Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Fun Freetime: Ella's Handwashing Adventure App

Having a sick child can wreak havoc on parents’ work-life balance – unexpectedly missing a day of work, negotiating which parent stays home, and dealing with the fear of lost pay are just a few ways.  Eight out of 10 parents with young children (86%) experience some level of stress when a child is sick, new research reveals. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the simple act of hand washing is the single most important means of preventing the spread of viral and bacterial infections. On Global Handwashing Day global hygiene company SCA has launched a new tablet app that teaches pre-school children the importance of proper hand washing.

The app, “Ella’s Hand Washing Adventure,” shows children how, when and why to wash their hands using a fun, storytelling approach. Parents and teachers can use the app to teach good hand hygiene practices at home and at school to reduce the spread of germs and infections.  According to a new survey of American parents also released today by SCA, 82% of parents with children aged 2-6 believe that better hand hygiene at their child’s pre-school, elementary school or day-care could reduce the occurrence of family sick days.

SCA manufactures the Tork® brand of hygiene products, including Tork Elevation hand towel dispensers which reduce waste and the risk of cross-contamination in environments such as school restrooms, cafeterias, office buildings and sports facilities.

The tablet app, “Ella’s Hand Washing Adventure,’’ is an interactive experience that combines play and learning to teach children between 2-6 years old why, when and how to wash their hands in 4 simple steps. The child moves through the app story with the main character, Ella, and her friends.
Features in the app are based on SCA’s knowledge and expertise in hand washing, and the app is fact-checked by the Department of Communicable Disease Control (SMI) in Västra Götaland, Sweden. Pre-school children’s feedback has been an important part of the development process, delivering a set-up that is intuitive and without written text, making it universally easy for young children to use. There is also hand hygiene content for teachers and parents accessible on the app’s home screen.
“Ella’s Hand Washing Adventure’’ is available on both the App Store and Google Play today.


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