October 15th is Global Handwashing Day!

Do you know the five steps to washing your hands well? Wash Those Germs Away, written by children’s songwriter Kathy Kampa, was inspired by the COVID-19 virus and a call to better hand washing by our school nurse. This song will teach you (and those you love!) how to wash your hands thoroughly.

You’ll find a video created for young learners at my school. This might help your very young learners. The other video is a compilation of people who joined me in a “handwashing mission.”

Here are some suggestions for teaching this song:

For young learners, check their knowledge of the different parts of their hands. Here are two ways to do this.

1. First, let’s name the parts of your hand. You can say, Show me your fingers. Let’s say ‘fingers.’ Show me your thumbs. Let’s say ‘thumbs.’ Let’s count our fingers and our thumbs. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10! Continue in the same way with the other parts of the hand. Show me your fingernails . . . palms . . . . wrists.
2. Then, you can prompt the names of each part of the hand by showing: What are these? (wiggle your fingers) Fingers!

Now, prepare soap and a towel or paper towel. Pretend to turn on the water.

Get started: Turn on the water. Get the soap. Rub your hands together. Let’s wash our hands. Turn off the water.

Sing: 1. Wash between, wash between, wash between your fingers,   Wash between, wash between, wash between your fingers.

2. Wash the back of each hand, Wash those germs away!

3. (Start with your pinkie and work towards your thumb, then start with your thumb to your pinkie.) Then wash your fingers one by one, Wash each finger, Wash your thumbs, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10, almost done!

4. (Bend your fingers to wash your fingernails in your palm.) Now you wash your fingernails and wash your palms,      wash your fingernails and wash your palms,

5. Wash your wrists, both right and left, Wash those germs away!

Wash those germs away!   Wash  –  those  – germs  – away . . . . . . . . . YEAH! Shake off that water and dry your hands.

Thanks to creative artists

—- Andre DiMuzio for arranging this song

—–Brady Foster for compiling all of the videos!

To ensure that everyone knows how to wash their hands well, we’ve provided additional resources for you. Both the vocal version and the karaoke version are available for free!

Karaoke Version

Want to see some fun outtakes? Thanks to dogs Addie and Allie who joined in the fun! We also thank the pair of feet for trying to do this song.

For more kid-tested music and movement activities, check out more music on iTunes. Kathy has produced two music CDs for very young learners, Kathy Kampa’s Special Days and Holidays and Jump Jump Everyone, which build English language skills through movement while nurturing creativity and imagination! Grown and loved by real kids!

Songwriter Kathy Kampa is a passionate educator of young learners. She seeks to nurture children’s imaginations and spark creativity through fun and engaging activities. Kathy believes that music and movement should be a part of every young child’s education. Kathy’s Songs for Kids (Kathy Kampa’s Special Days and Holidays and Jump Jump Everyone) are available on iTunes.

Kathy uses a globally-minded and inquiry-based approach to teaching through which students develop 21st-century skills. She also supports the development of English language skills by creating songs, chants, and TPR/movement activities targeted to young learners’ needs.

Kathy and her husband Charles Vilina are also co-authors of Magic Time, Everybody Up, and the ELTon award-winning course Oxford Discover, all published by Oxford University Press. They recently published Beehive and Buzz, courses for young English Language Learners.

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Hand washing image Designed by brgfx / Freepik