Here's What To Do
1
Challenge your child to a Body Word Challenge. Tell them they're going to name as many body part words as they can.
2
Ask them to point to a body part (like: ears) and say its name out loud. Count how many body parts they correctly label.
3
For bonus points, ask them to pick a few of their physical features and compare them with yours or a sibling's (like: eyes, hair, skin, feet). How are they the same, and how are they different?
Put PEER Into Action
P
Pause:
- Sing "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" to start thinking about body part names.
E
Engage:
- "You're going to show me how much you know about your body! I want you to think of as parts of your body as you know the names for. Point to the parts as you say them, and I'll keep track."
- "For bonus points, can you compare some things that are the different and same about our bodies? Can you start with your eyes?"
E
Encourage:
- "Let me remind you of something you missed. What's in the middle of your arm between your hand and shoulder?"
- "I notice one thing the same about our hair, the color. What's one thing you notice that's different about our hair?"
R
Reflect:
- Are there some body part names your child is still learning?
Not quite ready?
Name a body part for your child, and see if they can point to it on their own body or your body.
Ready for more?
Encourage children to ask questions they may have about their bodies.
As your child masters this skill...
They will know more body part vocabulary and notice similarities and differences in others' bodies.