Prep Your Kids for School

Boost Your Family’s Clean IQ

Back to school can mean back to germs — which often leads to missed school days. Teaching your kids good hygiene is important so they can carry healthy habits with them morning, noon, and night.

Before School

Starting the day off right means starting the day off clean. Get your kids into a routine that includes washing up, brushing teeth, and combing hair for the day ahead. When getting ready for school, it’s important that each child has their own set of personal items—this includes towels, toothbrushes, cups, hairbrushes, and headbands or barrettes.

At School

As you send your kids off for the day, remind them that they’ll need to wash their hands—especially after using the bathroom, before lunch or snack, following recess, or if they play with the classroom pet. They should wash their hands frequently by rubbing them together with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds (or as long as it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice). Sharing can also mean sharing germs, so kids should have their own school supplies marked with their name to avoid passing germs.

After School

From playdates to sports practice, after school is a time for much-needed fun. But these less structured hours of the day can also be primetime for germs. If you’re like most moms, preventing head lice is a top hygiene concern. It can be passed from one child to another by touching heads or some people believe by sharing hats, sweaters, scarves, hairbrushes, bike or sports helmets, headphones, pillows, stuffed animals, or team uniforms. You may also want to empty their backpacks after school, and disinfect any items they may have shared.