Teaching your child to wash their hands is the basis of a healthy lifestyle. But three drops of water are not enough. This simple tip will make them understand how well it is necessary to scrub with soap.
In the morning when you wake up, after using the toilet, or before each meal… You need to remind your child to wash their hands well, with soap and water. If the Covid period has had the advantage of making children aware of this essential hygiene gesture, it is sometimes good to remind them that a few seconds spent under water are not enough to remove all the dirt. Especially when they have spent the afternoon playing in the park or in the garden and they come back with their hands full of dirt, or our little gourmands have their fingers full of chocolate… So, to make them aware that their little hands are always dirty after passing them under water, this experiment to test with pepper is perfect.
In this video at the top of the article and published on the Instagram account of @by.nayge, this influencer mother and school teacher shows how to teach children the usefulness of soap and the right actions to clean their hands correctly. If you want to try this experience which will please the little ones, bring a light-colored plate. Then place your child’s hand flat in the middle of the plate and trace, using a black marker, the outline of their hand. Pour a large glass of water and some black pepper, which should more or less cover the trace of your hand.
Then suggest that your child put a few drops of soap on his fingertips (for example, he can dip his index finger in a glass with a little soap). This is when the magic happens: when your child places their soapy finger in the mixture of water and pepper, they will immediately see the pepper being repelled.
To make him understand that soap is essential to chase away germs, you can dip a cotton swab into the water + pepper mixture without first dipping it in soap. In this way, he will be able to realize that in the absence of soap, the pepper (and therefore the dirt) does not go away. Repeat this same step, this time dipping the cotton swab with soap, to confirm your theory. Is your child surprised and amazed? Ask him how he will wash his hands before the next meal! An experience that you can try with your child from the age of two.