Oral Health Care in NWT

Oral Health Activities

All it takes is a little imagination to have fun while brushing.

 

When you have fun doing something, you want to do it more often. That can apply to oral health too!

Here is a list of some activities you can do to encourage everyone to spend time together and brush better. You can choose a different activity every day.

 

  • Brush-A-Long-Songs: brush together until a timer goes off or a two-minute song ends.
  • Brush Like Me: copying each other’s actions and try making silly faces.
  • Guess Who’s Brushing?: Parents and kids take turns brushing like someone (i.e., a friend, a relative, a cartoon character) with the other person trying to guess who it is.
  • The Oral Health Office: Get kids used to the idea of seeing an oral health professional. The child waits in another room. Then the parent calls them in, explains they are going to make the child's teeth sparkle. Then – depending on how old the child is – the parent brushes the child's teeth, or they brush together with the parent showing them how it's done. (Don't forget to note how great their teeth look after!)
  • The Brushing Challenge: Add a sticker on a chart for every time kids brush their teeth. Same for parents. Aim to have 14 stickers by the end of the week (2 per day).  Treat yourselves to a healthy reward or activity when you succeed!
  • After Teeth Storytime: Parents read a bedtime story only after their kids have brushed their teeth. (They could also read part while kids are brushing and finish after they are done.)
  • Just Like Brother/Sister: Get older siblings to brush with their younger sisters/brothers. Older kids are a big influence on the younger ones!
  • Take Turns: First kids brush their parents’ teeth, then the parent brushes their kids’ teeth. Everybody wins!
  • Yes or No?: Parents and kids take turns asking “yes or no” questions while they are brushing, trying to get the other person to laugh.
  • Tooth Countdown: Get kids to count each tooth as it’s brushed. Even better, countdown together!
  • Choose Your Brushtivity: Make cards with different brushing activities. Then have the child randomly pick one of the cards, and that becomes the activity for that night.
  • Your Own Thing: Parents may have their own ideas for fun brushing activities, or want to think of ideas together with their kids. That’s even better because it will be something all their own!

Resources