Alexis Irazoque, M.S., CCC-SLP
One way to support your child’s language development is by helping them learn to identify and label their body parts. It might seem simple, but this skill is an important building block for communication, vocabulary growth, and body awareness.
Here’s a guide to teaching your child to label body parts, using everyday routines and play to make learning feel fun and natural.
Why is it important for a child to learn body parts?
Learning to identify and label body parts is a big language milestone for young children. It not only builds their vocabulary but also helps them communicate more clearly.
Here are some of the key reasons to teach your toddler to name body parts:
Language milestone: Knowing body parts is an important developmental milestone. It’s one of the early ways children learn to connect words with meaning.
Builds vocabulary: Learning the names of body parts helps expand your child’s vocabulary. This gives them more words to use in conversations.
Promotes communication: By learning body parts, children can express their needs, such as if something hurts, feels uncomfortable, or is enjoyable (like a tickle on their tummy).
Develops body awareness: When a child knows the names of their body parts, they gain a better understanding of their own body and how it moves. This awareness is important for their motor skills and spatial awareness.
Safety and body boundaries: Knowing the correct names for body parts, including private ones, helps children understand their own body and communicate their needs. This is especially important for teaching appropriate body boundaries and helping your child talk about any discomfort or unsafe situations.
When to start teaching your child the names of body parts
Children typically start recognizing and identifying body parts as early as 12 months old. By this age, we generally expect a toddler to be able to point to two different body parts (for example, eyes and toes). By 18 months, they should be able to point to at least one body part when named and identify about six different body parts on themselves or a toy.
If your child isn’t yet identifying body parts by these ages, there’s no need to panic. It simply means your toddler’s language development may be moving at a slower pace. Working on it with direct teaching can help. Direct teaching means actively showing or telling the child how to say a word or do a skill. To directly teach a new skill, we want to give clear examples, instructions, and practice to help the child learn.
How to teach your child to identify body parts
You can make it fun for your toddler to learn body parts by incorporating it into everyday routines and play. Here are some strategies that speech therapists recommend:
Use toys or dolls: Play with your child’s favorite doll, toy, or stuffed animal to introduce body part names. For example, point to the doll’s eyes and say “eyes!,” or put a hat on the doll’s head and say “head.” When playing pretend, you can feed the baby doll and say “mouth” as you put food near its mouth. By labeling the body parts of toys, you make it less like a quiz and more like a fun activity.
Research shows that children often learn to identify body parts on other people or objects before recognizing them on their own bodies. So, use objects like dolls or pictures, and then gradually transfer that knowledge to your child’s body.
Here’s another example. You can put sunglasses on the doll and say “eyes!” Then encourage your child to put the sunglasses on their own eyes and say, “Your eyes!”
Use daily routines: Teaching body parts doesn’t need to be a separate lesson. It can easily be part of your daily routines. Diaper changes, bath time, and dressing are all great opportunities to point out body parts. For example, during bath time, you might say, “I’m washing your belly.” Or during diaper changes, say, “I’m going to get your toes!” while pretending to eat your toddler’s toes.
What if your child has a hard time learning body parts?
If your child is having trouble grasping the concept of body parts, remember that they need to understand the word before they can say it. Here’s how to make it easier:
1 Start with body parts your child can see
Focus on easily visible body parts like their belly, toes, or hair. These are easier for them to identify.
2 Use exaggerated expressions and an excited voice when talking about body parts
This will capture your child’s attention.
3 Add physical touch and play into learning
For instance, while your child is lying down for a diaper change, you could say, “I’m going to get your belly!” and then tickle their belly or blow raspberries.
4 Sing songs using familiar tunes with body part labels
Songs are a great way to reinforce learning. Try using these examples:
“This is the way we touch our tummy, touch our tummy, touch our tummy…” (to the tune of "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush"). Point to your tummy and theirs as you sing, and your child may start to copy you!
“[Emmett] has a little nose, little nose, little nose…” (to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb"). Tap their nose or yours as you sing.
“Where is your eye? There it is! There it is!” (to the tune of "Where is Thumbkin?"). Point to your eye and encourage them to point to theirs.
5 Most importantly–keep it fun!
Don’t overwhelm your child by teaching too many body parts at once. Keep the lessons short and playful, and use lots of repetition. The more fun your child has, the more engaged they’ll be, and the faster they’ll learn.
Are you concerned about your toddler’s speech and language?
Teaching your child to identify and name body parts is a simple yet powerful way to support their language development and body awareness. While this article provides helpful tips, it’s important to remember that this information is not a substitute for speech and language therapy.
If you have concerns about your child’s communication, talk to their doctor and ask for a referral to a speech therapist. You can also take our free online screener to find out if your child is on track with their speech. Finally, our specialists are always happy to answer your questions during a free consultation call, so don’t hesitate to get in touch!
