This teacher made handwashing fun for her 3rd graders. Each morning she puts a stamp on their hand; if it's gone by the end of the day, they get a prize

Teach kids good hygiene habits is a rewarding but not so simple task. This is especially true when it comes to making them understand why it is so important to wash their hands. Kids love to touch anything and everything, and then each other. This is why, when an epidemic such as the Coronavirus outbreak occurs, keeping their hands clean becomes a necessity. Not only is it essential to their overall health, but it's the best way to protect them from contracting the virus. 

This is why Shauna Woods, a 3rd grade elementary teacher from Hallsville, Missouri, decided to create a clever way of getting her third graders to wash their hands properly. 

via Daily Mail

It didn't take much for Mrs. Woods, what her students call her, to come up with this creative idea. She simply thought of a way to make handwashing into a sort of game. Each morning, Mrs. Woods marks the hands of her students with a special stamp. If, by the end of the day, the stamp has worn completely away, they get a prize. If not, there's always the next day to try again. 

It's a simple strategy, but it turned out to be super efficient. Without having to lecture them on washing their hands, the kids kept their hands much cleaner than before and made it less likely that they would spread germs to their classmates. 

Pretty soon, the "handwashing game" became a part of the class's daily routine. Even Mrs. Woods herself participates in the games. She believes the best way to get kids to do something is to lead by example. At that age, kids don't really understand why they need to keep their hands clean; they just know they have to do it. That's why seeing other people, especially grownups, do it can make the difference. And so far, the results have been amazing. The children's parents have been so impressed that many of them have started adopting it at home!

Mrs. Wood's strategy is definitely a clever way to get kids to wash their hands more often. With the Coronavirus epidemic underway, it's ideas like this that will help keep kids - and adults, for that matter - healthy and from spreading the virus.