Me and my cold germ.
I have a cold. Sneeze! I stayed home from work this past Monday because I figured my coworkers didn’t want to hear me blow my nose all day. Cough, cough! I never get colds! I can’t even remember the last time I had one. My bragging about this fact is probably why the universe has turned around and zapped me with a cold. Sniff! I was getting far too cocky about the whole thing.
I am a crazy, obsessive hand washer, and that’s probably one of the reasons why I’m usually pretty healthy. To commemorate my cold and help inform your little ones about germs and hand washing, check out this fun activity! It’s so cute your youngsters won’t even know they’re learning healthy habits.
Ugly Germs
This fun activity reminds students that hand washing is important for getting rid of germs. Attach five germ cutouts (get a germ pattern here) to a wall. Give a child a bar of soap. Then lead the group in chanting the first verse of the rhyme shown, prompting the child to touch one germ with the bar of soap during the fourth line and then to remove it from the wall. Repeat the verse until there is one germ left; then lead the group in singing the remaining verse.
[Five] little germs were busy at play
On a child’s hands one day.
They were playing side by side.
Then that child washed,
And one germ died!
One little germ was busy at play
On a child’s hands one day.
Then that child washed away the ick.
Now the germs are gone
And he won’t get sick!
How do you teach youngsters about hand washing?
We do alot of germ activities and talk to them all the time about germs. But the one thing that has actually helped cut down on colds etc in my classroom. We teach the chldren that before they can play with playdough or play in the sensory table they have to wash their hands. We have laminated signs on both areas. In September its a bit hard but after a month the kids will remind each other you have to wash your hands. We also have the kiddos wash their hands before coming into class. Works great.
We have been learning about germs and hygiene in my first grade classroom! I have obtained some of the Giant Microbe germ models and the Glo Germ powder and gel to use as with a black light so students can see the “germs” on their hands. We have learned proper handwashing techniques. Their favorite song to sing while washing is: “A, B, C, D, E, F, G…Wash those cooties off of me!” First graders are so much fun! 🙂