Montessori-aligned Teeth Brushing Tips for Young Children

This week, we had a wonderful visit from Masters Dental Clinic, Abu Dhabi. They ran a parent workshop and children's workshop to teach the importance of good oral hygiene and preventative strategies to apply at home. As part of the Montessori curriculum, we encourage teeth brushing in the school day. Here are some tips on teeth brushing activities at home:

• Allow your child to pick out their own toothbrush & toothpaste. This serves two purposes – to give them some power in the situation and to get them excited about brushing their teeth.

• Let your toddler take a turn first - children love to do things themselves, but teeth brushing isn't something that should be left up to a child until at least 6 years old.

• Give a Montessori Practical Life Brushing Teeth Presentation - invest in a tray of learning materials as below and give a demonstration on how to brush teeth correctly.

• Have your child watch you brush your teeth - It's important to allow our children to witness us perform self-care tasks as we are their role models.

• Set up a self-care station in the bathroom as below. Having child-size spaces and small furniture helps children feel important and capable.

• Teeth brushing songs - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCio_xVlgQ0 (listen to the song only).