UV in TK

Izzy introduced her students to ultraviolet light by stamping her hands and theirs with “invisible” ink (ink visible only under UV light) and shining the UV flashlight on them. “The children came up to me all day during breaks to see if the ink was still there,” she says.

“Did you wash your hands?” is a question asked throughout the day in preschool, TK, and kindergarten, often followed by “Did you do a good job?” But how’s a kid to know if they really did a “good job”?

TK teacher Izzy Prince was talking with a friend about how hard it is to get children to wash their hands properly. Her friend noted that medical students are trained in correct handwashing techniques using a glow-in-the dark substance and ultraviolet light.

Izzy thought this would be a fun way to teach her students how to do a “good job” washing their hands and at the same time educate them about ultraviolet light. For science class, she bought a UV flashlight and a non-toxic lotion called Glo Germ that has sparkles in it that glow under UV light.

First the children washed their hands while singing the “Handwashing Song.” Then Izzy applied Glo Germ to their hands and shined the flashlight on them. Areas that weren’t cleaned well—mainly the area around their fingernails and the webbing between their finders—glowed under the UV light.

The UV experiment has made a difference in the children’s handwashing habits, Izzy reports. “They were so engaged and excited to show their hand-washing expertise! The ‘Handwashing Song’ provides an easy reminder for kids who skip steps or get distracted—they usually start singing along!”