5 ways to teach body parts to preschoolers

A few months after your baby is born, they start discovering their hands, fingers, legs, and toes and realize that they can move them in different directions, and as they grow, they would need to learn about their body parts not just for language development but also to use it in conversation when needed, like if your baby's stomach aches, they can tell you that their tummy hurts.

There's no rule about what age parents should start teaching their kids about body parts, but it's always better to start telling them from a young age. Parents are always finding ways to introduce body parts to preschoolers, so here we bring five fun ways you can teach your kid about their body.

How to teach body parts to preschoolers

Use playdough

You can make a little playdough human with different colors to show different body parts to preschoolers, like red for the eyes, a small blue dot for the nose, and orange for the ears. The playdough figurine will be very colorful, but it could help your child learn about different body parts.

Refer to animals

Your child's favorite soft toy could become an excellent educational medium. Tell your child about the toy's nose, eyes, hands, and legs, and ask them questions like "where's Mr. Bear's eyes?" or "where is Mr. Bear's nose?".

Sing songs

Children's rhymes and songs are great for you to teach your children about different body parts, like Head Shoulders Knees, And Toes, Hokey Cokey, If You're Happy and You Know It, or One Little Finger. 

Use bedtime stories

Books for children are a boon because they can help us teach our kids so much. You could read your child's favorite books while pointing out the different parts of the characters' bodies. "

Play games

Playing games like Simon says or sticking a sticker on an image of a human body can be fun for children. While playing Simon says, simple phrases like, "Simon says, touch your nose" could help reaffirm your child's vocabulary and knowledge about body parts while still keeping things fun.

As your child grows, you can talk to them about their private parts.

You don't have to go into details like the difference between genitals of each gender, but as your child speaks words more clearly, you can have a conversation with them as they need to be educated about it. If you get embarrassed while mentioning the name of any body part, your child will take that into perception and develop a similar attitude. The more comfortable you are with an open conversation, the more your child will be able to talk to you about different things.

The above ways are some of the easy, fun ways you can teach your child about their body. Make sure you keep it fun because preschoolers tend to get distracted very easily and might not even be interested in repeating what you're saying. So, don't pressure them or get frustrated when you teach them about their body. They still have plenty of time to learn it.

Also, repetition is necessary. Be it singing Head Shoulders Knees And Toes every day or reading your children books, constantly talking to them about different body parts will make them remember it better. Ensure that you point to specific body parts each time you teach your child.

Head on over to byjuslearning.com to learn more about our Active Learning approach to Math, Language, and Reading for children between Pre-K and Grade 3.  

Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is NOT medical advice and is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, provide medical or behavioral advice, treat, prevent, or cure any disease, condition, or behavior. You should consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding your child’s development to make a medical diagnosis, determine a treatment for a medical condition, or obtain other related advice.