Germs are tiny living things that are much too small to see with just your eyes. Some germs can make you sick with a cold, a cough, or a tummy ache. Even though you cannot see them, they are all around us every day.

Germs cannot fly on their own, so they hitch rides to get from one person to another. A sneeze or a cough shoots out tiny wet drops, and those drops carry germs into the air and onto things nearby.

Your hands are the biggest ride of all. You touch a doorknob, a pencil, or a friend's toy, and germs jump onto your fingers. Then if you rub your eyes or eat a snack, the germs get inside you.

Sharing is usually kind, but sharing a cup, a fork, or a water bottle can also share germs. That is exactly how one sick kid can turn into a whole sick class in just a few days.

The best germ-stopper is washing your hands with soap and warm water. Scrub the tops, the palms, and between your fingers while you slowly sing a short song, then rinse the germs down the drain.

You can also block germs by covering a sneeze or cough with your elbow, not your hand. Your elbow does not touch toys and snacks, so the germs stay trapped instead of hitching a new ride.