Bien dice el dicho que una mano no se lava sola. It is true what is said, that one hand washes the other and now, more than ever that practice is imperative. This saying is also one that is evoked to recognize that we need each other, particularly in moments like this.

As a part of the Manitos Community Memory Project, we asked Dr. David Garcia, one of our key partners, to help us create a hand washing song for children so that we can help stop the spread of the virus.

Hand washing with soap and water is something we all must do for 20 seconds every time in order to keep from getting sick ourselves and from spreading the virus to others. It is sometimes hard to get little children to wash for 20 seconds, which can seem like a long time. If you lather up and sing this song as you scrub every part of your hands–back, front, in between fingers and under the fingernails–you will know you have washed long enough.

So sing as you wash hands with your little ones and stay safe and healthy.

The chorus goes like this:

¡Ay mi corazón

lávate las manos con jabón

lávate las manos con amor

Ay mi corazón!

It translates to this:

Oh little love of mine
Wash those hands with soap
Wash those hands with soap
Oh little love of mine

The whole song goes like this:

¡Ay mi corazón
lávate las manos con jabón
lávate las manos con amor
Ay mi corazón!

Veinte segundos mi amor
porque llenas mi vida de color

Dieciséis segunditos mi amorcito
se va nuestro tiempo rapidito

Catorce segundos más
Porque así me llenas de paz

Diez segundos cómo la vez
Y cantamos el coro otra vez

Cuatro segundos y qué gano?
Un día alegre buen y sano

Un segundito y se acaba
tus manos limpias así como el alba