Handwashing Song Lyrics

(Sing to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")

Rub, rub, rub your hands,
Soap them nice and clean.
Fronts and backs, between your fingers,
Rub for twenty seconds, singers!
Rub, rub, rub your hands,
Keep those germs away!

Rinse, rinse, rinse your hands,
Water washes through.
Shake off drops, dry with towel,
Now your hands are fresh and new!
Rinse, rinse, rinse your hands,
Great job, handwashing crew!

Motions to Do While You Sing

• Palm to palm rub
• Back-of-hand rub
• Interlace fingers and rub
• Thumb circle rub
• Fingertip rub on palm
• Rinse and shake off water

(Encourage children to keep moving their hands the whole time they sing!)

Glitter Germs Demo Guide

Objective: Show children how germs spread by using safe glitter as a stand-in for germs and spark a discussion about why handwashing removes them.

Materials:

• Safe, non-toxic, washable glitter or germ simulation powder
• Several small non-porous toys or objects (blocks, plastic animals)
• Paper towels or wet wipes for quick clean-up
• Optional: magnifying glass for closer observation

Safety Precautions:

• Confirm all glitter is labeled non-toxic and washable.
• Keep glitter away from eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Have wet wipes or paper towels handy to clean any spills.
• Supervise children to ensure they don’t put hands or objects near their faces.

Steps

1. Preparation (2 minutes)

   • Invite children to sit in a circle on the rug.
   • Ensure each child’s hands are clean and completely dry.
   • Place a few small toys in the center.

2. Applying the Glitter Germs (1 minute)

   • Choose one volunteer and sprinkle a small pinch of glitter onto their fingertips.
   • Explain: “These shiny flakes are like germs—we can’t see real germs, but they’re all around us!”

3. Spreading the Glitter (3 minutes)

   • Have the child touch a toy or object and pass it to a friend.
   • Encourage each child to handle the toy briefly and then pass it along.
   • Observe how the glitter transfers from toy to hands.

4. Observation & Cleaning (5 minutes)

   • Gather children’s attention and use a magnifying glass or close look to see glitter on hands.
   • Ask volunteers to wipe their hands on a paper towel or use a wet wipe and compare “before” and “after.”
   • Discuss: “Is the glitter easy to see? Does it move when we touch things?”

Discussion Questions

• What did you notice when we passed the toy around?
  
  
  
• How did the glitter spread from one friend to another?
  
  
  
• What do you think real germs do when we touch things?
  
  
  

Key Points to Reinforce

• Glitter = germs (we can’t always see germs, but they’re there).
• Germs (like glitter) spread by touch.
• Soap and water wash glitter off just like they wash germs away.

Extension Activity

After the demonstration, invite each child to wash a toy or object under running water with soap. Compare how clean the toys look and talk about how soap helps remove all the “glitter germs.”

Clean Hands Cool Down

Let’s check what we’ve learned about washing away germs!

1. Draw a smile on each hand to show they’re clean now.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. How many seconds do we scrub while we sing our song?
   ______ seconds
   
   
   
   

3. What two things do we always use to wash our hands?

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4. Draw or tell your teacher your favorite part of today’s lesson.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Great job, handwashing heroes!
Hang this exit ticket on our class board so we remember to keep our hands clean every day.