My Body Collage
Level 1 requires guided modelling. 'My Body Collage' reinforces healthy habits and safety awareness in structured format.
- Framework: EYFS
- Unit: EYFS Health, Safety and Hygiene
- Learning area: Understanding the World
- Level: EYFS 3-4
Objectives
- Follow 2–3 step directions
- Identify key safety or hygiene concepts
- Participate in discussion
Instructions
Materials
- Large sheets of butcher paper or sugar paper
- Washable markers and jumbo crayons
- Pre-cut shapes representing body parts like heads, torsos, arms, and legs
- Glue sticks
- Child-safe mirrors
- Magazines or printed images of diverse people
Learning Objectives
- Identify and name at least four major body parts such as head, arm, leg, and hand.
- Demonstrate spatial awareness by placing body parts in the correct relative positions.
- Practise fine motor skills through the use of glue sticks and paper manipulation.
- Engage in collaborative play by sharing materials with peers.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Gather the children in a circle and use a mirror to point to your own body parts, asking children to touch the corresponding part on themselves.
2. Lay out the large sheets of paper on the floor or a low table to serve as the base for the collages.
3. Distribute the pre-cut paper shapes to each child or small group.
4. Model the process by placing a head shape at the top of a paper and a torso below it, narrating your actions clearly.
5. Encourage the children to build their own figures by gluing the pieces onto the paper in a logical sequence.
6. Assist children who need help with glue application, ensuring they use just enough to secure the paper.
7. Provide markers for children to add details like eyes, hair, or clothing to their figures once the main pieces are attached.
8. Circulate through the room to ask individual children to name the body parts they are currently gluing.
9. Display the completed collages at the children's eye level to reinforce the vocabulary learned during the activity.
Educator Tip
If a child struggles with the concept of body placement, provide a simple outline on their paper to act as a guide. You can extend this activity by asking children to draw a line connecting a specific body part to a corresponding item, such as a hat for the head or a shoe for the foot.
Assessment
- Observe if the child correctly identifies body parts when prompted during the activity.
- Note the child's ability to assemble the pieces in a generally recognizable human form.
- Record whether the child can verbally label the parts they are working with during the session.
Educator tip
Pre-cut difficult pieces; use visual schedule; model health vocabulary.
Assessment
Observe and note: ability to follow two-step instructions, use of new vocabulary in context, early problem-solving strategies, and sustained shared thinking episodes. Assess against Development Matters age-band expectations. Checklist: engagement, comprehension, correct task attempt.