Family members build body awareness by taking turns describing how a part of their body feels.
Learning Area(s): Social and Emotional; Sensory and Art
LET'S PLAY
Introduce this activity to your child by saying, “Today we will take turns paying attention to and talking about how parts of our bodies feel.”
Sit or lie down with your child in a quiet space. Take turns bringing attention to different areas of your body and how they feel.
Examples of different body parts and feelings could be:
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- “I’m paying attention to my feet, and they feel cold.”
- “I’m focused on my stomach, and it feels full.”
- “I’m aware of my fingers, and they feel tingly.”
Keep taking turns with your child naming different body parts and how they feel until you’ve done the whole body or until your child loses interest.
TIPS
- For younger children, this activity can be an opportunity to learn about different body parts.
- If the child has difficulty answering how a body part feels, simplify the question by providing a choice of two sensations for your child to choose from. For example, “Do your feet feel hot or cold?”, “Does your stomach feel full or empty?”, “Do your legs feel stiff or relaxed?” This helps your child tune into how their body feels and provides them with language to express their sensations.
- This activity can be completed in different ways. You can start from head to toe or take turns choosing random body parts to discuss.
- For additional mindfulness activities, go to: