Reduce Germs With A Hand Sanitizer Hall Pass

Like most people, I really dislike getting sick, but uhm….kids are great at sharing their germs. Nose picking, sneezing, and sharing supplies all happen in the typical classroom. When you have large numbers of kids in close quarters all day, a lot of germs will get shared. It’s just going to happen. Yuck!

Kids find all sorts of ways to share germs. It’s in their nature. I’ve seen students lick spilled snacks directly off of the table. I’ve even walked into a classroom to see two kindergarteners taking turns licking a lollipop. And, while I’d like to think kids at least wash their hands after using the bathroom, I know it doesn’t always happen.

That’s why I came up with the idea of using a bottle of hand sanitizer as my hall pass. I love how simple it is and how easy it is to remind kids to sanitize their hands when they return to the classroom.

To make my hand sanitizer hall pass, I first removed the label from a standard bottle of sanitizer. Then, I added a piece of vinyl that I cut with my Silhouette to make a new label. Finally, I added a ribbon with my glue gun. You could also just remove the label and use a paint pen or some alphabet letter stickers.

Before going to the bathroom, students place the sanitizer on their desks. That makes it easy to look around and see who is out of the room if there is a fire drill or emergency. When students return to the room, they have to get a squirt of sanitizer and return the bottle to its place. You can remind students to get a squirt if they forget.

I hope this helps reduce the germs going around your classroom. If you still catch a bug, check out these tips for how to prepare for a sick day.