For most of us, needing to blow your nose feels like second nature. But, for young children who don’t yet have years of cold seasons and high pollen count days under their belt, it may be a challenging learning curve.
Teaching your child to blow their nose is a lesson in hygiene and etiquette. Children as young as two years old can start to learn this skill by imitating their parents and older siblings. The easiest way to teach your child to blow their nose is to teach it in its two component parts, with lots of praise. Making the new skill fun, rather than a chore, will help both parent and child to stick with it.
However, you shouldn’t wait until he gets a cold to help him master the skill of blowing his nose. A kid as young as 2 can learn how. Your child is probably already pretty good at blowing air out of his mouth (thanks, bubble wands and birthday candles!), and he can use the same concept to clear his nostrils.
Start trying to explain exactly how this task is executed, and you’ll quickly find yourself overly frustrated and dealing with a distracted and cranky child that never wants a tissue near his or her nose again.
Rather than creating an uphill battle for yourself, in this article we share a list of tried-and-true tips from parenting veterans that you can use to teach your child how to blow their nose.
Teach your child the concept of blowing air intentionally. Blowing air, whether through the mouth or the nose, is a learned skill. Unlike breathing regularly, blowing involves intention. If your child likes to imitate your actions, start by encouraging imitation when they are well. You should do the action first, and your child can imitate what you do.
Practice first by blowing with the mouth. Blowing bubbles, using a soapy bubble mixture and a plastic bubble wand, is a very satisfying way to learn to control breath by blowing.
Teach your child how to blow air out of their nose. Have them put their hand below your nostrils so they can feel the air as you blow. Show them how you can cover one nostril, then the other, to blow through each nostril individually.
When you're first teaching your child to blow through their nose, remind them to keep their mouth closed. It can help to cover one nostril, then the other, to reinforce the feeling of air blowing through the nose. This will be easier to do when he's well, both because they will likely feel better and be more interested in learning new things, and because they will have more of a sense of air moving through the nostrils.
Ditch the tissue. It’s best to take teaching nose blowing in phases. Rather than overwhelming your child with a tissue in his face, capitalize on other opportunities to familiarize your child with blowing air through the nose. Make it a game by seeing who can blow a feather across the table fastest – using only your nose.
Take advantage of bath time. Bath time is a prime time to introduce your children to the idea of what it feels like to blow air through their nose and how to do it on demand. Have your child put his nose just below the surface of the water and blow bubbles using only the nose. Always ensure appropriate supervision at bath time.
Use a mirror. While you might know that blowing your nose causes something to happen, it can be a hard concept for children to grasp. They may not know that a sneeze makes it easier for them to breathe and that something comes out of their nose when it’s blown.
The Blow (Nose) Far Race. Another technique for teaching your little one how to blow out through their nose with force, the blow far race is just as it sounds. Place a cotton ball, a tissue or a feather on a flat surface and instruct your child use their nasal blowing strength to move it along the surface as quickly as possible.
To up the stakes and gamify the race further, you may like to participate yourself, or recruit the help of a sibling. Other Helpful Nose Blowing Tips to Keep in Mind
Is your little one still struggling to blow their nose? You may find the following tips helpful:
Teach Them Early
Rather than wait until your child comes down with a cold, be proactive and teach them how to blow their nose while their nasal passages are clear. Generally, children as young as two can begin to learn the motion. By breaking down the act of blowing their nose so that they understand each component, you may help to provide clarity on how to correctly (and hygienically) clear out any excess mucous.
Demonstrate The Skill Yourself
Like many other things they see during the day, your child likely enjoys mimicking your behaviour every now and then. So, why not demonstrate to them how to blow your nose? When doing it, make a point of explaining how and why you’re performing the motion and how it can be very simple with some practice.
Be Prepared
You never know when a rogue sneeze will catch your child off guard, so teach your little one to always have a tissue in their pocket or backpack to help them deal with pesky sniffles.
Then, if they feel the need to blow their nose, they’re already equipped with the tools they need.
Top tip: Remember to teach your child to dispose of their tissues after use and to remove unused tissues from pockets – nobody likes unwanted paper snow in the washing machine!
Ensuring your little one can blow their nose confidently and hygienically is an important part of teaching them healthy hygiene habits.
While it may be difficult for your child to grasp the concept, with patience and perseverance, they’ll be reaching for the tissues on their own in no time.
Have your child stand in front of the mirror the next time she has a stuffy nose, and although it may be gross, have her blow until she can see the mucus coming out.
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