Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before this lesson, prepare pictures of children bathing, washing hands, and wearing clean clothes. Have a doll, clean clothes for the doll, and toy soap/sponge ready for demonstrations. The central idea is for pupils to understand the importance of keeping their skin clean and healthy, and to know how to protect their sensitive body parts. Observe pupils as they discuss healthy habits and practise demonstrating how to cover up the doll’s sensitive parts.
Class: Pre-School Level 3
Term: Second Term
Week: 2
Age: 4 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Health Habits
Curriculum Theme: Health Habits
Previous Lesson: Pupils have learned about identifying different body parts.
Topic: CARE OF THE SKIN: HEALTHY HABITS AND PROTECTING SENSITIVE PARTS
Subject Matter: Care of the Skin: Healthy Habits and Protecting Sensitive Parts
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- Identify healthy habits for skin care, such as bathing and washing hands.
- Mention bad habits to avoid for healthy skin.
- Recognise the importance of covering sensitive parts of their body.
Affective Domain
- Appreciate the importance of keeping their skin clean and healthy.
- Understand the need to protect their sensitive body parts.
- Develop a sense of personal safety and privacy.
Psychomotor Domain
- Demonstrate simple skin care actions, like pretending to wash hands.
- Practise covering a doll’s sensitive parts with clothes.
- Practise saying “No” to unwanted touch.
Social Domain
- Participate in discussions about healthy habits.
- Share ideas about personal hygiene and safety.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 3
- Relevant Early Childhood Care and Education resources
Instructional Materials
- Chart showing children bathing, washing hands, and wearing clean clothes
- Posters illustrating good hygiene habits
- Pictures of soap, sponge, towel
- A doll with clothes
- Toy soap and sponge
Rationale for the Lesson
This lesson is important for 4-year-olds because it teaches them essential habits for personal hygiene and health. Understanding how to care for their skin and protect sensitive body parts helps them stay clean, prevent illness, and develop a foundational sense of body safety and privacy. These skills are crucial for their overall well-being and confidence as they grow.Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils can identify and name some parts of their body. They have some basic understanding of cleanliness, such as washing hands before eating.Lesson Content/Board Summary
CARE OF THE SKIN: HEALTHY HABITS AND PROTECTING SENSITIVE PARTS
Our skin is the covering of our body. It protects us from germs and helps us feel things like hot and cold.
Why Care for Our Skin?
- To stay clean and healthy.
- To feel good and comfortable.
- To stop germs from making us sick.
Healthy Habits for Skin Care
- Bath every day: Use soap and clean water to wash your whole body.
- Wash your hands often: Wash with soap and water, especially before eating and after using the toilet.
- Wear clean clothes: Change into clean clothes every day.
- Eat healthy food: Fruits and vegetables help our skin.
- Drink clean water: Water keeps our skin soft.
- Avoid touching dirty things: Try not to touch dirty water or mud too much.
Bad Habits to Avoid
- Not bathing regularly.
- Playing in very dirty places without washing afterwards.
- Scratching your skin with dirty hands.
- Sharing personal items like towels or sponges.
Protecting Sensitive Parts of Our Body
Some parts of our body are special and private. We call them sensitive parts (like our private parts).
- Why we cover them: To keep them safe and private.
- Who can touch them: Only you, your mummy or daddy (to help you wash), or a doctor (when mummy or daddy is with you).
- What to do if someone touches you in a way you don’t like:
- Say “NO!” loudly.
- Run away.
- Tell a trusted adult (mummy, daddy, teacher, guardian) immediately.
Key Words
- Skin – The outer covering of our body.
- Clean – Free from dirt.
- Healthy – Strong and well.
- Sensitive – Easily affected or hurt; private.
- Protect – To keep safe from harm.
Skin Care and Safety Rhyme
Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
My skin, my skin, so soft and bright,
I wash it clean with all my might.
Soap and water, scrub and play,
Keep my body fresh each day.
My special parts, I keep them hidden,
No one touches, unless I’ve bidden.
If someone tries, I’ll shout out ‘No!’
And quickly to a grown-up go.
Actions: Point to skin, pretend to wash, make scrubbing motions, hug self, shake head for ‘no’, run in place.
