Having a daily routine for your child to follow can make life a lot easier, but that’s if everyone sticks to it! With homework, afterschool activities, sports, and family time, your kids have a lot on their plate and taking on new responsibilities every day.
One of those responsibilities every child needs to learn is consistently brushing their teeth. Getting your child into the habit of brushing twice a day is no small feat, but early oral health care is extremely important for their development, and it doesn’t need to be a daunting task.
A little creativity can go a long way when it comes to their long-term oral health, and we’ve come up with five ways you can make brushing teeth fun for your kids. Try out some of these ideas to make their morning and evening teeth brushing a fun activity!
TAKE THEM SHOPPING.
Take your child to the store to choose a toothbrush. There are plenty of colors to choose from and toothbrushes with their favorite characters on them. Let them choose a fun flavor of toothpaste, and if your child is flossing, they can choose a flavored floss or colored floss stick.
PRETEND BRUSH.
Let your child brush their dolls’ or stuffed animals’ teeth. This gives them a chance to practice before brushing on their own, and they think it’s fun. You can even let them practice on you!
DANCE PARTY.
Turn on their favorite song and have a two-minute brushing dance party every morning and night. Try to reach the two-minute recommended amount of time for brushing.
REWARD THEM.
Create a sticker board for your child to add stickers every time they finish brushing their teeth or let them pick out a book for you to read to them before bedtime.
BRUSHING APPS.
There are several apps to help teach kids to learn to brush and keep it fun. Here are a few to start with:
•BrushDJ: the app plays two minutes of music from your device or streaming service. It also allows you to set reminders.
•Brush Up: this app uses your phone’s camera as a virtual mirror so kids can watch themselves and a video teaching them how to brush simultaneously while they are brushing.
•Brush Teeth with the Wiggles: this app is perfect for young ones and features a video of the Wiggles and other kids brushing their teeth.
Whichever way you choose to make brushing fun AND a twice-daily habit, make sure you stick to it. It can be easy to slip a day or night, especially in the summer months during vacations, camp, or sleepovers. The more routine brushing becomes, the easier it is to make sure your child is brushing twice a day whether they are at home or away.
Brushing your teeth does not have to be a dreaded chore. With these fun and creative ideas, you can encourage your child to practice good oral hygiene and make brushing their teeth something they look forward to every day!
