Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before the lesson, prepare real objects like a bar of soap, a small towel, a comb, and pictures of clean and dirty children. The central idea for pupils is to understand that taking care of their bodies helps them stay clean, healthy, and happy. Ensure a safe, clear space for movement during the rhyme and demonstrations. Successful learning will be observed when pupils can point to body parts and imitate simple care actions like washing their hands or combing their hair.
Class: Pre-School Level 1
Term: First Term
Week: 3
Age: 2 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Health Habits
Curriculum Theme: Not separately stated in the scheme.
Previous Lesson: Identification of some parts of the body.
Topic: CARE OF PARTS OF THE BODY
Subject Matter: Why We Care for the Body; Identification of parts of the body; Importance of taking care of parts of the body e.g. for good health.
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- Identify and name some familiar parts of their body.
- State one simple reason why we care for our body (e.g., to be clean).
Affective Domain
- Show willingness to participate in body care activities.
- Express happiness when talking about being clean.
Psychomotor Domain
- Point to different parts of their body when named.
- Imitate simple body care actions like washing hands or combing hair.
Social Domain
- Participate in group activities like singing and moving during the lesson.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 1
- Early Childhood Care and Education resources
Instructional Materials
- Real objects: a bar of soap, small towel, comb, toothbrush
- Pictures/charts of different body parts (head, hands, legs, eyes, nose, mouth)
- Pictures/posters of children looking clean and healthy
- Pictures/posters of children looking dirty or sick
- Video clip on body hygiene for young children
Rationale for the Lesson
This lesson is important for 2-year-olds as it introduces them to the basic idea of personal hygiene and why it matters. Understanding how to care for their bodies helps them develop good habits early, promoting their health and well-being in a practical and engaging way.
Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils can identify and name a few common objects in their environment and may know some parts of their body.
Lesson Content/Board Summary
CARE OF PARTS OF THE BODY: Why We Care for the Body
Our body has many parts. We need to take good care of all our body parts to stay clean and healthy.
What is Body Care?
- Washing our hands with soap and water.
- Bathing our body to be clean.
- Combing our hair to look neat.
- Brushing our teeth to make them strong.
Why We Care for Our Body
- To be CLEAN and smell nice.
- To be HEALTHY and not get sick.
- To look GOOD and neat.
- To feel HAPPY.
What Happens If We Don’t Care for Our Body?
- We can get dirty.
- We can smell bad (body odour).
- We can get sick.
- Our teeth can spoil.
Key Words
- Body – all of us, from head to toe.
- Care – to look after something well.
- Clean – not dirty.
- Healthy – strong and not sick.
- Dirty – not clean.
Clean Body Song
Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Wash, wash, wash your hands,
Wash them clean and bright.
Rub the soap and rinse with water,
All through day and night.
Brush, brush, brush your teeth,
Make them shiny white.
Up and down and all around,
Brush with all your might!
Actions: Mimic washing hands, rubbing soap, brushing teeth.
Watch and Practise
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Start by pointing to and naming familiar body parts on yourself and a doll or picture. Use very simple, repetitive language. Explain “care” by demonstrating simple actions with real objects (e.g., show soap for washing, comb for hair). Use the pictures of clean/dirty children to illustrate “why we care” and “what happens if we don’t.”
What to show or demonstrate: Show the soap, towel, comb, and toothbrush. Demonstrate simple actions like washing hands, combing hair, and brushing teeth. Point to body parts on yourself, a doll, or a chart. Show pictures of clean, healthy children and contrast with pictures of dirty or sick children.
How to use the rhyme/song: Introduce the “Clean Body Song” after discussing basic care actions. Sing it slowly and clearly, repeating it several times. Encourage pupils to do the actions with you. Focus on the actions for washing hands and brushing teeth.
How to use the video: Introduce the video by saying, “Let’s watch a video about how to keep our bodies clean!” Play the short video. After watching, ask pupils to point to the actions they saw (e.g., “Who saw washing hands?”). Encourage them to imitate one action from the video.
What to watch for: Observe if pupils are able to point to body parts correctly and if they attempt to imitate the simple care actions. Watch for engagement during the song and video.
Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques
- Play-based Learning
- Demonstration
- Guided Practice
- Songs and Rhymes
- Picture Talk
- Imitation
- Manipulation of Objects
- Repetition
Instructional Procedures
Step 1: Introduction
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and leads them in a simple “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” song to activate prior knowledge of body parts.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher and sing along, touching their body parts as named.
Learning Point: Pupils recall and identify some parts of their body.
Step 2: Identifying Body Parts and Simple Care Actions
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Naming
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher points to their own head, eyes, nose, mouth, hands, and legs, naming each one clearly. The teacher then shows a bar of soap and says, “This is soap, we use it to wash our hands.” The teacher demonstrates a simple hand-washing motion.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils point to their own body parts as the teacher names them. Pupils watch the teacher demonstrate hand washing.
Learning Point: Pupils identify key body parts and observe a simple care action.
Step 3: Discussing “Why We Care” with Pictures
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Picture Talk/Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows a picture of a clean, smiling child and says, “This child is clean and happy because they care for their body. They wash their hands and bathe.” The teacher then shows a picture of a dirty child and asks, “Do we want to be dirty or clean?”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the pictures and respond by pointing to the clean child or saying “clean.”
Learning Point: Pupils understand that caring for the body makes them clean and happy.
Step 4: Singing the Clean Body Song
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Songs and Rhymes/Reinforcement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces and leads the pupils in singing the “Clean Body Song” from the Board Summary, demonstrating the actions for washing hands and brushing teeth. The teacher repeats the song several times.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, sing along, and perform the actions with the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce body care actions through song and movement.
Step 5: Video Demonstration and Practice
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Audiovisual Learning/Imitation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher plays the short video clip about body hygiene. After the video, the teacher asks pupils to show one action they saw in the video (e.g., “Show me how you wash your hands”).
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video. Pupils then imitate a body care action they saw in the video.
Learning Point: Pupils observe and practise body care actions from the video.
Step 6: What Happens If We Don’t Care?
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Consequence Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows a picture of a child with a runny nose or looking sad/sick. The teacher explains simply, “If we don’t care for our body, we can get sick. We might have a cough or feel sad.” The teacher reminds them that washing hands helps us not get sick.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the picture and listen to the teacher’s explanation.
Learning Point: Pupils understand that not caring for the body can lead to sickness.
Step 7: Evaluation/Review
Time: 4–5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.
- “Point to your hands.”
- “What do we use to wash our hands?” (Show soap.)
- “Why do we wash our hands? (To be clean/not get sick).”
- “Show me how you comb your hair.”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.
Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.
Step 8: Conclusion
Time: 2 minutes
Teaching Skill: Summary/Encouragement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for participating and reminds them to always try to keep their bodies clean. “Remember, a clean body is a happy body!”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and respond with “Yes, teacher!” or clap their hands.
Learning Point: Pupils are encouraged to practise good body care habits.
Lesson Keywords
- Body – all of us, from head to toe.
- Care – to look after something well.
- Clean – not dirty.
- Healthy – strong and not sick.
- Dirty – not clean.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils who struggle, provide more one-on-one repetition of body part names and hand-over-hand guidance for actions. Use larger, clearer pictures. Focus on just 2-3 key body parts and one care action (e.g., washing hands).
- Extension: For pupils who grasp the concept quickly, ask them to name another body part not explicitly covered and suggest how to care for it (e.g., “What about your feet?”). Encourage them to demonstrate two different care actions.
Community Join the conversation Open discussion +