Body Parts Activities for Toddlers

This body parts activities for toddlers is a fun activity to teach young kids about body part names using a baby doll. We love this body parts activities for babies, too because babies AND toddlers can relate to using a baby doll and adding band aides to different body parts!

body parts activities for toddlers

This body awareness activity is perfect for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Kids LOVE to peel bandages and stick them onto a baby doll. They can stick the bandages (or paper or felt bandages for a pretend version) to use a baby doll to teach body parts.

I got this idea after Baby Girl had her most recent well child doctor’s visit, and she had a couple of vaccinations.  The next day, she was sooooo interested in her new band aides that the had nurse put on her leg. 
 
Baby Girl is getting pretty good at pointing to her body parts when we say “where is your head, where are your toes…” and you better act fast if you ask her “where are your eyes”.  The girl will come at ya with a pokey finger ready to show YOU where YOUR eyes are!
 
When a baby and toddler begins to show finger isolation to poke or point, this is finger isolation. This progression of fine motor skills is a progression from pincer grasp.
 
Our resource on fine motor milestones further breaks down this progression.
 
To further develop these fine motor skills with babies and toddlers, try fingerplay songs.
 
So, I used some of our felt sheets and cut up a few colored band aides.  I wanted them to be felt so they would sort-of stick to Baby Girl’s clothing if we laid them on her pant leg or sleeve…and I thought it would be fun for her to stick them to her favorite felt-y feeling baby doll.
 
body parts activities for toddlers
 
 
 
I set the felt band aides out along with some real band aides and some pieces from a play doctor’s set.
 
 
Playing with band aides is a really great fine motor task for preschoolers.  Peeling them open, and pulling the backs off of the sticky part…Sticking them down…All so perfect for fine motor dexterity, bilateral coordination, & tip-to-tip pincer grasp. 
 
If you find some band aides on sale or at the dollar store, pick them up.  You can use those buggers in all kinds of fun pretend play and craft activities.
 
 
 
See, she will poke eyes!! You gotta watch this girl, people! She pokes while she says in the cutest possible little voice, “Eyyyyyyyeeessssssss”.  At least while your eye is being poked out, you can hear that cute little word haha!  (You may not have vision from that eye for  a few minutes…but still.)
 

 

Big Sister and Little Guy had so much fun playing doctor and giving the baby shots, applying band aides, checking her temperature/ears/heartbeat…
 
Older kids can also use our bone names activity for learning bone names.

 

 

 
And Baby Girl was busy doing what she does best…
 
Being Her.
 
“hmmm. Yup, I think I better spill these last drops of milk on the table.  Yes. That was a great idea.”
 
 
 

 

She did do a pretty great job with the body part thing!  She showed me the baby’s chin and leg.

 

 
We stuck the felt band aides to Baby Girl’s elbow and belly.  They stuck pretty well on her fleece top.  And then stuck them in the same places on her baby doll. 
 

 

 
I have no idea why (or how) there suddenly was a sticker on the back of Baby Girl’s head.  I’m thinking Little Guy had something to do with this one.
 
Brothers.
 
 
This baby had a rough day.

 

 

 
Big Sister finished up by giving baby a little bath time. 
 
 
 
And then of course, baby needs swaddled.
 
and chest compressions, apparently.
 

 

 

Colleen Beck, OTR/L has been an occupational therapist since 2000, working in school-based, hand therapy, outpatient peds, EI, and SNF. Colleen created The OT Toolbox to inspire therapists, teachers, and parents with easy and fun tools to help children thrive. Read her story about going from an OT making $3/hour (after paying for kids’ childcare) to a full-time OT resource creator for millions of readers. Want to collaborate? Send an email to contact@theottoolbox.com.

17 thoughts on “Body Parts Activities for Toddlers”

  1. Absolutely cutie!

    I remember my little missy §:-( times goes to quick. Now, she is 21 yrs old in April.

    Enjoy every minute with her coz when you wake up one day, she will tell you "Hi & Bye, Mum"…

    I enjoy browsing you blog. Hope to see you in Sweden.

    Greetings,
    /CC girl

  2. Oh, this is so cute!! My daughter went through a stage of putting band aids on all her dolls and stuffed animals. When I wouldn't give her band aids, she used stickers as band aids. It was so cute. Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!

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