Pin the Body Part: Body Sketch + Song

Infants build foundations through repetition and sensory exploration.

Objectives

Materials

Instructions

Materials

- Large butcher paper or easel pad

- Crayons (thick, washable)

- Child safe scissors

- Glue stick

- Pictures of diverse families (magazines, printed)

- Soft fabric scraps (various textures and colours)

- Soft balls (various sizes)

- Picture book about families

- A mirror

Learning Objectives

- Infants will explore and touch different textures used to represent body parts.

- Infants will show interest in looking at their reflection in a mirror.

- Infants will engage with family pictures by touching and babbling.

- Infants will demonstrate fine motor skill development by reaching for and grasping materials.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Sit with infants in a circle on the floor, holding a large piece of butcher paper. Explain that you will be drawing a giant body together, like a big family member.

2. Offer infants chunky crayons to hold and explore. Allow them to scribble on the paper, saying things like, "Look at you making your own mark on our body!"

3. Gather soft fabric scraps and balls of different sizes. Tell the infants, "These will be for our body parts. This soft fabric can be like an arm, and this big ball can be a tummy!"

4. Invite infants to touch and feel the different textures. Guide their hands to feel the fabric and pat the balls. Coo and respond to their exploration, connecting it to body parts.

5. Show the infants pictures of diverse families. Encourage them to reach out and touch the pictures, saying, "Look, this is a family, just like yours at home!"

6. Hold up a mirror for the infants to see themselves. Talk about their reflection by saying, "Look, there you are! You are part of our giant body family!"

7. As a group, use the glue stick (with supervision) to let infants help attach a few fabric scraps or fabric "body parts" to the large drawing.

8. Gather everyone to read a simple picture book about families, pointing out the people in the illustrations.

Educator Tip

Ensure all materials are age-appropriate and non-toxic. Supervise closely, especially with small fabric pieces, to prevent choking hazards. Encourage parents to share photos of their own family to display in the classroom, fostering a sense of belonging and connection to their home environment.

Assessment

Observe infants' engagement with the various textured materials, noting their willingness to touch and explore. Document their reactions to the mirror, looking for signs of recognition or interest. Note their interactions with family pictures and the large body drawing, observing babbling, reaching, and grasping behaviours.

Educator tip

Keep stimulation low; follow infant cues.

Assessment

Observe and note: sustained engagement, sensory responses, early vocalisations, and attachment behaviours. Document using the Characteristics of Effective Learning framework (Playing and Exploring). Observe gaze, reach, calm engagement.

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