Did You Wash Your Hands?

This is possibly one of the most asked questions by a camp counselor. Coincidentally, it's also the most lied about answer.So what’s the solution? How do you get kids to wash their hands before meals?

After a summer of the Norovirus or the infamous swine flu, many camps have taken a second look at their hand washing procedures. The trouble is trying to make this process as efficient as possible. From a programmatic perspective, some camps have built in a specific time block, usually 15 minutes before meals, for hand washing. This works well if groups are on time to the bathhouse, but can prove to be logistically difficult to accomplish. Using hand sanitizer is a faster solution that many camps have adopted. It’s certainly good in a pinch, but studies show that this is not a replacement for hand washing.

The best solution  we’ve seen at many camps is to create a hand washing station outside the dining hall, where campers queue before meals.  This efficiently combines program without wasting time. It's also a great chance to keep an open mind and creative when imagining what a sink can be. Check out these innovative ideas below from camp Timberlake, Gwynn Valley, and YMCA Camp Greenville.

Hand washing at Camp Timberlake

With creative design solutions like these, you can be sure that kids will want to wash their hands!

Hand washing at Gwynn Valley

Hand washing at YMCA Camp Greenville