Hygiene Day!

Yesterday was Hygiene Day at the Kadima Centre. Once per week we have the opportunity to plan and facilitate a fun, educational program for the whole Centre. Yesterday, we decided to focus on every-day personal health. Topics included: hand washing, dental hygiene, deodourant, and shaving.

The children were divided into three teams, and had to complete certain tasks in order to acquire pieces to a puzzle. At the dental hygiene station, the kids learned about proper flossing. To reinforce new knowledge, the kids were challenged to push a ping-pong ball down the length of the room using only their breath.

Next, the kids reviewed proper hand washing techniques. To show that they understood, teams had to race to wash mud from their hands. On a hot Bat Yam afternoon, the cool water was welcomed by all.

By far the funniest part of the day was the shaving station. While none of the kids actually needed to know how to shave, we thought it would be fun to get creative with shaving cream in the court yard at the Centre. Hilarity ensued. Many laughs were shared as kids and staff were covered in foam. After cleaning up, everyone returned inside to complete a hygiene puzzle, and to answer trivia questions, to try to win toothbrush prizes.

It's hard to believe that we only have one week left at the Kadima Centre. In a short time, a connection has been built here between the children, staff and Canadian volunteers that I know will be remembered for many years to come. As we begin to reflect upon our volunteering in Bat Yam, it is important for us to think about the ways in which we can bring our experiences back to Canada. Throughout our discussions in the coming days, we will bew sure to inform you, our loyal readers, of our developing ideas.