“Wash your hands, Brother John!” 

by

Wash your hands, Brother John! is a helpful educational song/rhyme written by Dr. Nisha Thampi, Lekha N. Villeneuve, and Yves Longtin. They created it to teach children about the importance of washing their hands properly to stop germs from spreading. The song uses the melody of “Brother John,” a familiar tune, to make it easier for kids to remember. Dr. Thampi wrote about this song in the British Medical Journal to share how using songs can make learning about hand hygiene more enjoyable for children. The World Health Organization recommends a six-step handwashing technique, and this song helps kids remember those steps.

“Wash your hands, Brother John!” lyrics

Scrub your palms

Between the fingers

Wash the back (one hand), wash the back (other hand)

Twirl the tips (one hand) around (the other hand)

Scrub them upside down

Thumb attack (one thumb)! Thumb attack (other thumb)!

Note: The six steps to achieve effective hand hygiene, sung to the tune of Brother John

For an audio-visual experience, please check out this link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAP8HZdV5Qo&t=4s

Frequently Asked Questions about the “Wash your hands, Brother John” song

Q1: Who wrote “Wash your hands, Brother John”?

A1: Dr. Nisha Thampi, Lekha N. Villeneuve and Yves Longtin.

Q2: What’s the song’s purpose?

A2:The song’s purpose is to assist the kids in remembering all six steps for washing hands, as recommended by the World Health Organization, to prevent the spread of common infections.

Q3: What familiar melody does the song use as its basis?

A3: The song uses the familiar melody of “Brother John” as its basis.

Q4: Why is it important?

A4: It promotes healthy habits in kids.

Q5:What are some activities that can be done with the educational song “Wash your hands, Brother John!”?

A5:Here are some activities that can be done with the educational song “Wash your hands, Brother John!”

  1. Role Play
  2. Art and Craft: Create visual aids like posters or handprints showing the steps of handwashing.
  3. Sing and Dance
  4. English grammar activity: Sight Words – “wash,” “back,” “around,” “them,” “upside,” and “thumb.”

Leave a comment