’s also about cleaning their hair and face.
As your kids get older, it’s important to start them on a skincare routine. The routine should be simple, including only soap, water, and lotion. Teaching them how to wash their face at a young age will help them later when hormones start to change and acne becomes a possibility.
Dental Hygiene
Infants, babies, and toddlers alike all love to explore the world through their mouths, so there’s no doubt that their mouths will get dirty. That’s why the best time to begin teaching dental hygiene is when those first pearly whites begin to peek through.
Brush their teeth twice a day until their fine motor skills kick in; then, they can start learning the motions themselves. Remind them throughout the process to brush every tooth on all sides, and if they struggle with how long it takes, play their favorite music to act as a timer. You’ll want to supervise this process until the age of 6 or 7, or until they finally nail the skill.
The best personal hygiene habit to teach your child is to show them that cleaning their body is loving their body, and loving the body they’re in is important. Remember that modeling these behaviors and letting your child practice their autonomy will encourage them to want to continue these habits.
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