Understanding my body parts

These activities are suitable for children aged 8-18 months and align with stage 2 of the Developmental Journal Babies Visual Impairment (DJVI).

Safety first

What you'll need

Music, toys, props, bag or pillowcase

Tips

Try to sing each song slowly, repeat and give your child lots of time to process. You may want to focus on one or two songs in each session to build your child’s familiarity.

Activity

Use a variety of songs, music and movement games to help reinforce the understanding of different body parts and positions. For example, Simon Says; Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes; If you are happy and you know it; The wheels on the bus.

Try making a Song Bag using a coloured bag, or brightly coloured pillowcase filled with objects to represent songs. Song Bags can encourage choice, body awareness and movement. Your child can reach into their bag and choose the object and song to sing. Here are some examples of songs and objects to try:

• ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes’ with a doll, or teddy.
  Help guide your child to place their hands onto the various body parts. You can gently tap the desired body-part or use a hand-over-hand approach.
• ‘The wheels on the bus’ with a bus toy.
  This song encourages hand movements. You can guide your child by completing the activity yourself as they place their hands over yours to feel the different actions and movements.
• ‘It’s time to wiggle’ with a snake toy.
  Encourages stretching, wiggling and touching body parts. You can guide your child by completing the activity yourself as they place their hands over yours to feel the different actions and movements. 
• ‘Scrub a - dub – dub’ with a clean, unused sponge.
  Try pretending to wash in the bath. You can help guide your child to place their hands onto the various body parts. You can gently tap the desired body-part or use a hand-over-hand approach. They can imitate the action on their own body or yours.