In "why didn't they think of this sooner?!" news, PinkFong has released a coronavirus-ready rendition of its hit song "Baby Shark" titled, simply, "Wash Your Hands."
Before you roll your eyes, please, give it a listen. Like many parents, I've had more than my fill of the Baby Shark craze, but I couldn't have been more excited by this new jingle. My 3-year-old daughter is still averse to washing her hands, and I've tried every trick to get her to do it without complaint. Singing "Happy Birthday" worked here and there, doing a handwashing dance routine was exhausting, and even bribes — a thing I swore I'd never do — got less enticing to her. But Baby Shark? Oh, that animated ocean dweller's got a 100-percent success rate with my kiddo.
The step-by-step lyrics are simple and get the job done: a little "grab some soap, doo doo doo doo doo" followed by "rub your hands, doo doo doo doo doo" before a bit of "rinse your hands, doo doo doo doo doo." And, just when you thought the cheeky sharks were done, they offer up a few other helpful tips to stay healthy these days, like "cover your sneeze, doo doo doo doo doo" and the more-rushed-but-equally-effective "cough into your elbow, doo doo doo doo doo."
The video — which simultaneously shows clips of real-time human handwashing! — already has more than 1.2 million views and encourages fans to join the #BabySharkHAndWashChallenge. OK, even I might not go that far. But you can bet that in the weeks ahead, we'll be singing a lot more "Baby Shark" around the sink.