SINGAPORE - How to wash their hands properly, thanking toilet cleaning attendants and even the different names for toilets. These are some of the things children in pre-school will learn from a new booklet launched on Thursday (Aug 23) by the Restroom Association (Singapore), or RAS, in conjunction with its 20th anniversary.
The booklet is aimed at children at the nursery and kindergarten levels and includes games and activities such as word puzzles and mazes that teach good toilet habits.
Accompanying the booklet is a guidebook for teachers and parents, which includes resources for projects and activities on hand washing and keeping toilets clean.
Both were developed by the RAS and Viso, a company which distributes hand dryers here.
"When they are young, that's the best time to inculcate (good toilet habits)," said RAS president Tan Puay Hoon.
A non-profit organisation started in 1998, the RAS aims to build "excellent restroom culture".
The association became involved with pre-schools in 2015, when it started the Happy Toilets @ Pre-schools Programme.
The programme is a form of accreditation aimed at ensuring pre-school toilets meet cleanliness standards and pre-schoolers adopt good toilet hygiene habits.
The programme has helped more than 100 pre-schools since it was launched.
Last month, the RAS also launched training workshops for teachers from about 10 pre-schools, as part of a programme with the Early Childhood Development Agency.
The association hopes to conduct such workshops for at least 15 more pre-schools next year.
The booklet and guidebook were launched at an event at Cherie Hearts @ Charlton, a pre-school in Charlton Lane.
Ms Janna Guo said her five-year-old son Caius Koh, who attends Cherie Hearts @ Charlton, is now observant of toilet hygiene and follows the hand-washing technique step by step every day.
"He will say things like, mummy, you know when you go to the toilet, you need to wash your hands and keep the toilet clean," she said.
Attending the launch event was Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Social and Family Development.
