Washing hands

[mumofone]

What age should children start to wash their own hands?

[loocyloo]

My 17mth old loves to put her hands in the sink, and rub soap on them, and rinse and dry ( with assistance )

my 2yr olds all wash their own hands, usually I watch. generally, I put water in the sink for them to use, as not all of them can use my taps.

my 3yr olds and upwards, all wash their own hands, and I don't usually watch. they can do the taps by themselves.

[moggy]

Same here. I have them standing on the step at the sink once they are walking- so, 15-18mths approx. It is mostly water play though, with me holding their hands and rubbing them together.
Washing their own hands depends on a lot- operating taps, operating soap pump or handling bar of soap, drying own hands... so from nearer 3 I think, but all depends ont he child and the set up you have with soap/step/taps/towels/etc.

[Maza]

I remember passing a wet flannel and often a small bowl of soapy water, followed by a clean bowl of water for rinsing to my one year olds to make a start on washing their own hands whilst they were sitting in the high chair. That was great because it would also give me an extra couple of minutes to load the dishwasher whilst they were contained. :) Obviously I often had to then give their hands the once over myself if we had had spag bol or something similar. If they had just had sandwiches or something 'clean' then I would often just pass them a wet flannel and a dry flannel whilst they were sitting at the little table when they were older, but I also liked them to use the sink at least once a day so that they were learning how to use taps, access soap, access towels etc. I can't remember what age, somewhere around 2 I think, with gradually less and less support.

They usually start off loving it and wanting to do everything themselves, spending as much time at the basin as they can get away with. Then all of a sudden it reverses and I now have to stand over my 7 year old to make sure she washes them properly, if at all!

[BallyH]

There are some fab videos on YouTube about washing hands. The one's that we watch are cartoons and they are very thorough. Parents have commented about hygiene at home after we have watched these videos. There are ones on brushing teeth also. I think YouTube is wonderful when monitored.

[Maza]

Don't forget mumofone, it can also be used as a 'next step' for your little ones.

[mumofone]

Don't forget mumofone, it can also be used as a 'next step' for your little ones.

Thanks maza, yep I realised after the replies that should be a next step...
Thank you :-)

[Maza]

Thanks maza, yep I realised after the replies that should be a next step...
Thank you :-)

It can also be used in your SEF for how you create an enabling environment - if you provide a step, towels that they can reach, soap that they can access independently etc.