Handwashing to really remove the germs

We've had a sick week, and while I know that frequent and thorough hand washing is one of the better ways to prevent this, I can't always control how the kids choose to, or not to wash. Sometimes I hear the water running for awhile and their little voices singing to keep track of time, other times the water is off almost before it turned on.

To help the kids visualize what they usually can't see, we coated their damp hands with our mildest cinnamon (try glitter instead) and pretended it was germs, dirt, and bacteria that we needed to scrub off. This kept them washing as long as they needed to and made them aware of all the nooks and crannies that are easy to miss.

*I have sensitive skin, and while the kids haven't complained, my hands can feel a slight cooling effect from the spicy cinnamon, similar to after handling a mildly-hot pepper. If we do this again I would probably try it with glitter, which would require more cleaning to get off anyway.

Idea via The Crafty Crow