Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes…
Arms, legs, tummy and nose…
Forehead, eyebrow, wrist and elbow…
Teaching children to identify and name their body parts can be a lot of fun. It is important that children learn to name their body parts and to identify them when asked. A child that can name their body parts can tell you where they are sore or sick “Mum I have a sore knee” “Dad my tummy feels sick” “I have a sore throat.” Remember to keep teaching body parts beyond the basics. Does your child know their eyebrow, wrist, elbow, knee, ankle, throat…?
Here are some of our favourite activities we use to teach children body parts at small talk speech therapy:
Play Mr potato head
Modelling
As you pick up each body part, say the name of the body part and place it in the correct position on Mr Potato Head and then pull it back out. Encourage the child to repeat what you did. Ensure you emphasize and repeat the name of each body part during this activity. Once the child can do this name the body part you wish your child to put onto Mr Potato head and encourage them to find it independently such as “get his nose.”
Colouring in body parts
Use your child’s favourite cartoon characters and encourage them to colour in the different parts of the body. Make sure that you emphasize each body part that is being coloured in e.g: your colouring in his legs.
Matching body parts
Use body part cards, start with photos then move to symbols, and encourage your child to match the body parts that are the same. For example “Put with same (child puts nose picture on top of nose picture) Nose.” Keep your language simple and emphasise the body part as the key word.
Identifying body parts
Use body part cards, start with photos then move to symbols, and encourage your child to point to the body part you name. Also practice this activity using the child’s own body such as “show me nose” “show me head.” Once your child has achieved this encourage them to point to body parts on others such as mum and dad and stuffed toys.
iPad apps
– Mr Potato Head
– My nose
– Parts of the body
– Bitsboard – search catalogue for body parts
– Special words
Toys with body parts
Mr Potato Head
Doctor toys
Dolls and Stuffed animals
Puzzles
Songs with body parts
Happy and you know it
The Hokey Pokey
