5 Ways to Get Kids to Wear Masks

With many schools requiring kids to wear masks, teaching kids to keep their mask on is going hand in hand with teaching ABCs and geometry. Help your child’s teacher by encouraging your kids with these easy tips!

Practice During Screen Time
We’ve hearing this tip giving by everyone from talking heads to grandmas, and we have to say, it’s genius. Promise your kid screen time if they wear their mask at home. They won’t be focused on it, and they’ll associate it with something fun. Once they’re wearing it at school, tell them they can have additional screen time for good “mask reports” from their teacher.

Find a Mask that Fits
Especially with picky toddlers, a mask that doesn’t fit well or distracts them is a mask that will be discarded at the first chance—just like a hat, gloves, or hair bow. Masks with adjustable straps or any mask that fits properly that leave no gaps are not only more comfy, but safer. Unfortunately, the only way to figure out which one will fit your child is to try them out. For a few of our favorites, click here.

Wear Your Own Mask
Leading by example is a great rule of thumb here.  Any chance you get, model good mask-wearing behavior. Younger kids will want to “be like Mommy” and older kids will understand that you take this seriously, so they should, too.

Let Them Choose Their Mask
Is your child into art? Buy masks they can decorate and make their own. Is your toddler into Paw Patrol? Your teen obsessed with Lilly Pulitzer? Just like letting them help cook their food, giving them some control of mask-wearing by letting them be part of the choice, will go a long way.

Finally, Choose a Mask that Will Serve Its Purpose
Research is showing that masks protect others around you, and may protect you—but not all masks are created equal. The CDC recently stated that masks with exhalation vents may spread the disease—so skip those. Look for cloth choices with at least 2 layers but preferably three. And while researchers are developing devices to test masks, you can simply use common sense tests such as shining light through a mask or trying to smell something with your mask on. But the most useful mask? The one your child will actually keep on…

As seen on The Local Moms Network.