Hygiene and hand-washing solutions brand, Dettol has partnered with the Sydney Opera House to present, Hands On Art – a school holiday event supporting children’s learning and encouraging positive hand-hygiene habits through the power of play.
Hosted by a team of local artists including Curly Fernandez, Hands On Art is a free, creative play-based program that aims to inspire children to learn simple yet important hand-hygiene habits through imagination and creativity.
“A kid’s most formative years are up to the age of 8 years old, so this is a great time to teach them new habits,” artist and lead facilitator Mr Fernandez said.
“Doing so by engaging their imagination ensures those habits are retained, which is why Hands On Art is the perfect way to educate little ones on hygiene habits they can remember while having a little – or a lot! – of fun.”
With the cold and flu season well underway, good hand-hygiene habits are more important than ever. However, according to a recent survey, almost 1 in 3 (29%) of parents struggle to find ways to embed hygiene habits with children.
Research from Dettol in partnership with Researchify has identified that while 1 in 3 parents were concerned about germs, just over half (57%) were confident about starting hand-hygiene conversations with their children.
The research also revealed:
- When it comes to teaching these new habits, 60% of Australian parents believe that their kids best learn through using their imagination, while 58% of parents believe that kids best learn through playing with their hands.
- When it comes to hand hygiene, more than 1 in 3 (35%) of parents said their child was aged 4 or older before knowing how to wash/sanitise their own hands.
- The majority of parents (87%) agree that it is important for children to wash or sanitise their hands after using the bathroom/toilet.
- Despite germs spreading through everyday activities, however, just over half (58%) of parents agreed that it is important for kids to wash and sanitise their hands after activities such as painting, and just 51% thought it was important for children to wash and sanitise their hands after seeing friends or family.
The free Hands On Art program takes place from Saturday 2 July to Sunday 17 July 2022 at the Sydney Opera House.
House to home
For families around Australia who might not be able to make it along to an event, Dettol is taking Hands On Art from the ‘House to your home, with an at-home ‘how to’ by Mr Fernandez.
The at-home resource is the perfect school holiday boredom buster, stepping parents and kids through the creation of their own Hands On Art Monster or Maiden.
“Creating an Art Monster or Maiden with your child is rewarding in so many ways,” Marketing Director of Reckitt Health ANZ, Holly McCarthy said.
“By harnessing the power of play through engaging and imaginative activities, children will develop a lifetime of hygiene habits in a nurturing and interactive environment.
“Learning these foundational life skills at an early age is also critical to helping stop the spread of germs and improving hygiene outcomes in the community,” she said.
For more information about Hands On Art, visit: sydneyoperahouse.com/events/whats-on/Kids-and-Families/2022/hands-on-art.html
