Heart & Lungs for Preschoolers

The human body, including the heart and lungs, is a fabulous topic for young children!  When the weather is nice, we often spend our School Time outside.  We did this Sidewalk Chalk Heart & Lungs a few weeks ago, and the kids loved it!

Simple Supplies:

* Sidewalk chalk
* Happy, warm-weather loving kids

Easy How-To: 

1- Leaving a couple inches around your children (nobody likes chalk-covered clothes!), trace them with their choice in color of sidewalk chalk.  Name the different body parts like head, right arm, right hand, etc. as you go.

2- Have the children put their hand on their chest to feel their heartbeat.  If you have a stethoscope, let them listen too.  Talk about how the heart pumps blood to your whole body while pumping your hand as a visual.  Draw the heart onto each child's chalk body.  Let them choose the color again!

3- Instruct the children to put their hands on their chest again and take a deep breath.  Their lungs are like balloons inside their chest that fill up with air when they breathe in.  Draw the lungs onto each child's chalk body also, again letting them choose the color.

4- Let your children embellish and accessorize their chalk selves!  Play and have fun!

Other Talking Points:

* Blood carries oxygen to your whole body...even your brain and toes!  Each part of your body needs oxygen to work.
* Blood picks up oxygen from the lungs
* A giraffe heart weighs 25 pounds--this is about the same size as many 1 1/2-2 year old children!



I may share at any of these parties!