Operation: WashUp
Download these fun, age-appropriate tools to educate kids on proper handwashing technique.
Handwashing is the single most important step in preventing the spread of infections. Our popular Operation: WASHUP program provides easy-to-understand tools to educate children between the ages of six and eight about proper handwashing technique.
When they’ve completed the program, kids can become certified handwashing experts!
The following downloads can be used by parents to teach children at home, or by pharmacists to promote handwashing with parents of small children who visit the pharmacy.
Activities
These 12 activities help children have fun learning about germs, through activities such as mazes, “spot the differences” puzzles, and drawing and colouring pages, along with a six-step handwashing guide.
- Escape the germ attack! Find a way through this maze, and outrun the germs on the trail.
- Find the nine germs in the room! There are nine germs hidden in this room. Can you find them all?
- Colour in the germs! What colour do you think these germs should be? Make them as gross or as pretty as you like!
- Spot the difference. These pictures might look the same, but each has six differences. Can you spot them?
- Draw the other half. Test your drawing skills by seeing if you can complete the picture of the germ.
- Germ Maze. See how quickly you can find your way out of this maze. When you’re done, see if you can spot five differences between the germs.
- Colour the picture. After you’ve coloured it, hang it up as a poster to remind others about when to wash their hands.
- Colour in the kids! These kids are handwashing experts—what colour clothes do you think they should wear?
- Draw your own germs! What do you think germs look like?
- Connect the germ dots! What do you think the germs looks like?
- Wash away those germs! Colour this page to make a poster. Ask an adult if you can put the poster in your bathroom.
- A few places where germs can be found. Now that you know more about germs, where else do you think they can be found?
Mission card
This mission card makes handwashing a fun challenge for kids: their objective is to wash their hands using the proper technique for seven days straight. The card is to be initialled by parents or guardians each day the child remembers, and is a great way to get the child into a good habit of washing hands.
Print this card out for the child, reminding them of the seven-day handwashing mission.
Handwashing Certificate and handout
Once the child has completed the seven-day handwashing mission, they get a reward—an Official Handwashing Certificate!
Download the certificate as a PDF
You can also print this handout of the six steps in good handwashing technique, and place it in the child’s bathroom as a reminder.
Graphic poster for pharmacy display
This colourful poster summarizes the six steps to good handwashing. It can be printed as a 16 x 24-inch, large-format poster to display in the pharmacy, or as a 8.5 x 11-inch small-format flyer for handing out.
Download the large poster as a PDFDownload the small poster as a PDF