November 2020
· 2 min read
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — NSF’s Scrub Club® — an interactive and first-of-its-kind, educational program that provides free handwashing resources for teachers, parents and caregivers of kids 3 to 8 years old — launched a new and enhanced website today. The site now features two new Scrub Club® characters -- Coughing Cora and Maskwell -- amidst ongoing safety measures related to COVID-19 and the upcoming flu season. The site also houses sample lesson plans for kindergarten through third grade (K-3) on healthy behaviors, updated tips and teaching tools as classrooms continue to stay open.
“We know that kids are more likely to catch colds during fall and winter, and COVID-19 cases continue to rise. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) disclosed that more than 277,000 children have been diagnosed with COVID-191. This means it is critical for educators and caregivers to teach proper hand hygiene practices to school-aged children to help reduce the risk of flu, COVID-19 and other viruses,” says Mindy Costello, Scrub Club® Manager at NSF. “ScrubClub.org was designed with those on the front lines of education in mind and provides the tools and resources they need to help educate students and keep their classrooms safer.”
With 56 million children resuming some form of in-person schooling in the United States, NSF refreshed the Scrub Club® website with a new look and user-friendly navigation. The site allows users to easily identify and download the resources they need, including new handwashing activities, videos and downloadable posters that showcase the CDC’s five steps to proper handwashing, all for free! The site also houses sample lesson plans for K-3 on healthy behaviors, tips and teaching tools for classroom and in-home use.
The website also features two new characters:
The germy villain who helps teach kids about the dangers of the coronavirus by showcasing the symptoms and bad behaviors to avoid.
A Scrub Club® hero who encourages and reminds kids that wearing a mask helps to protect themselves and others.
These CDC recommendations help slow the spread of respiratory illnesses and can be useful at home or in classrooms:
Informational materials are available to download for free at https://www.scrubclub.org to help parents, caregivers and teachers explain the importance of hand hygiene to kids. Videos and kid-friendly activities that encourage proper handwashing techniques can also be found on the website.
For media inquiries, contact Thomas Frey, APR at media@nsf.org or call 734-214-6242.