| Hygiene and Body Care | |
|---|---|
| Concepts | Activities |
| Daily care of teeth and mouth | Songs: This is the way we brush our teeth, brush our teeth, brush our teeth ( to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”).Bring in a dentist to visit and talk about dental care.
Examine molds of teeth/mouth with magnifying glasses. Online games (National Museum of Dentistry). Brush baby doll or puppet teeth in dramatic play area. Decorate toothbrushes. |
| Skin protects the inside of our bodies; clothing helps protect our skin; sun safety | Go on a shade walk; construct temporary shady spots on the playground with blankets or sheets; make wide-brimmed sun hats from newspaper, decorate them and wear them outside; shine a flashlight through clothing to show children how the sun’s rays penetrate; put sun hats and sunglasses in the dramatic play area; find pictures in magazines of people wearing sunglasses and sun hats; practice applying sunscreen on baby dolls (Sun Safety Alliance).Put construction paper outside with objects on it to show how the sun causes paper to fade over time; make “sunprints” with photosensitive paper (same principle). |
| Germs cause illness | To demonstrate how germs are released when you cough or sneeze, fill a balloon with confetti, blow it up, and then release the pressure so that all the confetti escapes; repeat this with a hand over the balloon opening to prevent most of the confetti from escaping (Marotz, Cross, & Rush, 2001).Practice handwashing.
Bathe baby dolls. Show picture of sneeze. |
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However, government statistics published by the Center for Disease Control in 2009 indicate that among children aged 1 to 9, unintentional injury is the leading cause of death. This dilemma suggests a balanced approach to teaching children about personal safety that is focused on decision making, providing them with information about real dangers, and helping them respond to incidents or injuries without diminishing their natural desire for exploration, adventure, and new experiences. Embedded in planning for safety education is a focus on cause-and-effect relationships, since young children developmentally often do not yet anticipate or appreciate the potential consequences of decisions they make (Hendrick, 2007).
Adults are responsible for making sure that the environment, materials, and equipment are age-appropriate, are in good repair, and that children use them under proper supervision. Recommended and appropriate topics for safety education for young children include:
- Body rights and touch awareness (i.e., “good touch, bad touch”)
- Victimization as a result of bullying
- Awareness of strangers
- What to do if lost or injured
- Fire safety
- Vehicle safety (school bus, cars, seatbelts, pedestrian rules)
- Awareness of poisonous or toxic substances (Kostelnik, Soderman, & Whiren, 2010; Marotz, Cross, & Rush, 2001)
Many communities provide programming and/or resources for children during the typical school year (e.g., Fire Safety Week in October, Poison Prevention Week in March, etc.). Local safety professionals may be asked to come to school, or special field trips to visit such individuals can be arranged, providing effective strategies for impressing upon children the importance of safe and responsible behavior. Online access to many programs and organizations that advocate for different dimensions of personal safety can also provide teachers with resources and information. A list of helpful websites is provided at the end of the chapter.
Chapter Summary
- An increasing body of research provides evidence that physical fitness and wellness is very important to combat rising obesity levels among children and promote cognitive development and academic achievement.
- The NASPE Physical Education standards stress the need for both structured and unstructured activity, skill development, access to safe physical environments, and adult support, with a minimum of sixty minutes of physical activity daily for ambulatory children (toddlers and older).
- The outdoor space should be designed to promote safe but unrestrained opportunities for children to exercise their large muscles through “big-body play” with a balance of open space, safe play structures, and materials for games and activities.
- Outdoor space includes many different areas that extend the curriculum to the outdoors.
- Many materials, games, and activities can be used for planned gross motor activities that promote and develop coordination, balance, agility, power, and speed.
- Children aged 5 and under typically don’t understand the concept of rules; therefore games with preschoolers stress enjoyment and skill development rather than competition.
- Fine motor skill activities and materials focus on developing manual dexterity and the coordinated eye-hand movement necessary for reading, writing, cutting, and manipulating small tools and objects.
- Fine motor activities contribute to the development of the visual/perceptual skills of depth perception, visual tracking, and focus.
- Health and safety education for young children focuses on activities with food that promote good nutrition, knowledge and proper care of the body, and developing good judgment about personal safety.
- Activities with foods provide opportunities to integrate and teach children about the cultural traditions of families, local communities, and regions.