Going to the toilet - handwashing

Handwashing is an essential skill for children of all ages.

Some children dislike water, making hand washing very difficult.

Try novelty soap with a toy in the middle – get your child to wash the soap away to get to the
toy. You could also try a visual timer so they can see how long they have to wash for
Using the right temperature water may help, try using warm water rather than cold or hot
If your child will not hand wash, then try hand gel, baby wipes or even a flannel.

The National Infection Prevention and Control Manual have a number of ideas and materials for you
and your child to use to help with hand washing.