Oh, Before I Eat My Meals
This is a fun song to sing to encourage children to wash their hands before eating or cooking with a caregiver:
(Sung to the tune of "If You’re Happy and You Know It")
Oh, before I eat my meals, I wash my hands, (scrub, scrub)
Oh, before I eat my meals, I wash my hands, (scrub, scrub)
Oh, it’s very smart I think, sends those germs right down the sink.
Oh, before I eat my meals, I wash my hands. (scrub, scrub)
Oh, before I eat my meals, I pass the food, (pass the plate)
Oh, before I eat my meals, I pass the food, (pass the plate)
‘Cause we know it’s only fair for us all to have our share
Oh, before I eat my meals, I pass the food.
Author unknown
Other Ideas:
- Learn some other songs or poems to say while you wash your hands to make hand-washing more fun. “Happy Birthday” is a good length of song and familiar to many children.
- For older children, ask them to think of some lyrics for the song, and create a song together.
- Translate into other languages or make up a song in your language that is of equal length of time.
- Sit down with your child for snacks as well as meals, to show that eating can be a time to enjoy one another’s company.
Source: LEAP BC is a set of resources for healthy child development which includes Hop, Move, Talk and Food Flair. www.leapbc.decoda.ca