Nose Blowing - Round Rock,TX

Hi A.! Seems like such a simple concept, yet SOOO hard to teach!! I taught my 2 year old to 'huff and puff' through her nose. Which is really just fast breathing in and out. Once she got used to the concept of pushing air out through the nose (at a less than stuffy time), it was easy for her to understand how to blow into a tissue. I would have her practice huffing & puffing first, and then tell her to puff REALLY hard to get all that gunk out. She loved copying me doing the huffing & puffing. Hope that helps!

Hi A. - We tought our now 16 mo old daughter to blow her nose before she was one. It's a technique called "monkey face", where we scrunch up our face and breath in and out sort of fast.. they think it's funny and will start to imitate. Then, you bring a Kleenex to their nose and tell them "monkey face" and they'll slowly learn to blow. Hope this helps!

Mine were blowing their nose at 2. Just for experimental purposes....have them close their mouth and make gentle air come out of their nose! WOW!! You, mom, do the same and let them feel air come out of their nose....WOW!! Then when it comes time to really blow their nose into a tissue, have them do the same thing, but harder. It works!

I taught both my girls how to blow their nose at around 16 months of age. I would have them watch me blow air out of my nose (with a clear, mucus free nose, that is :) )and they caught on. Once they saw me do it, they just mocked me. I would then hold the tissue over there nose and we'd get it done. Once my oldest daughter was about 3, when she wanted to blow her nose all by herself, I would tell her "pinch and squeeze" after the blew into the tissue, otherwise she would just end up balling up the tissue and moving it all around her nose. The pinch and squeeze told her exactly how to go about what to do after she blew into her tissue. Hope this helps!

I had my kids imitate animal noises...elephants, etc. Then they got the idea of how to blow through their noses.

This is how we present nose-blowing to kids in our toddler classroom:
The environment is prepared for their success ahead of time. We cut tissues in 1/2 , to fit their smaller bodies and waste less, and fold them in 1/2 once more. Then stack them in a small basket in a couple places around the home where the child has access to them.

Give a lesson to the child. "Lets go look in the mirror. I see mucous. This is how to clean your nose." You demonstrate by choosing one tissue, holding it over the bridge of your nose, fingers pulling down with the tissue. Fold the dirty part in, and wipe again. Throw soiled tissue in trash, and wash hands. I've seen 20 month-olds enjoy doing this for themselves with success.

When your child has clear sinuses, demonstrate blowing. Place a leaf or feather in your open hand. Show how You can blow air out from your lungs thru your mouth (moving the feather) or thru your nostrils. Another time, practice with a tissue in front of the nose.
Explain "We clear the mucus from your nose by pressing on one nostril and blowing air out the other. Look, mucous!"

Practice blowing air out your noses together. Make sure she closes her mouth and can blow out her nose. Then tell her to cover one of her nostrils with her finger then blow and practice that a few times. Then cover one nostril with kleenex and tell her to blow. Cover the other nostril and tell her to blow, then wipe both sides. Then remind her to wash her hands!

The way that I taught my kids to blow their noses was to have them take a deep breath and close their mouth and blow the air out through their nose. The key is having them close their mouth tight!

hi
blow ur nose to her tell her blow and show her how to do so with kleenex and wipe ur nose. get her to do the same thing

WOW! What a great questions & great responses too! I'm going through the same thing with my 3.5 yo, and also thought maybe he's a bit young to understand the concept, so you're not alone. =o)

Try the copy cat method. Have her put a tissue to your nose...you blow--over do it, mabye make a funny noise too. By her holding the tissue, she can feel you blowing out and seeing the results.
Then say, its your turn...you do it.
I'm finding out making a 'game' out of things make it a little easier.

Good Luck.

My 2 year old just started this trick on her own - blow out a candle WITH YOUR NOSE!
Of course you have to start this "training" when they don't have sniffles. And be very careful with a candle close to the face. But, if she's any good at blowing her birthday candles out, she can master the nose-blowing easily. Then, just tell her to "Blow into the tissue" like she's blowing out the candles.

Some kids do have sensitive noses (my husband and oldest daughter) and blowing their nose is harder because it hurts or tickles or just "feels funny" to them. It may takes years to master it. Keep trying!

tell to "blow candels out" with her nose. My 18 month old can do it and my 3.5 year old has been doing it for over a year.

My 3-yr old shows me how much "power" she has in her nose and thinks it's really funny. and we always act amazed at what is in the kleenex after she shows us her "power". the blowing out the candle idea is great, too.