Dettol And Sydney Opera House Team Up To Teach Kids Hand Hygiene

Dettol has teamed up with the Sydney Opera House to provide kids with a hands-on experience in hand hygiene and health.

Since the start of the pandemic, Aussie kids have been spending time getting creative indoors, with new research revealing large numbers have been keeping entertained with artistic pursuits such as painting and drawing (57 per cent) or crafts (51 per cent).

That’s why Dettol has partnered with the Sydney Opera House to present Hands On Art – a winter school holiday event supporting children’s learning and encouraging positive hand hygiene habits, through the power of play. And they’re taking it national with a ‘how to’ guide for parents around the country.

Hands On Art is a free, creative play-based program, presented by Dettol and the Sydney Opera House, aiming to inspire Aussie kids to learn simple, important hand hygiene through imagination and creativity. Hosted by a team of dynamic local artists, including lead facilitator Curly Fernandez, the event is designed to get children thinking about the many ways their hands can help their imagination come to life – and the importance of keeping them clean.

With cold and flu season well underway, good hand hygiene habits are more important than ever to stop the spread of germs. However, almost 1 in 3 (29 per cent) of parents surveyed struggle to find ways to embed hygiene habits with children.

Research from Dettol in partnership with Researchify identified that while 1 in 3 parents were concerned about germs, just over half (57 per cent), were confident about starting hand hygiene conversations with their children:

• When it comes to teaching these new habits, 60 per cent of Australian parents believe that their kids best learn through using their imagination, while 58 per cent of parents believe that kids best learn through playing with their hands.
• When it comes to hand hygiene, more than 1 in 3 (35 per cent) of parents said their child was aged 4 or older before knowing how to wash/sanitise their own hands.
• The majority of parents (87 per cent) 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 per cent) of parents agreed that it is important for kids to wash and sanitise their hands after activities such as painting, and just 51 per cent thought it was important for children to wash and sanitise their hands after seeing friends or family.

Artist Curly Fernandez said: “A kids most formative years are up to the age of 8 years old2, so this is a great time to teach them new habits. 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.”

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 Curly. 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,” said marketing director of Reckitt Health ANZ, Holly McCarthy.

“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 says.

Hands On Art is a continuation of the partnership between Sydney Opera House and Dettol addressing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation for all, with a spotlight on hygiene education. As a Global Goals Partner, Dettol supports the Winter Creative Play program and the Sydney Opera House Centre for Creativity, collaborating on engaging, interactive experiences for the next generation of Australians, focused on the importance of healthy habits.