Hand Washing for Kids: Germ Busters Game & Printable Poster
This post may contain affiliate links.
Teaching kids how to wash their hands is one of those simple life skills that can make a big difference! But instead of just reminding kids to wash their hands again (and again…and again!), why not turn it into a game?
This Germ Busters hand washing game helps kids learn about germs, ways germs can spread, and healthy habits that can help keep hands and shared spaces clean.
The printable set also includes a hand washing poster for kids that you can hang near a classroom or bathroom sink as a visual reminder.
It’s a fun addition to a health lesson, back-to-school unit, preschool hygiene theme, or science lesson about germs.
Teaching Kids About Germs and Hand Washing
Germs are tiny microorganisms, and some can make us sick. Because we can’t see them with our eyes, it can be difficult for young children to understand why washing their hands matters.
One of the easiest ways to explain it is to talk about all the things our hands touch throughout the day—door handles, toys, desks, playground equipment, pets, shared supplies, and our own faces.
Hand washing with soap and water helps remove germs from our hands and reduces their spread.
Kids especially need to remember to wash their hands at important times, such as after using the bathroom, before eating or preparing food, after coughing or sneezing into their hands, and when their hands are visibly dirty.
How to Wash Your Hands
Teach kids these basic hand-washing steps:
- Wet hands with clean running water.
- Apply soap.
- Rub hands together to make a lather.
- Scrub the fronts and backs of the hands, between the fingers, and around the fingernails.
- Continue scrubbing for about 20 seconds.
- Rinse well under clean running water.
- Dry hands with a clean towel or air dry them.
The printable hand washing poster makes a great visual reminder to hang near the sink so kids can practice the steps independently.
Germ Busters Hand Washing Game for Kids
Once you’ve talked about germs and proper hand washing, reinforce what kids are learning with a game!
The Germ Busters printable game turns healthy hygiene habits into a simple board game.
The printable set includes:
- Germ Busters game board
- Germ Attack cards
- Germ Buster cards
- Game pieces
- Printable die
- Hand washing poster
Get the game ready by printing and cutting out the pieces. Separate the cards into two piles: Germ Attack cards and Germ Buster cards.
How to Play the Germ Busters Game
Players take turns rolling the die and moving that number of spaces around the game board.
If you land on a germ, draw a Germ Attack card and follow its instructions. These cards may send you backward on the board.
But don’t worry—you can fight those germs!
If you land on a space showing a healthy hygiene or cleaning habit, draw a Germ Buster card. These cards help you move forward.
Keep taking turns until one player reaches the Clean Hands space.
The first player to reach Clean Hands wins!
Â
Talk About Healthy Habits While You Play
The game is more useful when you turn the pictures and cards into little conversations rather than simply moving around the board.
Ask questions such as:
- Why do we wash our hands before eating?
- What should you do after you sneeze or cough?
- Why is soap important when we wash our hands?
- What are some things we touch every day that lots of other people touch, too?
- When should you wash your hands?
For younger children, keep the discussion simple. Older kids can learn more about microorganisms and how infectious illnesses can spread from person to person.
Try a Simple Germ Experiment
Want to make the idea of invisible germs easier for kids to understand?
Try a simple demonstration using glitter. Put a tiny amount of glitter on one person’s hand and have them shake hands with another person or touch a few objects.
Watch how quickly the glitter travels!
Explain that germs aren’t actually glitter, but the activity gives kids a visual model of how something too small to see can be transferred from hands to other people and surfaces.
Then experiment with different ways of cleaning the glitter from your hands.
It’s an easy way to lead into a discussion about why we wash our hands with soap and water instead of simply wiping them off.
When to Use This Hand Washing Activity
This printable works well for:
- Preschool and elementary health lessons
- Back-to-school routines
- Classroom hygiene lessons
- Homeschool health and science
- Germ and microorganism units
- Cold and flu season
- Life-skills lessons
You can play the game with your own children, use it with a small group, or add it to a classroom learning center.
Get the Germ Busters Printable Game & Hand Washing Poster
Make learning about germs and hand washing a little more fun with the Germ Busters Game!
Kids can practice healthy habits as they race around the game board trying to defeat the germs and reach Clean Hands.
Germ Books for Kids
Extend your lesson with a good book about germs and hygiene.
A Germ’s Journey by Thom Rooke, MD
Germs Are Not for Sharing by Elizabeth Verdick
Germs Make Me Sick by Melvin Berger
Pair a book with the Germ Busters game and a hands-on demonstration for a simple germs and hand washing lesson for kids.
