Preschoolers love jumping around, so why not take advantage of this and teach them to point out different body parts while they’re having fun singing songs? Teaching children to be aware of their body builds helps build fine and gross motor skills and increases their coordination at an early age. Just make sure kids don’t start hitting each other when they’re swinging themselves around. Their newfound knowledge will sometimes make them act out!
These six songs are sure to get your preschoolers fingers, tummies, legs, shoulders and other body parts moving all the time. Enjoy!
- Head Shoulders Knees and Toes
- If You’re Happy and You Know It
- Tooty Ta Song
- Wiggles, Jiggles, Giggles
- Hokey Pokey
- Born to Move
1. Head Shoulders Knees and Toes
Do you know your body parts? Do your children know their body parts? If so, let’s sing and move to the Head, Shoulder, Knees, and Toes song. If not, you can use this song to teach the children to sing and touch their body parts. Try singing this song slow, fast, faster, and even faster. They will not only ask to do it again, but to do it faster and faster until they are out of breath. So, let’s get ready for some fun because it is time to move slow and fast.
How Children Learn About Body Parts
Preschoolers will be listening and pointing or touching their body parts to the lyrics of the songs. As an added bonus, children will be using their gross motor skills and enjoy the song as they are moving along quickly.
Modifications
You can use a big poster of a person as a visual for students who may need extra support. Or you can point at your own head, shoulders, knees, and toes.
2. If You’re Happy and You Know It
What a great way to teach children about feelings and how feelings can be expressed. Even though there are manys to express your feelings, expressing happiness is one of the most common and positive things we can do.
How Children Learn About Body Parts
Children will simultaneously hear the words to the action and understand what they body parts are for. For example, you use your hand to clap or your feet is for stomping. Children will eventually be able to expressively label their body parts. Not only that, they will be performing the actions with some of their body parts.
Modifications
Try using a big poster board with a human figure, doll, or stuffed animal to point to the body parts as your singing the song. You can say the word a little louder, point, shake, or show your own body parts to emphasize the name of the parts.
3. Tooty Ta Song
Children love the “Tooty Ta“ song because they are following the directions and know they can get it right. That makes them feel good about themselves.They giggle and laugh and enjoy seeing each other being goofy. They can also be competitive and will laugh and say, “Look! I did it!”
You may love this song because the children are having fun. They tease each other, especially when the teacher pretends they can’t do it correctly. This allows the children to say, “It is easy! You can do it!” This is a great way for the students to motivate each other.
How Children Learn About Body Parts
Children are closely listen to the words to make sure they are performing the action with the correct body parts. At the end of the song, you can ask the children to point to or label the body parts. You’ll be surprised to hear how the children answer the questions and respond to your requests.
Modifications
Some of the students don’t have those skills, but it is okay, because they can also point to their body parts, sit, or stand depending on their comfort level.
4. Wiggles, Jiggles, Giggles
Wiggles in my ears! Jiggles in my toes! Wiggles, Jiggles, Giggles from the Frog Street Friends CD is a rockin’ song that allows kids to jump around and have fun while learning how to focus on various body parts.
How Children Learn About Body Parts
Different body parts are called out throughout the song and preschoolers will wiggle and jiggle those body parts. So when the song sings “Jiggle with my fingers” everyone will fingers up and jiggle them around. So how are hands and fingers different? Make sure to only move the fingers at finger time, and wave the entire hand when hands are called out. Some of the body parts that are sung out through the song are: finger, tummy, feet, ears, toes, hands, legs, lips, nose, neck, chin, and arms.
Modifications
Some of the students don’t have those skills, but it is okay, because they can also point to their body parts, sit, or stand depending on their comfort level. You can also use a picture of a person showing the body parts and have them point to it.
5. Hokey Pokey
Another great song to teach preschoolers about body parts in a fun silly way.
How Children Learn About Body Parts
A simple song for the children to identify, label, and move their body parts. Some of the body parts are hands, feet, head, eyes, nose, shoulders, mouth, tongue, etc. This song will quickly teach your children to expressively label their body parts in no time. They will be dancing and enjoying the song as they are building upon their gross motor skills.
Modifications
You may find it interesting to sing this song and change the lyrics. For example, you put your whole bottom in, you take your whole bottom out, and so on.
6. Born to Move
Jack Hartmann never fails to provide great examples in his Youtube videos.
How Children Learn About Body Parts
Children will be following along and moving their body parts according to the song lyrics. Be sure to emphasize and name the body part a little louder than the rest of the song to label it.
Here are some of the body parts and movements children will learn with this song:
- Hands clap, pat, and shake
- Arms lift, curl, cross, and crisscross
- Hips twist, circle, and sway
- Legs move
- Feet dance
- Knees bend, lift, cross and crisscross
- Shoulders rock, roll, turn
Modifications
If you don’t like to dance, then show Jack Hartmann’s video to your children and them follow along.
Bonus: Invent Your Own Song!
If you or your preschoolers have a favorite song, you can modify if with your own words to teach them about body parts. For example, instead of “Row, row, row your boat. Gently down the stream,” you can instead sing “Touch, touch, touch your head. Touch your head with your hands.” It may seem a bit silly or cheesey or ridiculous, but do what it takes to have fun and make sure your kids keep learning. You got this!
Check out more songs that preschoolers and toddlers love!