The part of a child's body that is visible provides valuable learning opportunities when it comes to helping children look after themselves.
However, with today's focus on child health, it is interesting that what lies inside the body is rarely covered.
Offering pre-school children an opportunity to see what lies inside the body can help them make connections between healthy activities and the effect these have on their bodies.
Some people have reservations about introducing pre-school children to the names and positions of the internal organs. The insides of an object that cannot be seen are often considered abstract concepts, beyond the understanding of young children. Piaget suggested children have a limited ability to reason about unobservable features or things they cannot see (Howe, 1996) and this contributes to the impression that children under the age of seven years are not capable of engaging with such information (Health Education Authority, 1990).
However, research shows that greater knowledge about the body enhances compliance with healthcare regimes. Giving the example of asthma, Schmidt (2001) suggested that young children with asthma were more likely to inhale their medication if they understood how the lungs worked.
Bruner (1966) proposed that any subject could be taught to any child at any age providing the information was presented in a form the child could engage with. Bruner (1977) also proposed the concept of the spiral curriculum where topics and ideas are developed through spirally reviewing and updating information, as topics are revisited on a regular basis. Each time the topic is re-visited as the child progresses through the education system, the information increases in complexity and builds on what children already know and can do.
Giving children the names and positions of the internal organs is not intended to result in understanding of bodily processes (children generally do not link bodily systems together until they reach eight to ten years of age), but it does provide opportunities to learn new words and information that can be stored for future reference.
Introducing information Research findings have shown that children in the early years age range are ready to be introduced to the names and positions of some of the main internal organs (Schmidt, 2001; Gaudion, 1997), but it needs to be done sensitively and with careful planning. It is important, as children across a wide age range hold many misconceptions about bodily functions and their internal anatomy, and these are resistant to change as children progress through their school years and even into adulthood.
Abstract concepts can be explored by linking them to everyday experiences, enabling them to become concrete. Gaudion (1997) emphasised the importance of enabling children to link sensory stimulation such as the heart beat or pulse to the acquisition of knowledge about the inside of the body.
This approach has been promoted through the Foundation Stage Curriculum in the physical development area of learning. Practitioners are encouraged to promote discussions with children about 'the changes that happen to their bodies when they are active' by showing them that their hearts beat faster after exercise, and why this might be (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, 2000).
Other examples of sensory stimulation include feeling bones under the skin, swallowing, and watching the chest rise and fall as we inhale and exhale.
To provide a practical demonstration with visual examples of how organs work you can:
* Inflate balloons, then release the air to show how the lungs change as we breathe.
* Crunch biscuits in a transparent bag with a little water to show how the stomach breaks down food.
* Cut the base off a plastic bottle, turn it upside down and fill it with water to show how the bladder fills up when we drink, and when the lid is removed and the water flows out, how the bladder empties when we go to the toilet.
Simple verbal explanations of the functions of different organs during activities also play an important role in increasing children's awareness of their own bodies, combined with a template showing where each of the organs can be found.
Make your resources Most resources introducing children to the internal organs of the body are traditionally used with older children and are too complex for the pre-school age range. There are few learning aids or activities that can be used by pre-school children as hands-on, interactive learning experiences.
Pre-school practitioners are known for their innovation and creativity, and design a lot of novel materials for teaching more obscure subjects. So how about making your own set of learning resources scaled to the individual size of the children?
The template provides a scaled representation of nine of the major internal organs of the body and can be enlarged to whatever size you like (the size of your clenched fist reflects the size of your heart).
A variety of materials can be used to make the organ shapes, ranging from thick paper and card, to materials such as 'foam-tastic' that provide a more rigid and robust organ piece. Padded felt organs can be made and attached through flexible fixing such as Velcro or magnets if using a magnetic board.
Please note: You need to be aware that looking at the body is like looking in the mirror - your left is facing the body's right, and visa versa. NW Alison Tonkin is NVQ manager for care and early years at Stanmore College, Middlesex
Building up the 'internal map'
Position: Organs in the body overlap each other. Following the order shown on the right gives you the right layering when you position the organs working from the back towards the front of the body.
Colour: Colour-coding the organs makes it easier for children to recognise them. Be sure to tell children that the organs are all a brownish-red colour - you have only used these colours to help them see the different organs.
Function: These are basic and simple descriptions you may like to use.
Children do not link organs together into systems until eight to10 years old. However, you will probably find it easier to link the organs involved with digestion (2-4 & 5) and the urinary tract (1&6) as their functions are related.
References
* Bruner J (1966) Toward a Theory of Instruction. Harvard University Press.
Cambridge.
* Bruner J (1977) The Process of Education. Harvard University Press.
Cambridge.
* Gaudion C (1997): Children's Knowledge of Internal anatomy. Paediatric Nursing 9, 14-17.
* Health Education Authority (1990) Health for Life 1: A Teacher's Planning Guide to Health Education in the Primary School. Nelson.
* Howe AC (1996): Development of Science Concepts within a Vygotskian Framework. Science Education 80, 35-51.
* Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (2000) Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage. QCA Publications.
* Schmidt CK (2001): Development of children's body knowledge, using knowledge of the lungs as an exemplar. Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing 24, 177-191.