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Basic procedures for training young children to wear masks
1. Demonstrate to your child how to wear a mask
2. Demonstrate to your child how to wear a mask
3. Keep the mask on your face for 2 seconds. (You can count down with your child/use a timer). If they resist, try again and count down with them.
4. Take off the mask and reward the child with toys or food.
*When the child does not take off the mask within the specified time, he/she can get a reward. Otherwise, repeat steps 2 and 3.
**When they do something inappropriate with the mask (such as pulling the mask/licking the mask with their tongue), they should not be rewarded.
5. Practice again and try to gradually increase the time of wearing the mask.
Next time it may be 5 seconds. Then try 10 seconds… 60 seconds.. or complete a task (such as puzzle) before taking off the mask.
Slowly build up the degree to which the child adapts to the mask and can go out.
Use your imagination (e.g. by pretending to be a superhero or playing the nose-covering game) to make wearing a mask fun for your child!
