Let’s Brush! A Hands-On “Learning to Clean Teeth” Activity 🪥😁

Turn tooth-brushing from a daily battle into a playful routine! Our Learning to Clean Teeth printable gives kids a friendly, visual way to practice healthy habits while building fine-motor and sequencing skills. It’s quick to prep, perfect for health/science centers, and ideal for introducing dental hygiene in preschool and kindergarten.

What’s inside

• 4 printable pages
• A big smile/teeth mat (two styles) for practice
• Cut-and-paste “food” tiles children can place on teeth to simulate plaque
• A brushing direction sheet to model top-to-bottom and circular strokes

Why it works

• Builds self-care independence (how to brush properly)
• Strengthens fine-motor control and hand–eye coordination
• Teaches sequencing (rinse → paste → brush → spit → rinse → smile!)
• Encourages healthy choices conversations (everyday foods vs. sometimes treats)

How to use (fast setup!)

1. Print on cardstock and cut the food tiles.
2. Place tiles on the tooth mat to “dirty” the teeth.
3. Hand your child a dry-erase marker or a small brush prop and brush away using the direction sheet (count slow strokes—try “2 minutes” or sing a short song).
4. Wipe clean, then sort foods into helps teeth / hurts teeth piles and talk about why.

Tip: Laminate the mat and tiles and add hook-and-loop dots for a durable, reusable hygiene center.

Extensions & classroom ideas

• Timer challenge: Use a sand timer to practice brushing for the recommended time.
• Stroke practice: Trace arrows on the direction page before brushing the mat.
• Dental diary: After the activity, children color a tooth on a weekly chart each time they brush morning & night.
• Role-play: Let learners be the “dentist” and teach a puppet how to brush.

Perfect for

• Health units, SEL/self-care lessons, and morning tubs
• Homeschool hygiene routines
• OT/speech sessions targeting sequencing and vocabulary
• Dentist-office kids’ corners or community health fairs

Make brushing time confident, calm, and actually fun.
📥 Download the Learning to Clean Teeth printable and help little smiles shine—one practice brush at a time!

DOWNLOAD HERE!