How to Teach Human Body Parts

Teaching the human body's parts should begin at a young age and continue through high school. It is a constant learning process that needs to be encouraged at each stage of life. Children as young as 2 are expected to know the basic body parts, and high school graduates are required to know the body's complex organ systems. There are some very easy steps that you can take at each of the major stages of a child's life to ensure that they will learn all of the human body's parts.

Things You'll Need

• Songs about human body parts Books about human body parts Color handouts and activity books about human body parts

Instructions

How to Teach Human Body Parts

1. 

   You can start teaching a child human body parts from birth. Babies love to be sung to, so sing songs such as "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" and "If You're Happy and You Know It" while touching the body parts that the song mentions. Read books to your babies that teach body parts. Point out the different body parts as you wash them in the tub.

2. 

   As the child enters the toddler years, continue singing songs and reading books that teach human body parts, but you can start to add some other learning tools. Print out coloring sheets from the Internet that teach body parts. As you start teaching your child how to dress herself, emphasize the body parts that are used in the dressing process. Make outlines of your child's hands, feet and body and have him color where he thinks his bones are located and label his body parts. Encourage her to draw people and have her label the different body parts.

3. 

   As the child begins school, he will be taught human body parts, but the lessons being learned in the classroom can be emphasized at home. If you are a parent, be diligent on keeping up with your child's health and science curriculum. Play games like Operation. Have your children make models of the human body with papier mache or paper cut-outs.

4. 

   Later on in elementary and middle school, the child will start to learn more about organs and organ systems. While eating food, you can describe the journey that the food is taking from the mouth, down the esophagus, through the stomach and intestines. Have the child breathe, then describe the respiratory system. Have them hold different objects, then describe how the nervous system allows them to feel. Show them models of the human body and human body parts. Have the students draw and label the different body parts and body systems.

5. Throughout the rest of the child's academic career, continue to encourage her as she learns about human body parts right down to the basic building block: the human cell.

Tips & Warnings

• Patience is key. Don't be discouraged if your child calls his toes his nose for a while.

References

• Human body parts coloring sheets
• Human body resources for teachers

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• kidshealth.org How the Body Works