Body Awareness

Knowing where the body is, how big it is, and how its parts move.

What Body Awareness Means

Body awareness is the sense of where your body parts are and how they move, even without looking. It helps a child fit through spaces, find their arms and legs in clothing, and move at a comfortable pace around people and objects.

How It Supports Daily Activities

  • Finding the right opening for an arm or a head when putting on a shirt.
  • Fitting through a doorway or between chairs without bumping.
  • Sitting down on a chair at the right distance from the table.

Three Starter Activities

Pick one that fits your child today. Offer choices, adjust as you go, and stop whenever your child wants a break.

Activity 1: Body Part Hunt

Materials

  • A few stickers or small stamps
  • A mirror (optional)
  • A list of body parts the child knows

Simple steps

  1. Name a body part, such as elbow, knee, or shoulder.
  2. Invite the child to place a sticker on their own clothes at that spot.
  3. Let the child name a body part for you to try.
  4. Add silly combinations, like 'sticker on your knee and your shoulder'.
  5. Peel the stickers off together at the end, if the child enjoys that.

Easier version

Start with large, familiar parts like hands and feet.

Harder version

Try less familiar parts, such as wrist, ankle, or back, or use two body parts at once.

Activity 2: Tunnel and Under-the-Table Crawl

Materials

  • A play tunnel, a large box, or a blanket draped over chairs
  • Soft flooring
  • A small toy to find at the other end

Simple steps

  1. Set up the tunnel or the blanket space.
  2. Place a small toy at the far end.
  3. Invite the child to crawl through to get it, in their own way.
  4. Watch for how they decide how big or small to make their body.
  5. Switch to going around, then through, then under, for fun.

Easier version

Use a wide tunnel with a short route.

Harder version

Use a narrower space, or add a turn in the middle.

Activity 3: Big Shirt Dress-Up

Materials

  • A few oversized shirts, jackets, or smocks
  • A chair or a bench for sitting
  • A mirror (optional)

Simple steps

  1. Lay out a big shirt with the front facing up.
  2. Invite the child to find the neck opening and an arm hole.
  3. Talk about where the arm goes and how the sleeve feels, if the child wants to.
  4. Let the child decide how much help to accept.
  5. Take the shirt off afterward as a second practice.

Easier version

Use a very large, soft shirt, and practice one sleeve at a time.

Harder version

Use a shirt that fits more closely, or practice with no help.

Practice Respectfully

  • Offer choices, such as which activity, which materials, or what comes first.
  • Take breaks anytime, and let your child end an activity.
  • Offer only the help your child accepts, and step back if they would rather try alone.
  • Never require eye contact or touch. Sitting beside your child and sharing attention on the same object counts as taking part.
  • Supervise any activity with small parts, and choose materials that suit your child's age.

Observing Participation

A few short notes after each try can show what is working. Keep them factual and kind.

  • Step attempted: Which part of the activity did your child try or complete?
  • Assistance needed: Did they do it on their own, or with a picture, a spoken reminder, a demonstration, or hands-on help they accepted?
  • Child's response: Did they seem curious, comfortable, or in need of a break? What did they choose?

For this skill: Notice whether the child finds body parts in the right place and whether they adjust their movement to fit the space.

Example note: "Tried the second step with a picture cue, took a break after two tries, asked to try again later."

Connect It to Dressing

T-Shirt Dressing Visual Sequence

Finding the neck opening and the sleeves depends on body awareness. The picture sequence shows where each part goes.

See this skill at work in our free short-sleeve T-shirt guide, or find the picture sequence listed in Guides & Downloads. Purchased and member downloads are delivered through Payhip and the membership area, not from this page.

Related Skills

← Back to All Skills Back to Activities

Written by Chinaedu Okwumabua, an occupational therapy assistant with more than 20 years of experience supporting children with autism and developmental delays.

This information is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for an individualized occupational therapy evaluation, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Every child is different, so choose activities that suit your child, and adjust or stop whenever needed.