Washing their own hands

At what age did your kids start washing their own hands? Any suggestions on a good step stool? We hold our kids over the sink before and after each meal to wash hands and they are getting heavy. Thought it would be nice if they could do it on their own.

TIA

 

At what age did your kids start washing their own hands? Any suggestions on a good step stool? We hold our kids over the sink before and after each meal to wash hands and they are getting heavy. Thought it would be nice if they could do it on their own.

TIA

 

I've been wondering this too. I hate dangling them over the sink. At daycare they have a folding kitchen stepstool with two steps, which seems to work well, but they also have the kind of sink that sticks out from the wall (i.e., no cabinets underneath). I'm afraid with our sink at home, even if I had that stool, they'd have to lean over too far to reach the sink. But that's probably still what I'll try first -- I think that's the only kind that will be high enough at this age (14 months).

 

Mine wash their own hands in the bathroom. I got the Kandoo pump soap and showed them how to turn on the cold water. They can rub their hands together and rinse and then I usually help them dry them. We just use the baby bjorn stools that I got for the potty. My kitchen sink is too high for them still.

 

We bought the nice wood stools at Target. We have one for the bathroom and one for the kitchen. They can almost wash their hands independently in the bathroom (but they still are tempted to play). They need help in the kitchen though because they just aren't tall enough to turn the water on.

One thing that my brothers did that I want to do, is that they hung a low towel rack in their bathrooms so that the kids had their own hand towel at their height!

 

I have some simple plastic/rubber stools, inexpensive from Target. Mine don't want my assistance, but need help getting the soap rinsed off.

 

We only recently got stools and started with them, maybe in the last month or so. So far mine are much more into playing than washing, so it still totally requires supervision and assistance, but at least they are standing up instead of breaking my back. They also like to use a washcloth to wash off their mouths/chins after meals. They especially like squeezing the water out of the washcloth while yelling "Squeeze!" LOL.

They stand on the stools for brushing teeth, too, and they LOVE putting their toothbruses under the water! We got a two-pack of plastic/rubber stools at TRU really inexpensively, but they are great quality. We have them both in the bathroom since the girls like to brush their teeth at the same time.

 

We have a step stool (any that has the rubberized bottoms and seem stable work great) they can reach the water and we bought the pump foam soap dispensers.

I also taught them a song (to brother john? - the song also done in french)

put some soap on
put some soap on

rub it in
rub it in

make a lot of bubbles
make a lot of bubbles

rinse them off
rinse them off

I use the song and they don't fight, dh can never remember it and they fight him everytime! LOL

 

Cute song Angela!

At our Toddler class we wash hands after being outside and before snack time, so they have gotten accustomed to wanting to do it. I guess I really need to get a stool for them in the bathroom at home.

 

You guys are braver than me... or have more energy!!! We use kids hand sanitizer for now. They just rub it in and go! I do like that song though

Crystal

 

Step stools from Target - Pump soap - Towel where they can reach. They really do love the independence. Jason remembers to wash after using the potty, but we still have to remind Justin.

 

LOVE the song! I have been using a hand sanitizer at home, but want to buy a step stool. Adding it to my Target list!!

 

Mine started washing their own hands when we started potty-training at about 2 and 2.5 years old. They love the water so it was a type of reward for them. They always use one of the bathroom sinks and any ole stepstool with a non-slip bottom works for that.