As a mom (and teacher), I strive everyday to engage, nurture, and expand the mind of my little one. Here you will find the books, music, and activities most useful to me in my endeavors.
As far as I am concerned, you get major bang for your learning buck when you incorporate games and movement ... these options should do the trick!
BodyRace
Tell your toddler to race as fast as she can toward you. When she gets to you, say, "Touch my knee!" She has to touch the right body part to get a sticker, then run back to home base. Continue the race until she's correctly named all the body parts or she's so tired, she needs a rest.
Roll With It, Body!
Find a large cube and paste pictures of different body parts on it. Let the children take turns rolling the 'dice' and then chant ... When Benjamin rolls the dice, We touch our (Body Part) ...
Musical Body Parts
Here is a fun version of musical chairs that is great for movement and learning body parts. Make sure each child has a defined "spot" (carpet square, scarf spread out; I used placemats). These spots should be randomly placed around the room. The more room you have the better! Each child begins by standing on a spot and moves as you direct when the music begins. You might say, "crawl" and everybody crawls around the room. When the music stops each child will begin to return to their spot. As they reach their spot you will yell out a body part, for example, "elbow", and the children will touch their elbow to their spot. Begin the music again with a new movement and a new body part to stop with. A little chaotic but very fun :)
I did a lot of hunting around for good, age-appropriate books about Parts of the Body. The first three books I was able to check out from the library this week, and I would recommend all three of them. The others I found on Amazon, and I will consider order them because the content and illustrations seems to fit what I am looking for. (The notes on each book are from Amazon Product Descriptions because I am short on time for this post - sorry about that.)
Baby Einstein: Baby daVinci, My Body
Simple rhyme and engaging illustrations help babies and toddlers learn about their bodies. From head to toe, young children will enjoy following Baby daVinci as he identifies the parts of his body and what each one does.
Here Are My Hands by Bill Martin Jr.
A surprising celebration of physiological parts and their uses that includes: "Here are my hands for catching and throwing. Here are my feet for stopping and going. . . . Here is my elbow, my arm, and my chin. And here is my skin that bundles me in." Rand's pictures spill off the page as different children enact the very funny, very pure chant. It's repeatable, rereadable and particularly adept at showing some of the various activities associated with the assorted limbs. Simply told, these short phrases say more with less.
Eyes, Nose, Fingers, and Toes: A First Book All About You by Judy Hindley
There are millions of ways to use a body. Take legs and feet, for example. "Legs are for leaping and jumping and dancing. Legs are for kicking and skipping and hopping. Feet are for STOMPING and suddenly--STOPPING!" This playful celebration of legs and bellies and noses and necks is for those new to these parts, but grownups can always use a reminder of what the old bod can still do. A parade of multi-ethnic toddlers delights in winking eyes, stretching backs, and hugging arms. Brita Granstrom's crayon and watercolor characters romp on backgrounds that look like the kids themselves drew them, complete with flowers and shining suns.
Some Parts are Not for Sharing by Julie K. Federico
Travel with a pair of friendly fish as they learn about what parts of our bodies we share with others. Children will learn what the boundaries of appropriate touching are in a very non-threatening way. School Counselor Julie Federico begins the imperative conversation of personal boundaries in Some Parts are not for Sharing. Children will enjoy learning about their bodies as they get some important information from a pair of fish. Parents will marvel at the simple straightforward language and use of sea creatures that create this message all children must hear.
My First Body Board Book by DK Publishing
In DorlingKindersley's tested and true style, babies learn to identify parts of the body including the nose, elbow, toes, back, ear, and hair. They also learn what these wonderful body parts can do: sit, play, crawl, make a face, and dance. The five senses are covered ("feel some soft sand"), as well as counting 1 to 5 and 10. Many cute babies and toddlers model their new skills in DK's crisp, fun photos set against a white background.
Learn-a-Word: Bodies by Nicola Tuxworth
Bodies are fascinating to babies and toddlers as they gradually learn what each part is called, how it works and what it can help them do.
Just throwing out a quick post before running to Costco ... oh, how I love going to Costco with a toddler in tow!
I searched high and low for interactive websites for toddlers that reinforce or provide practice with Parts of the Body. I didn't find a lot of options, but the one site I did find, I really like. While my toddler is no where near ready to mouse around a website, this is an activity we did together - she pointed and I moused.
Features I love:
Starfall is a website that makes learning to read fun - how can you beat that?
The visual image of the girl/boy is very clear and cute.
The auditory feedback is really great. Natalie enjoyed the tune so much she danced right along.
As a teacher, I really appreciate the visual cubes meant for each word/letter.
I like having the opportunity to share a computer-based activity with my toddler :)
Teaching your toddler about the parts of the body probably started before he could even walk - with words like nose, eyes, hair, ears, and tummy. With each passing month, you've added more parts to learn, and depending on age, perhaps your toddler has progressed from pointing to naming those parts. During Parts of the Body Week, take a few minutes to assess your child's body part knowledge, and then try some of these activities to reinforce and progress his learning.
