Body Awareness Activities
Introduction
Body Awareness refers to ones
awareness of their body parts
or dimensions. Children who do
not have adequate body
awareness often appear clumsy
or awkward, and they
frequently have difficulty with
gross & fine motor activities
that require subtle changes in
posture, strength, force or
dexterity.
Body Awareness is the
foundation upon which children
learn to coordinate their body
parts and move through space
and about objects in their
environment.
Suggested Activities
1. Have your child close their
eyes & touch body parts on
command:
2. Play Simon Says and:
Have your child imitate your
movements or respond to
verbal directions.
Suggestions include:
Nod your head
Close your eyes
Turn your head
Wiggle your toes/fingers
Shrug your shoulders
Bend your knees
Bend your elbows
Have your child touch body
parts with other body parts.
For example:
Nose to knee
Chin to chest
Ear to shoulder
Hands to hips
Wrist to ankle
Wrist to ear
Elbow to leg
Chin to wrist
Fingers to shoulders
Have your child touch body
parts to objects such as
touch your:
Head to the wall
Hands to the door
Knees to the floor
Nose/Ears/Mouth to the chair
Elbows/Fingers/Wrists/ to the
Feet/Toes to the
Back/Stomach/Shoulders to
Have your child do actions
such as:
Stomp the right foot
Wave the right hand
Hop on the right foot
Wiggle the toes on your right
foot
Wiggle the thumb on your right
hand
Slap the right thigh
Point your tongue to the right
Shake the right leg
Bend the right elbow
Slide to the right
Repeat the actions using the left side,
or if the child is very young, do not
specify a side.
3. Specify a certain body part
and use it to bat a balloon
back and forth.
4. Have your child assume an
all 4s position on the floor,
and ask him to raise an arm
or leg as you command it. As
the childs balance and
strength improves, ask the
child to raise opposite arms &
legs. For example, Raise
your right arm & left leg; put
your right hand on your left
hip & raise your left leg.
5. Play Hokey-Pokey an include
parts such as ears & chins, as
well as hands, feet, elbows,
etc.
6. Make a body puzzle - Have
your child lie on a large sheet
of paper and you trace
around their body. Then ask
your child to help you fill in
the body parts, name them,
and colour the picture.
Finally, cut the body parts to
form a puzzle and have your
child re-arrange the pieces.
Knees
Mouth
Nose
Chin
Ears
Shoulders
Hips
Wrist
Elbows
Ankles
Neck
Stomach
Fingers
Toes
Thumbs
Eyes
7. Draw or show your child
pictures of incomplete
people/faces and ask them to
identify the missing parts.
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