Developing personal care skills is a crucial part of early childhood development, laying the foundation for lifelong habits of health and hygiene. From learning to wash their hands to mastering the routines of feeding and dressing themselves, these skills not only promote physical well-being but also independence and self-confidence in young children.
What is Personal Care?
Personal care is a child’s ability to respond and initiate routines for hygiene, feeding and dressing herself. Personal care routines are critical to protect the health and safety of young children (Burger, 2010)
Why is Personal Care Important?
As children develop, they explore their bodies, wonder about gender and gain self-care strategies, such as toileting, teeth-brushing and maintaining physical health through diet and exercise. In early childhood, development is supported by proper hygiene, including washing hands, toileting and learning basic measures to prevent the spread of germs.
Teeth Cleaning STEAM Station is featured in the Experience Preschool All About Me theme.
How Do Children Learn Personal Care Skills Over Time?
Infants receive appropriate healthcare from caregivers and respond when physical needs are not met.
Toddlers recognize the difference between dirty and clean, point to body parts when prompted and participate in taking care of some personal needs, such as feeding themselves.
Preschoolers wash hands, use the toilet and brush their teeth. They describe the function of
basic body parts, follow a routine of rest and active play, and meet most personal needs independently. They will start to explain how germs spread and offer simple strategies for preventing the spread.
Primary schoolers explain the importance of nutrition, exercise and rest in maintaining wellness. With a few reminders, they demonstrate an ability to maintain personal hygiene independently. They describe how to deal with health concerns of themselves and others.
Our integrated curriculum system uniquely weaves 35 research-based skills into playful games and discovery projects. The cross-disciplinary model supports a child’s on-going social-emotional, physical, language and cognitive development. See what children learn through play and download the Developmental Continuum of Skills.
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