How to teach body parts in English to a 3–5-year-old: “Look at my…” and gentle moves (Pre-A1)

To teach body parts in English to a 3–5-year-old, start with four big parts you can both see: head, body, arms and legs. Point to your own head and say “Look at my head.”, then let your child point to theirs. When pointing is easy, add one gentle move, such as marching on the spot while you say “I can move my legs.” This first-steps topic (Pre-A1) suits children of about 3–5 with little or no English. Five minutes a day is enough, and you don’t need to speak English yourself: the cards and short exchanges below play every word.

Who this is for

Parents of 3–5-year-olds who have started English with greetings, colours or family words: body words are an easy next step, because they are always with you.
Active children who learn best on the move: every word comes with a small, safe action.
Quiet or shy children: pointing to a teddy or a picture counts, and nobody has to stand up.
Too early: if English is brand new at home, start with a short daily hello-and-goodbye routine (link below) and add body words after a week or two.
Too easy: if your child already says “Look at my arms.” and names parts of the face, move on to “this” and “these” with a paper face (link below).

Open the sample pages

Word cards

head

body

arms

legs

Conversation

Nia Look at my head.

Leo Look at my arms.

Nia I can turn my body.

Leo I can move my legs.

Language pattern

What can you show?

Look at my arms.

head
body
legs

More practice

Use helpful words

Nia touches her head and Leo stretches his arms on a low pad, next to a high pad and a safe garden movement trail.

Leo Is this safe?

Nia No. Use the low pad.

Leo I can move carefully.

Is this safe?

No. Use the low pad.

I can move carefully.

Learn this unit

How would you like to learn?

Four big parts to start with

Start with the parts your child can see, touch and move. They are always with you, so you can practise in the bath or while getting dressed. Play each card above, then say the word as you touch that part.

“Body” here means the middle of you: tummy, chest and back. “Arms” and “legs” end in “s” because we have two of each. Give every word its own touch:

head: pat it gently with both hands
body: give yourself a big hug
arms: stretch them out wide
legs: pat them from your knees down

“Look at my…”: show first, then say

“Look at my…” does a real job from day one: it asks someone to look. Ask “What can you show?” and wait. A point, one word or “Look at my arms.” are all good answers, and pointing to the right part already shows understanding.

Listen to these two lines together, then play them again and point along.

Nia Look at my head.

Leo Look at my arms.

“I can move my…”: one gentle move per word

Once your child points without help, give each word a move. “I can move my legs.” says what your body can do, and the move helps the word stick. “Turn” here is a small twist: feet still, body turning gently to one side, then the other.

Listen to the two lines below, then copy the moves together.

Nia I can turn my body.

Leo I can move my legs.

Keep the moves small and safe

Body words make children want to jump, so prepare first: a clear patch of floor, bare feet or non-slip socks, and nothing to climb on.

Agree on two signal words before you start: “Stop!” with a raised hand means freeze, and “Slowly!” means move like a sleepy tortoise. Every move here happens on the floor:

“I can move my arms.” – slow circles with straight arms
“I can move my legs.” – march on the spot
“I can turn my body.” – feet still, a gentle twist
“I can move my head.” – a slow nod for yes, a slow shake for no

Learn this unit your way

The “Show me!” game: five minutes at home

Play standing or sitting, and stop while your child still wants more. A child who prefers to stay still can point to the parts on a teddy instead: “Look at Teddy’s arms!”

Play one card and point to that part on yourself: “Look at my head.”
Say “Show me your head!” and let your child point to their own.
Add the move: “I can move my head.” Nod together, then call “Stop!”
After all four words, swap: your child calls a part or says “Look at my…”, you move it, and they decide when to call “Stop!”
Finish sitting down with a quiet twist: “I can turn my body.”

Common mistakes

Most of these are small and easy to fix:

Dropping “at”: in many languages “look” needs no extra word, so “Look my head” feels complete. Say “Look at my head” back and keep going.
One arm or two: lift one arm for “arm” and both for “arms”. The gesture teaches the “s” without a rule.
Mixing arms and hands, or legs and feet: stroke the whole arm for “arm”, and wiggle your fingers for “hand”.
“My” and “your” swapped: children copy your exact words and may say “Look at your arms” about their own. Point to them: “Your arms!”, then to yourself: “My arms!”
Too many words at once: four words used daily stick better than ten new ones in a week.

What comes next

When your child points to all four parts without help, move to the face: nose, mouth, eyes and ears, which bring in counting: “one nose”, “two eyes”. The song “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” then adds a few more parts. The animals article below uses the same looking and pointing with new words.

Frequently asked questions

Which body parts should a 3–5-year-old learn first in English?

Start with big parts your child can see and move: head, body, arms and legs. Then add the face: eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Fingers, toes, knees and shoulders can come later. Going from big to small keeps pointing easy.

Is “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” good for learning body parts?

Yes. Touching each part as you sing ties every word to its place. The traditional song has eight body words, so it works best once your child knows a few. Sing it gently at first; many children love it when each round gets faster.

What’s the difference between “arms” and “hands”, or “legs” and “feet”?

Your arm goes from shoulder to wrist; your hand is the part with the fingers. Your leg goes from hip to ankle; your foot is the part with the toes. Show the difference with a gesture rather than a translation.