Getting a kid to brush their teeth can sometimes feel like negotiating a hostage situation. You’ve got the toothpaste, the brush, and the determination, and they’ve got the clenched jaw, the running shoes, and the dramatic flair of an Oscar-winning actor.
I’ve been there. My youngest once tried to convince me that his teeth “needed a rest day.” A rest day! As if plaque takes weekends off. :/
But here’s the thing I learned after many a bathroom battle: you can’t force it. You have to outsmart them. You have to make it fun. So, I put on my thinking cap, tested a bunch of stuff (some worked, some were epic fails), and came up with a list of genuinely engaging brush your teeth activities for kids. These aren’t just chores anymore; they’re games.
Ready to turn that daily struggle into a dance party? Let’s get into it.
1. The “Toothbrush Time” Playlist
Music is a universal mood-changer, right? I started playing a specific song every time we brushed, and it worked like a charm.
- How it works: Pick a song that’s exactly two minutes long—the recommended brushing time. We use “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” by Justin Timberlake in our house.
- Why it’s genius: It gives kids a clear endpoint. They know they only have to brush for one song. It gamifies the duration and makes the time fly by.
- Pro-Tip: Let your kid pick the song. It gives them a sense of control. We have a family “Brushing Playlist” on Spotify that we update together.
2. The Plaque Attack: An Egg-cellent Experiment
This one is less of a game and more of a science lesson, but my kids were absolutely fascinated. It’s a visual they won’t forget.
You need a hard-boiled egg (this represents a tooth), a glass of dark soda, and a toothbrush with toothpaste.
- Place the egg in the soda overnight.
- The next morning, pull it out. It will be stained brown. “Eww, it’s got plaque!” my son yelled.
- Hand them the toothbrush and let them scrub the stain off.
Seeing the stain disappear right in front of them drives the point home way better than me nagging about cavities. It’s hands-on, it’s messy, and it’s effective.
3. Sticker Charts with a Twist
We’ve all done sticker charts. But a plain old chart is boring. We had to jazz it up.
- The Setup: I drew a big set of teeth on a piece of poster board.
- The Game: Every time my daughter brushed her teeth without a meltdown, she got to put a sparkly sticker on one of the drawn teeth.
- The Reward: Once all the teeth were covered in stickers, we had a special movie night.
It’s a visual representation of their success. They can literally see their smile getting “healthier” with each sticker. It’s simple, but it works.
4. The “Monster Mouth” Game
This is my favorite because it’s completely silly and requires zero prep.
I pretend my fingers are “cavity monsters” trying to get into their mouth. Their job? To use their toothbrush as a weapon to fight me off!
- How to play: I wiggle my fingers near their face, and they have to brush my fingers away. To “win,” they have to brush all over—front, back, and tops—to get the monsters. I move my fingers around so they have to reach every tooth.
- Why it works: It turns them from the passive subject into the active hero. They’re in control, and they’re fighting the bad guys. It gets them brushing everywhere without even thinking about it.
5. Read (and Watch) All About It
Sometimes, hearing it from a beloved character is worth more than a thousand words from mom or dad. There are some fantastic books and shows that tackle this topic brilliantly.
- Books to check out:
- Brush, Brush, Brush! by Alicia Padron (great for toddlers)
- The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist by Stan and Jan Berenstain (a classic for a reason)
- Shows/Episodes:
- Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood has a great song: “Brush your teeth to the front and back, brush them up and down!”
- Sesame Street has countless sketches about dental health.
Using media reinforces the message in a fun, non-preaching way. My son still hums the Daniel Tiger song while he brushes. I call that a win.
6. Make It a Family Affair
Kids are little mimics. If they see you dreading it or rushing through it, they will too. But if they see you having fun? Game changer.
We turned our bathroom into “Brushing Central.” We all brush our teeth together as a family. We make funny faces in the mirror, we try to hum our brushing song while our mouths are full of foam (it’s hilarious), and we compare who has the frothiest mouth.
It normalizes the routine. It’s not a kid-thing; it’s a people-thing. Plus, it ensures you’re getting your two minutes in, too! Win-win.
7. The Glitter Germs Lesson
This is a fantastic activity to teach why we need to brush. It’s a little messy, but the visual is powerful.
- Put a small amount of lotion on your child’s hands.
- Sprinkle a little bit of glitter on top. The glitter is the “germs.”
- Have them try to wash the glitter off with just water. It won’t all come off.
- Now, have them use soap (our “toothpaste”) and scrub.
They will see how the soap grabs the glitter and washes it away. It perfectly illustrates how brushing with toothpaste removes the sticky plaque that water alone can’t handle. FYI, you’ll be finding glitter in your bathroom for a week, but it’s totally worth it. 😀
8. App-solutely Helpful Technology
I know, I know. Screen time. But hear me out! Using a well-designed app for two minutes a day is a tool, not just time-wasting. There are some great brushing apps that use augmented reality or timers to make brushing fun.
- Disney MagicTimer by Oral-B: This app uses augmented reality. A character like Captain America or Elsa appears on the screen and guides them through the brushing, making sure they hit all the spots.
- Pokémon Smile: This free app turns brushing into a game where you have to brush to rescue Pokémon from cavities.
IMO, these apps are worth their weight in gold. They take the nagging completely out of it. The app tells them what to do, and I’m just there to supervise.
9. Create a “Brushing Routine” Chart (with Pictures!)
For younger kids who can’t read yet, a visual chart is a lifesaver. It’s not about rewards, but about process.
Take pictures of the steps:
- Picture of the toothbrush and toothpaste.
- Picture of you putting toothpaste on the brush.
- Picture of brushing the top teeth.
- Picture of brushing the bottom teeth.
- Picture of spitting.
- Picture of a big, clean smile!
Laminate it and put it on the bathroom mirror. It gives them independence. They can follow the pictures themselves, which builds confidence and makes them feel like a big kid. “I can do it myself, see?”
10. Let Them Pick Their Gear
Never underestimate the power of a good marketing gimmick. If my daughter gets to pick a toothbrush with a unicorn on it and toothpaste that’s bright purple and sparkly, she’s 50% more likely to use it without complaint.
- Toothbrushes: Let them choose. Character brushes, light-up brushes, ones that play music—the crazier, the better.
- Toothpaste: Let them pick the flavor. There are so many options now—strawberry, bubblegum, even watermelon. As long as it has fluoride, who cares if it’s not “minty fresh adult flavor”?
Giving them ownership over the tools makes them more invested in the process. It’s their cool toothbrush, not just some boring thing you handed them.
So, What’s the Magic Bullet?
Honestly? There isn’t one. What works for my crazy kids might not work for yours. The real secret is to be flexible and willing to try different things. Some days we need the high-energy Monster Mouth game, and other days we need the calm, guided structure of a Disney timer app.
The goal is to make it a positive part of their day, not a power struggle. It’s about building a habit that will stick with them for life, one silly song or glitter germ at a time.
Now, I’d love to hear from you! What crazy tricks have you pulled out of your hat to get your little ones to brush? Any epic fails we can all learn from? Drop your stories in the comments below—I promise my toothbrush is ready to fight off any monster stories you throw my way!
