It’s that time again. Families are busy preparing for another school year and assisting their children as they begin a new chapter. However, the start of 2021 comes with a unique set of health and safety challenges. To help you navigate this new terrain, we have created a handy guide to help keep daily hygiene front and centre. With the right mindset and proper tools, you and your child can manage going back to school, and a new normal, with peace of mind.
Prioritising back to school hygiene
For many children, their past year consisted of extended lockdown, studying from home and a heightened awareness to stay safe. Though a new concept for them, children are resilient and easily adapt to change in a supportive environment. To help your child understand the importance of washing their hands with soap and water or a hand sanitiser, reemphasise the reasons and necessary routines. Explore our resource on handwashing hygiene for conversation starter points, handwashing rules and ways to motivate your child to be diligent for back to school time.
Speak up, support and sanitise
Having a conversation with your child on safety checkpoints is a hard one to initiate. Keep in mind your child looks up to you for guidance, example and comfort. Many children during uncertain times will adapt with routine but may experience distress in scary new situations. Be sure to ask your child if they have questions, let them express their feelings about this change and review what they know about hygiene and social distancing. Opening up allows your child and yourself to better understand what needs reviewing, reinforcing and reassuring. Remind them of the importance of social distancing at least one metre away from others, covering coughs and sneezes, and using hygiene tools and tricks.
Signs and reminders for back to school safety
To assist parents, caregivers and teachers alike, we created child-friendly reminders and solutions to assist social distancing in care and classroom facilities. Transform social spaces with our friendly COVID-19 decals. Made from high-quality outdoor vinyl, these designs are perfect for any flat surface needing a carefully placed instruction. Our decals are long-lasting, waterproof and created to weather out foot traffic and scuffing. Choose from a range of reminders from wearing a mask, to stand here, keep a safe distance and wash your hands. When applying each decal to their designated zone, walk through their meaning and action the child must take in that zone.
Safety on the go
For busy days and keeping assurity of mind, it helps to stay prepared. In the instance of not being near a sink and soap, provide your child with personalised hand sanitisers. Children will enjoy using their specially designed bottles, made just for them with their name. They can choose from designs including a hot air balloon, panda, llama and dinosaur. Fitted with a clip, they are easy to attach and carry around on clothing loops and accessible for quick use. Make sure to teach your child when to use these products — after touching a public use surface, using door and toilet handles, and after sneezing or coughing.
Give them a stamp of approval
Kids love novelty and fun activities. We took this notion and used it to create a solution to assist children with washing their hands. The result — PAWS. Standing for protect and wash stamp, this easy to apply and use stamp provides a visual reminder throughout the day. Simply stamp both tops of your child’s hands with the ‘virus monster’ before school and allow the ink to dry for ten seconds. For the rest of the day, have your child wash their hands with the stamp mark after contacting surfaces. Then, at the end of the day with proper handwashing, the virus monster must disappear. Children will feel a sense of accomplishment, give you peace of mind all the while providing a fun element to the process. Kidico PAWS consists of antibacterial rubber and uses a high quality dermatologically safe stamping ink which will last up to 3000 prints.
Prioritise to sanitise and stay hygiene wise
We hope this guide assists you and your child for back to school preparations. Be sure to keep an eye out for our Kidico face masks launching soon. For more information on these products and how to personalise your order, contact us.