The Montessori Handwashing Lesson Is Exactly What the World Needs Right Now
My children and I have had head colds this week, and I’ve been reflecting on how I can help tweak our homeschooling routine to help serve us better when we’re under the weather. One thing that has changed? We’ve supercharged our handwashing routine.
And I think that when it’s a cold and flu season, everyone should. It’s the best way to beat viruses. In fact, according to the CDC, when it comes to the novel coronavirus / COVID-19, proper handwashing is exactly what the whole world needs.
Germs Aren’t All Bad
Typically, I am a pretty relaxed parent when it comes to washing hands.
I value my children’s willingness to get out there and get down to work and sensorially experience the world. I also don’t want them to experience the anxiety that can come from an adult constantly hounding them about germs.
Dirt is good! A little germy mess is healthy for the developing immune system.
But with all the illnesses that are going around these days, I’m encouraging them to wash their hands a little more often. My oldest, who is a little more anxious than my younger child, picked this up almost immediately and started washing his hands more often. If anything, I worry that he may end up washing them a little TOO much!
My youngest child? He needs a little more prompting. It’s my job to say: “We’re back from the grocery store! Let’s go wash our hands!”
It’s always helpful to children to review proper handwashing procedure, no matter how old your children are. My older children and I even did some research together to find out: what, exactly, IS the best way to wash your hands? Does just wetting them with water help at ALL?
Here’s How To Wash Your Hands Well
The answer to our research: it takes between 20 second and 30 seconds to clean your hands thoroughly, and you need to have soap AND water. It’s helpful to have a hard and fast number to make a part of your handwashing routine! If not counting, children can sing songs, or just practice washing each finger nice and slowly.
The ideal protocol?
Wet your hands thoroughly
Apply soap
Thoroughly rub all the surfaces of your hands for 20 seconds. The friction helps remove the germs!
Rinse your hands
Dry them with a towel (preferably one used only by you).
With all this in mind, I think it’s the PERFECT time for you to introduce…
The Montessori Handwashing Lesson
You’ll need…
A bowl (A medium sized serving or dinner bowl should work!)
A pitcher (Easy for a child to manipulate, but larger than a creamer pitcher).
A small bar of soap in a dish (can be cut from a larger bar)
A small hand towel
A towel for the floor or a table; some place to put your materials.
Optional: lotion, a nail brush, a bucket.
Remember: This lesson was designed at a time when having a basin and pitcher to wash up was still pretty common in homes! While not done very often now, it is a wonderful way to give your child the opportunity to use water independently, and to limit the amount of water that is available, as well.
It’s pretty simple, too! You’ll fill the pitcher with water and pour it into the bowl. Wet your hands and let them drip. Drip! Drip! Right into the bowl. Then pick up the soap and apply it to your hands. Put the soap back down and rub your hands together to make some nice, soapy bubbles. You’ll want to massage every finger and thumb on each and separately, plus rub the palm and the back of your hand. This should take at least 20 seconds but if you’re giving a lesson to a child older than 2.5, you can stretch it out. Follow up the wash with a dip and a rinse. Then to the hand towel for a nice fastidious dry. Lotion can be an enticing ending after the work is complete.
Don’t forget clean-up afterwards!
Tips for toddlers: do this activity together! Toddlers don’t need long lessons.
By encouraging the sensory experience as its own activity, we can offer this lesson without making them frightened, or overly concerned about germs. It is a non-frightening way to develop the necessary skills to wash hands well.
Gratitude
Today I’m grateful for germs. I love that you bolster my immune system. I acknowledge that you are a part of our ecosystem. I know it’s a stretch, but pushing through the anxiety to the gratitude helps us push through even the times when things seem to be going against us.
Now go wash your hands!