DAILY INTERACTIONS:
Reference your own body parts as well as your toddlers. It's important to make the connection that we all have the same body parts ... with a few exceptions, obviously ;)
Point to body parts on the characters in a book, pictures in magazines, stuffed animals and baby dolls.
Talk about body parts while dressing your toddler - the shirt goes over your head, put your arms through the sleeves, both legs go in your pants, shoes are for your hands. It's also great to make mistakes to see if your toddler can correct you. For example, try putting pants on his head. Of course, my daughter would just call it a hat and prance around happily :)
Bath time is another really obvious and effective time to help your toddler learn his body parts. Of course, it's up to you whether or not you want to include "private" body parts and what you'll call those parts. I wrote about this predicament here and here.
VERBAL / KINESTHETIC ACTIVITIES: 1. Body Part Riddles: A fun way to promote listening skills, problem-solving, and vocabulary! Simply ask your toddler ... Which body parts do we use ...
to crawl? Show me.
to hop? Show me.
to sing? Let me hear.
to eat? Show me.
to hug? Give me one!
to hold a crayon?
to listen?
Your toddler may even be able to take a turn and make up his/her own riddle!
2. Mirror Touches: Call out different parts of the body. You touch that part of your toddler while he touches that part of you. Let your child take a turn calling out the next body part.
VISUAL ACTIVITIES (aka on paper)
1. Life-size Body Drawing:Left-over wrapping paper works great for this one. Just roll it out and have your toddler lay down on the paper while you trace around her body to make an outline. Work together to color the outline and name body parts as you go, "Look, I colored your hand blue. Can you color your other hand green?" This also works great with stickers, "Put this sticker where your belly button would be." As a nod toward literacy, you could also label the various parts; your toddler with hear the word, say the word, see the word - all in one activity! 2. Mini-Me:You can do the life-size body drawing on a totally different scale. Just use a piece of paper to cut out the outline of a body, like a step-up from a stick figure :) Something like this:
Which activity(ies) do you think you'll try during Parts of the Body Week? Please come back and let me know of your successes and/or silly stories :)
Learning the parts of the body starts at a pretty early age. I remember marveling when NHV could point to her cute little nose or lift her shirt to find her belly button. I read somewhere that a two-year old may be able to point to about ten different body parts and perhaps name many of them.
Through the toddler years, it is important to continue to build upon that knowledge. Learning the Parts of the Body increases vocabulary as well as self-awareness. "As an infant moves into toddlerhood, he works on figuring out who he is in relation to the outside world, and his body is his point of reference."
With all that said, let's get to the SONGS!
So there are the basics:
Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes - personally, I can't do another rendition of this song. I am so over it. But it is effective.
If You're Happy and You Know It - definitely an old standard with tons of possibility. Go (way) beyond "Clap your hands" and "Stomp your feet" - you can customize this song in an endless number of ways: tap your knees, rub your tummy, touch your head, honk your nose, wiggle your fingers. And if you really want to shake things up, use an appropriate adjective other than "happy." For example, if you're hungry and you know it, rub your tummy ... you get the idea :)
On the other end of the spectrum, here are some funky options from Sesame Street: We have a few "old-school" Sesame Street DVDs; they were gifts from my SIL. One of them is called What Makes Music, and a scene includes a bunch of kids dancing around and singing, "The Body Dance." I was able to track it down on YouTube, but the quality is awful. Unfortunately, I can't find just an audio version. But I will tell you that Natalie loves this song. She dances all around and can even sing some of the lyrics. Finding this video on YouTube led me to another, so I included it, too. You are forewarned, they are a little funky fresh - very Fresh Prince back in the day!
And finally, somewhere in the middle, these are songs that are sung and used in preschools. I did a lot of searching online, and these were the only two that I could really see myself using with my toddler.
Song 1: Everybody Knows
Everybody knows I love my toes Everybody knows I love my toes I love my nails, my knees My neck and my nose But everybody knows I love my toes!
Everybody knows I love my eyes Everybody knows I love my thighs I love my legs, my lips My neck and my nose But everybody knows I love my toes!
Everybody knows I love my feet Everybody knows I love my seat I love my skin, my chin My knees and my nose But everybody knows I love my toes!
Everybody knows I love my toes Everybody knows I love my toes I love my nails, my knees My neck and my nose But everybody knows I love my toes!
Song 2: Parts that Bend Sung to: "B-I-N-G-O"
My arms have parts that bend and move Every time I use them. Shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. Shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. Shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. And this is how I move them!
My legs have parts that bend and move Every time I use them. Knee, ankle, heel and foot Knee, ankle, heel and foot Knee, ankle, heel and foot And this is how I move them!
My trunk has parts that bend and move Every time I use them. Neck, back, waist and hips Neck, back, waist and hips Neck, back, waist and hips And this is how I move them!
I'm made of parts that bend and move Every time I use them. Shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand.. Knee, ankle, heel and foot. Neck, back, waist and hips And this is how I move them!
