BODY PARTS ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS
Preschoolers are curious about the world around them and love learning through play. One way to teach them about their body is by playing games that focus on different body parts. These games are not only fun for the kids, but also help promote early childhood development. Here are some body parts activities for preschoolers that you can use and enjoy!
BENEFITS OF BODY AWARENESS GAMES FOR PRESCHOOLERS
Understanding the importance of teaching body parts is the first step in implementing some body parts games into your preschool curriculum. Body awareness games for preschoolers offer many benefits for learners. By taking part in some of these fun body parts activities, kids will:
- Learn about the different parts of their body
- Develop fine and gross motor skills
- Enhance their memory and concentration
- Develop their language skills
- Get moving!
- Boost their self-esteem and confidence
MOVEMENT BODY PARTS ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS
One way to teach basic body parts to preschoolers is through movement games. These types of games get kids up and moving, while also helping them to learn about their bodies. Here are some ideas for body parts games for preschoolers that involve exercise.
Simon Says
This classic body parts game is a great way to get kids moving and thinking about their bodies. They will need to know the names of their body parts in order to be successful. Check out these free Simon Says Cards along with other body part awareness activities. Or play “Simon Says” on your own. Check out these 100 Simon Says Game Ideas.
Hokey Pokey
The “Hokey Pokey” is a classic kids’ song that can also be turned into a fun game. Put on the song and have the kids stand in a circle. As they listen to the song, they must do the actions that correspond with the lyrics. For example, when you hear “You put your left hand in” everyone must put their left hand in the circle. The same goes for the other body parts mentioned in the song.
Other great body part songs include “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes,” “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” and “One Little Finger.” Play these silly songs and follow along with the body parts.
Body Part Twister
This game is similar to the classic game of Twister, but with a focus on body parts. Create a spinner with different body parts on it. Put the spinner in the center of a large piece of butcher paper or an old sheet. Players take turns spinning the spinner. They must place their hand or foot on the body part indicated by the spinner. If someone falls or touches the ground with any other part of their body, they are out. The last person standing is the winner!
MEMORY BODY PARTS ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS
Memory games are a great way to help kids learn and remember new information. Body part memory games can be played with a group or individually. Here are some ideas for body parts memory games for preschoolers.
Body Part Matching Game
Create a set of cards with different body parts on them or use these FREE body part flashcards. Each body part should have 2 cards. Place all of the cards face down in random order. Players take turns flipping over two cards at a time. If the two cards match, the player gets to keep the pair and takes another turn. If the cards do not match, the player flips them back over and the next player takes a turn. The game is over when all of the pairs have been found. The player with the most pairs at the end is the winner!
I Went to the Market
This is a classic memory game that can be easily adapted to focus on body parts. Have all of the kids sit in a circle. The first player says, “I looked at my body and I found…” followed by a body part. The next player then repeats the first player’s list and adds an additional item to it. This continues around the circle until someone makes a mistake or forgets an item.
Remember the Objects
Gather a bunch of small objects that are related to body parts and place them on a tray. For example, you could use a small toy person, a Band-Aid, a cotton ball, etc. Cover the tray with a cloth. Remove the cloth and let the kids take turns looking at it for 1 minute. Then re-cover the tray and ask the kids to remember as many of the objects as they can.
MOTOR SKILLS BODY PARTS ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS
Help kids practice their motor skills with these body part games and crafts. Kids will learn about the parts of the body while developing either their fine or gross motor skills at the same time with these fun body parts games for preschoolers or any age!
Button Body
Begin with a piece of cardboard, buttons, and glue. Cut out a simple outline of a person on a piece of cardboard. Glue buttons onto the cardboard cutouts to create the different body parts. For example, use large buttons for the head and smaller buttons for the eyes. You can also add other details like hair or clothes. Once the glue is dry, kids can practice buttoning and unbuttoning the different parts of the body.
Body Part Relays
Body Part Relays get kids up and moving while they practice their body part vocabulary, and work on their motor skills. Set up two teams of equal numbers. Create a list of different body part-themed tasks. These can be anything from “crawl across the room like a crab” to “hop on one foot like a bunny.”
The first player from each team completes the first task on the list. Once they have completed the task, they will tag the next player on their team who will then complete the next task on the list. This continues until all of the players on one team have completed all of the tasks. The first team to finish is the winner!
Musical Body Parts
This game is an active twist on the classic game of Musical Chairs. Set up a circle of chairs. Place an item under each chair that corresponds with a certain body part. You can use hats for the head, gloves for the hands, and socks for the feet. Just make sure you always have one less object and chair than the number of kids left in the game. Have the kids walk around the circle. Call out a body part. The kids will then need to find a seat that corresponds to that body part. Whoever doesn’t have a seat is out. The last kid left is the winner.
BODY PARTS ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS THAT INCORPORATE LANGUAGE AND VOCABULARY
Preschoolers should learn proper body parts vocabulary as part of their experience in school. These games provide a fun way for students to learn this vocabulary in the classroom.
Body Parts Bingo
Create a bingo card for each player. Or use this Body Parts Bingo Game Class Set to save time and prep! Choose one player to be the caller. The caller will then draw a body part card from a stack and call out the body part. The players will then look for that body part on their bingo cards and mark it off with a marker. The first player to get five in a row is the winner!
Body Parts Charades
Write a list of body part words with pictures or use the pictures from the Body Parts Bingo Game on small pieces of paper. Scramble up the words and put them in a bowl. Pull one word out and the preschooler has to point to that body part without using any words. The rest of the class has to guess the body part. Want to make it harder, pull out one body part our of the bowl. This time they can ONLY use words to describe the body part without saying the actual body part. For example, if you pull out the word “FOOT” you might say: “Socks, shoes, toes.” The kids have to guess that you are talking about the word FOOT.
MORE AWESOME ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS
Large Group Activities for Preschoolers – great activities to do with a classroom of preschoolers.
Body Awareness Activities for Kids
Feelings and Emotions Activities for Preschoolers – preschoolers who understand their feelings and emotions have better academic success.
Parachute Activities for Preschoolers – fun activities to do while using a parachute.
Self-Regulation in Preschoolers: Tips, Activities and More – strategies to help preschoolers manage their emotions so they can focus during the school day.
Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers
This Body Scan Meditation for Kids is a quick and effective mindfulness activity to help your students with stress and overwhelming emotions. The worksheets and MP3 audio exercise will guide them and you on how to get in touch with your physical sensations and emotions to help calm the body.
