This is my favorite way to teach children about the parts of the body. I have done this with at least 100 kids aged 3 to 14 and they have all loved it...and learned something in the process!
You will need some very large paper (like butcher paper, oaktag, chart paper, or printer paper taped together.) Ideally your paper should be about 60 centimeters wide and 15 centimeters longer than your child. You'll also need scissors, glue stick or tape, and some colored markers.
Step One: Have your child lie on her/his back on the paper. Then trace the outline of their body. Kids can certainly do this with one another if you want to stay out of the fun.
Step Two: Print the WORD LIST below - you can copy and paste it into a document to make the font larger and, I like to print the BONE LIST on WHITE paper, and the MUSCLE LIST on RED paper). Then cut out the terms so they are ready for some "sticking". ** This is not an exhaustive or advanced list. For older children, encourage them to "go deeper"!
Step Three and beyond: Using a reference book, the internet, or the photos I've included below, have your children MAP their BONES onto their outline. I like to work from top to bottom and talk about the bone as we stick it to our map. But you can also make it a game, where kids can pick bone names randomly and find where they go on the body. ** If the bone they are labeling is on the back of the body, I like to draw a curved arrow to indicate that.
After the BONES, kids can add MUSCLES. If kids are having fun, they can research their DIGESTIVE system and add that to the map too!
BONE LIST
Cranium
Mandible
Clavicle
Humerus
Ulna
Radius
Carpals
Metacarpals
Phalanges
Sternum
Scapula
Vertebra
Sacrum
Pelvis
Femur
Patella
Tibia
Fibula
Tarsals
Metatarsals
Phalanges
MUSCLE LIST
Masseter
Sternocleidomastoid*
Trapezius
Deltoid
Pectoral
Biceps
Triceps
Abdominal
Gluteus
Quadriceps
Hamstrings
Soleus
Gastrocnemius
*my favorite muscle name ever!
Here are some images to get you started:
Please share photos of your work with me! And if your children LOVE this kind of exploration, they will LOVE the activities in my book ("Science not Just for Scientists!") and in my line of science kits: Explore Outside Your Door.