Watch and Practise Healthy Habits
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Introduce the skin by asking pupils to touch their skin. Explain simply why skin is important. Discuss each healthy habit using the pictures and charts. For “Protecting Sensitive Parts,” use a doll to demonstrate covering up. Emphasise the “Say NO, Run, Tell” rule clearly and calmly.
What to show or demonstrate: Display charts of children bathing and washing hands. Show toy soap and sponge. Use the doll to demonstrate how clothes cover sensitive parts. Model the “Say NO!” action.
How to use the rhyme/song: Sing the “Skin Care and Safety Rhyme” together with the pupils. Repeat it several times, encouraging them to perform the actions. Focus on the ‘No!’ part for safety.
How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to learn about healthy habits. Play the video “Healthy Habits for Kids” (Kids Hut). After watching, ask pupils to name one healthy habit they saw in the video and briefly demonstrate it.
What to watch for: Observe if pupils can identify healthy habits and if they understand the concept of sensitive parts and the “Say NO, Run, Tell” rule. Ensure they are comfortable discussing these topics.
Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques
Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Picture Talk, Question and Answer, Role-play, Repetition, Practical Activity.Instructional Procedures
Step 1: Introduction
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and starts with a simple song about body parts. The teacher then asks pupils to touch their skin and asks, “What is this?”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher, sing along, touch their skin, and respond, “Skin!”
Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and recall body parts, introducing the topic of skin.
Step 2: Presentation – What is Skin and Why Care?
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what skin is and why it’s important to care for it (to stay clean, healthy, and protect from germs). The teacher shows pictures of healthy skin.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, look at the pictures, and repeat simple phrases like “Skin protects us.”
Learning Point: Pupils understand the basic function and importance of their skin.
Step 3: Demonstration – Healthy Habits for Skin Care
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Visual Aid
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays charts and pictures of children bathing and washing hands. The teacher demonstrates how to pretend to wash hands with toy soap and water, and shows a sponge and towel.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the charts and demonstration. They pretend to wash their hands along with the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils identify and practise healthy skin care habits.
Step 4: Guided Practice – Skin Care and Safety Rhyme
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Repetition/Music
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the “Skin Care and Safety Rhyme” several times, encouraging them to perform the actions.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the rhyme with actions, focusing on the words and movements.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce healthy habits and the safety message through song and movement.
Step 5: Discussion – Bad Habits and Protecting Sensitive Parts
Time: 6 minutes
Teaching Skill: Discussion/Safety Education
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses bad habits to avoid. Then, the teacher introduces the concept of sensitive/private parts using simple language and explains why they need to be covered and protected. The teacher introduces the “Say NO, Run, Tell” rule.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, respond to questions about bad habits, and pay close attention to the discussion about sensitive parts and safety rules.
Learning Point: Pupils learn about bad habits to avoid and understand the importance of protecting their sensitive body parts and how to react to unwanted touch.
Step 6: Application – Role-play/Video Reinforcement
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Practical Application/Reinforcement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher uses a doll to demonstrate how clothes cover sensitive parts. The teacher then plays the “Healthy Habits for Kids” video and encourages pupils to identify habits they saw.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the doll demonstration. They watch the video and point out healthy habits they recognise.
Learning Point: Pupils apply the concept of covering sensitive parts and reinforce knowledge of healthy habits.
Step 7: Evaluation/Review
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.
- “Name one thing you do to keep your skin clean.”
- “Show me how you wash your hands.”
- “Why do we cover our private parts?”
- “What should you do if someone touches you in a way you don’t like?”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.
Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.
Step 8: Conclusion
Time: 1 minute
Teaching Skill: Summarisation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and reminds them to always keep their skin clean and protect their sensitive parts by telling a trusted adult if anything makes them uncomfortable.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and repeat the main message.
Learning Point: Pupils internalise the importance of skin care and body safety.
Lesson Keywords
- Skin – The outside covering of our body.
- Clean – Not dirty.
- Healthy – Strong and well.
- Sensitive – Private and needing protection.
- Protect – To keep safe.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils who need extra help, use larger pictures and more repetition. Guide their hands during pretend washing. Provide one-on-one prompts for the “Say NO, Run, Tell” rule.
- Extension: Encourage advanced pupils to name more healthy habits or explain why a particular habit is important. They can also lead a small role-play demonstrating the safety rule.
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