“Six-me-ludo” is a common call out in any game of Ludo. Irrespective of the age bracket one finds themselves in, there is bound to be excitement at the toss of dice with the hopes of casting six, the number at which one can officially start the game or lead the game by leaps.

Ludo as a traditional game of luck and skill in equal measure imparts valuable life lessons and insights. Despite being a simple and entertaining pastime – just like Snakes and Ladders –Lifebouy, the World’s No.1 Selling Germ Protection Soap brand, has latched on to simple board and card games as a means to encourage handwashing among school children.

Building on the momentum from last year’s Global Handwashing Day (GHD) event, which featured the “H for Handwashing” campaign and the selection of Chief Education Officers (CEOs) to foster discussions about handwashing among children and their peers at home and in school, Lifebuoy this year launched the “H for Handwashing” Games Kit.

This year, the highlight of GHD has been to add some form of entertainment to educating school children about the importance of handwashing. One may wonder about the significance of games to handwashing. Studies show that games make learning processes engaging and fun for children, thus, incorporating handwashing into games becomes an interactive activity which can help retain important handwashing principles more effectively.

The games adapted from popular board games are Handwashing Ludo, Germs and Ladders, Soap-Tac-Toe and Lose the Germs.

Lessons from the Games

Accountability: When you land on a snake in a game of Snakes and Ladders, it may be a consequence of earlier decisions. This encourages accountability and understanding that choices have consequences.

Patience: Ludo, for instance, teaches patience. As a game of chance, players have to wait for the right dice roll to make progress. This virtue of patience can be applied to various aspects of life where waiting is necessary. For example, children learn to wait to get their hands washed after any activity before touching food.

Adaptability: Ludo often involves adapting to changing circumstances such as your opponent’s moves or unfavourable dice rolls. Learning to adapt and make the best of your situation are crucial life skills. Children may learn that an approved hand sanitiser can be improvised in the interim should there be no water available.

Persistence: In the face of setbacks, Snake and Ladders teach the value of persistence. Children keep rolling the dice and moving away from the snakes, as they would from germs that come from unwashed hands.

Lifebuoy is positive that using these games in the “H for Handwashing Games Kit” will not only instil these virtues in the children but also establish handwashing habits while tooling them with the skills necessary to navigate life. By distributing these kits to schools across the nation, and encouraged by teachers and parents, children will learn the message of handwashing while having fun.