Body Awareness Worksheet: What Is My Body Telling Me?

Helping children notice signals from their bodies can support greater body awareness, self-regulation, and independence. This free body awareness worksheet gives children a simple visual way to identify what they may be noticing in their bodies and think about what those signals could mean.

The What Is My Body Telling Me? printable includes common body clues such as hunger, thirst, tiredness, feeling too hot or cold, needing movement, needing quiet, feeling wiggly, and more. You can download the free printable at the bottom of this post.

What Is a Body Awareness Worksheet?

A body awareness worksheet can help children slow down and notice physical sensations that they may otherwise overlook. Our bodies are constantly giving us information. A child might notice a dry mouth, tired eyes, a funny feeling in the stomach, tense muscles, or a need to move. Learning to recognize these signals can help children begin making connections between what they feel and what they may need. This type of body awareness is closely related to interoception, which involves noticing signals that come from inside the body. You can learn more with this Interoception Worksheet.

What Body Clues Are Included?

The printable uses simple pictures and short phrases so children can quickly recognize different types of body signals. The variety of choices can help children understand that body awareness involves much more than recognizing hunger or thirst. Examples include:

• Hungry
• Thirsty
• Need to go to the bathroom
• Sleepy
• Too hot
• Too cold
• Tummy feels funny
• Heart beating fast
• Need to move
• Calm and relaxed
• Need a break
• Need quiet
• Need a hug
• Need to stretch
• Hands need to fidget
• Feeling wiggly
• My body feels tight
• Need a deep breath
• My head hurts
• My eyes feel tired

How to Use the Body Awareness Worksheet

The directions are simple: Our bodies give us clues about what we need. Color in what you notice in your body. Children can look at each picture and color the body clues that match what they notice. There are no right or wrong answers. The goal is to help children become curious about their own body signals. You could also use the worksheet to:

• Start a conversation about how the body feels right now.
• Compare body clues at different times of the day.
• Talk about which clues happen before, during, or after certain activities.
• Help children practice putting body sensations into words.
• Discuss what might help after a body signal is noticed.

Body Awareness Activities for Kids

Body awareness develops through experience. Movement, observation, discussion, and practice can all give children opportunities to notice how their bodies feel. For more ideas, check out these Body Awareness Activities. You can also try these Interoception Activities for additional ways to help children notice and explore internal body signals.

Connecting Body Awareness and Interoception

Interoception helps us notice sensations coming from inside the body. These sensations may include hunger, thirst, temperature, fatigue, heart rate, breathing, muscle tension, or the need to use the bathroom. Children do not automatically know what every body signal means. They may need repeated opportunities to notice a sensation, describe it, and begin connecting it with what their body may need. Read more about Interoception Awareness and Understanding Body Language to Support Self-Regulation.

Use Music to Reinforce Body Awareness

Music and movement can be another simple way to introduce body-awareness concepts. The Inside My Body Interoception Song encourages children to think about the signals they notice inside their bodies.

Try using the song before completing the body awareness worksheet. Children can move and listen first, then look at the printable and identify the signals they notice.

More Interoception Resources

If you are looking for additional information and activities, the Interoception Guide provides more resources for helping children recognize and understand body signals. These activities can be used by teachers, therapists, and families to encourage children to notice what their bodies are communicating throughout the day.