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Learning about germs (animation and activities for kids)
“Hey, what are you doing under there?”
“I’m scared because I’ve heard that germs are bad so I’m hiding from them!”
“Germs may sound scary, but there’s no need to hide, I’ll help you learn about them, come with me!”
“Germs are tiny living things that can make us feel poorly. Germs spread in lots of ways, like through the air, when someone coughs or sneezes. They can also land on surfaces like your toys or door handles, or sometimes live in bad food or dirty water. They are so small that we can only see them through a microscope.”
“When we wash our hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer, the germs will stay away.”
“You need to wash your hands for 20 seconds."
“And when should I wash my hands?”
“It’s good to wash your hands often, but there’s special times when we should always wash our hands. You should wash your hands before and after eating.”
“You should wash your hands when they are dirty.”
“You should wash your hands after going to the toilet.”
“You should also wash your hands when you’ve touched pets or animals.”
“If you ever need to cough or sneeze, remember to do it into your elbow or a tissue, then always wash your hands afterwards.”
“That’s because the germs can spread through the air”.
“That’s right! You can also use a face covering. It protects you and others from swapping germs and can help you avoid touching your face, or picking your nose!”
“Yuk!”
“Thank you for showing me how I can stop spreading germs!”
“Just remember, you can always ask a parent or carer if you are worried or have any questions.”
What are germs?
Germs are tiny, tiny living things (called micro-organisms) that can make us feel poorly. They are so small we can’t see them. The only way we can see them is by looking at them under a microscope. Germs can get into our bodies, but we don’t know about it until we may start to feel ill. That’s why we have to be really careful that we protect ourselves and others, so that we don’t spread germs. Types of germs include bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
How do germs spread?
Germs spread in lots of ways. They can spread through the air (when someone coughs, sneezes, or sings). They can land on surfaces – like your toys or door handles - and then spread to people who touch them.
Germs can also spread through bad food or dirty water. Here are some things to remember.
- If you cough or sneeze, use a tissue and wash your hands because you might have germs, and you don’t want to spread the germs or other people might become ill.
- If you don’t wash your hands, that’s the reason why germs spread. And don’t pick your nose or this will spread germs.
- Always wash your hands when you go to the toilet. And if you touch something that’s dirty, wash your hands.
The ‘How clean are your hands?’ test
This is an activity that’s all about: ‘How clean are your hands?’
You will need:
- three slices of bread
- three clear plastic sandwich bags
- some tongs
- some sticky labels
First write out the labels: ‘clean’, ‘dirty’, and ‘untouched’ and stick them on the bags.
Use the tongs to place a piece of untouched bread into the bag labelled clean, and seal it up.
With the next slice, get your child to touch the bread with unwashed hands. Place it in the bag labelled ‘dirty’.
Then get your child to wash their hands with water and soap and dry them. Get them to touch the last piece of bread with their freshly washed hands, put it in the ‘clean’ bag and seal it.
Over the next few days have a look at the bags each day and talk to your child about what you can see happening. Ask questions such as: which slice gets mouldy first? Which slice has the most mould?
It will be clear to see that the dirty bag will have the most mould and will develop mould the quickest. You can then explain to your child why the clean and untouched bags have less mould. Washing their hands with soap and water stops the mould, or ‘germs’. Touching things with unwashed hands can cause germs to spread.
How to protect yourself and others from germs
Here are five tips for children on how they can prevent the spread of germs.
1. Wash your hands
Use plenty of soap and water, rub the soap all over your hands – between your fingers, your palms, tops of your hands, and wrists. Rinse your hands with water. Dry your hands really well. Sing ‘happy birthday twice’ – this is about 20 seconds - the amount of time it takes to wash your hands properly!
You should wash your hands often, and especially:
- after coughing or sneezing
- before and after eating food
- after going to the toilet
- after playing at the park
- when your hands have got grubby
- after touching pets or animals
- after playing with shared toys
But remember not to wash your hands too much. Excessive hand washing can wash off the skin’s natural oils and normal microorganisms (called skin flora) which help maintain healthy skin. Handwashing can also make eczema worse. Use soaps that are kind to the skin and use moisturiser after washing your hands so that they don’t dry out.
2. Try not to touch your face
This includes your eyes, mouth, and nose. So, don’t pick your nose!
This is because germs love to live on our hands. And your hands might pick up germs from surfaces and transfer them to your eyes, nose, or mouth when you touch them. The germs can then get into your body.
3. If you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth
Use a tissue, then throw the tissue away and wash your hands. If you don’t have a tissue, use your armpit or elbow (not your hands).
4. Tell a parent, carer, or teacher if you feel poorly
Tell an adult if something in your body hurts, like your head or your tummy, or if you’re too hot or cold, or if you notice any red marks on your skin (a rash). Lots of illnesses from germs won’t last long, but for some you might need some medicine to help you feel better. Or you might need to stay at home for a few days so that you don’t pass the same illness on to other people. Hospitals and doctors are there to treat people who are (very) sick.
5. Wear a face covering
You might need to wear a face covering when you go to certain places. Wash your hands before putting them on and taking them off.
Here at Bupa we understand how important your family is. So with our family health insurance you can rest assured knowing that eligible treatment and support is available to you and your loved ones when you need it.
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Sources Sources
- What are germs. KidsHealth. kidshealth.org, last reviewed June 2023
- What infections are, how they are transmitted and those at higher risk of infection. UK Health Security Agency. gov.uk, last updated July 2023
- How clean are your hands? C.S Mott Children’s hospital. Michigan Medicine. mottchildren.org, accessed August 2023
- Show Me the Science – How to Wash Your Hands. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. cdc.gov, last reviewed August 2021
- How to teach your kids handwashing. Unicef. unicef.org, accessed August 2023
- Preventing and controlling infections. UK Health Security Agency. gov.uk, last updated July 2023
- Resident Flora. MSD Manuals. msdmanuals.com, last reviewed August 2022
- Hand washing at school when your child has eczema. Eczema Outreach Support. eos.org.uk, published September 2020
- Living safely with respiratory infections, including COVID-19. UK Health Security Agency. gov.uk, last updated June 2022
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