As a special educator, one of your important tasks is to teach young learners the essential skill of keeping their hands to themselves. This skill not only promotes a safe and respectful learning environment but also helps children develop self-control and social skills.
In this blog post, we will provide you with a comprehensive lesson plan along with simple, no-prep activity ideas to teach preschoolers how to use safe hands at school. These activities are designed to engage and educate young minds while promoting positive behavior. Let’s get started!
Preschool Keeping Safe Hands Lesson Plan
Materials:
- Everyday Speech “Using Safe Hands” worksheet
- A picture book of your choice
Circle Time Discussion
Begin the lesson by gathering the preschoolers in a circle for a group discussion. This activity allows them to understand the importance of keeping their hands to themselves and helps set the tone for the lesson.
- Start by asking open-ended questions like “Why is it important to keep our hands to ourselves?” or “How does it feel when someone touches us without permission?”
- Encourage students to share their thoughts and experiences, fostering a sense of empathy and understanding.
- Guide the conversation towards respectful boundaries, personal space, and the concept of consent.
Storytime and Discussion
Reading an engaging story related to the topic can help preschoolers grasp the concept better. Choose a book that highlights the importance of using safe hands and respecting personal boundaries.
- Select a suitable picture book like “Hands Are Not for Hitting” by Martine Agassi or “Personal Space Camp” by Julia Cook.
- Read the story aloud, pausing occasionally to ask questions and encourage discussions.
- Discuss the characters’ actions and how they could have used safe hands instead.
- Relate the story to real-life situations at school and emphasize positive alternatives to physical contact.
Using Safe Hands Worksheet Activity
Worksheets provide hands-on learning experiences and reinforce the lesson’s key concepts. The “Using Safe Hands” worksheet activity is a no-prep option that encourages children to think about appropriate and inappropriate ways to use their hands.
- Distribute the “Using Safe Hands” worksheet to each child.
- Once completed, review the worksheet as a group and emphasize the importance of using safe hands.
Sample Video
Students learn best from watching real students their own age model skills. Try out this sample video-modeling lesson below. We offer our entire Social-Emotional Learning platform free for 30 days here!
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Teaching Kindergarten Students the Importance of Asking Permission
