Washing your hands is important. Really important. But how can you visually demonstrate the importance of this valuable life skill to kids?
Not long ago, at the beginning of the flu season a teacher at a US school conducted a classroom experiment to show children what was going on with our hands and germs. The results have been striking and illustrate emphatically the big problem that arises when we ignore – young and old – the instructions of experts on thorough scrubbing with soap or antiseptic. Especially, now that we are facing the outbreak of Coronavirus.
The lesson we take is priceless!
In short, the kids took fresh toast bread and put it away:
- A slice that nobody touched.
- A slice that touched all the kids with their hands out.
- A slice that touched all the kids, having their hands cleaned with a hand sanitizer.
- A slice that all the children listened to, washing their hands with soap and water.
And a slice that the kids rubbed on all their laptops.
The slices were put into sealed food bags and after 3-4 weeks (due to airtight storage and preservatives) the first results appeared.
The two slices that were left unaffected by bacteria were the one that no one touched and the one that the children touched, washed with soap and water.
The antiseptic allowed a high degree of deterioration, and the slice that has been touched by dirty hands had almost turned all black. The worst spoilage was observed in the slice that came into contact with children’s laptops, a very common germ that we choose to ignore.
There is no better ally for children and adults in the fight against germs than frequent and thorough hand washing. It is something that must become the “good” habit of us all.
photo credit (Jaralee Annice Metcalf/Facebook)
