The human body is something you'd think would be a natural object of understanding for humans, but not a huge number of people can boast knowledge of everything concerning these temples within which we live. Explaining it to children can prove difficult too - so what sort of things can you do to help your descriptions when those inevitable questions come along?
Children can be a lot smarter than we sometimes imagine. Many kids go through childhood experiencing various 'obsessions', where they find an interest and research it thoroughly; learning all there is to know about the subject. Take dinosaurs for example, which are always a popular interest. Most of us can probably think of at least one child who's been through the phase of reading up all about the giant lizards, collecting toys, watching the TV programmes, etc - if it's not us ourselves. This natural enthusiasm for learning is something that should be kept in mind - children, and humans in general, are inquisitive beings that thirst for knowledge. So it's important to latch onto this early and ensure kids get the most out of that early enthusiasm.
There are plenty of ways to encourage learning, such as books, DVDs, computer software and even plain old conversation. Children ask 'why?' a lot when growing up - and so do adults, albeit most of us do it quietly these days - and parents and teachers should capitalise on this inclination by telling them why, or how, or even what. What's more is that you'll probably get to enjoy it too.
A lot of the ways that kids learn stuff are usually fun. The books they read, the films they watch and even educational cartoons are designed to be amusing as well as instructive. This can make a welcome change from the slightly more stoic way of learning that grown-ups are used to, revisiting the basics in a bright and colourful manner that can prove entertaining as well. Opening up a book to help you teach your child about the human body can be a fun experience since children's literature is more about getting information across in an entertaining fashion rather than what comes across as quite inaccessible and stuffy by comparison in later years.
On top of all this, you spend time with the child, helping them to develop better social abilities whilst strengthening your own bond.
So what is there on the topic of the human body in particular? Depending on how old the child is, you could teach with anything ranging from rousing renditions of "head, shoulders, knees and toes" and the "hokey cokey" to question-and-answer sessions or reading books, watching television programmes and DVDs or using interactive CD ROMs or the internet.
There's a wealth of information out there concerning the human body, from your own personal knowledge to human body books - so don't feel restricted in what you can pass on as there's plenty of inspiration out there.
Adam Singleton writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.
