Digestive System
Kids are fascinated
with the in and out process of the digestive system. Most of them have never
considered the connection before. Expect lots more bathroom conversation for a
few days. Don’t worry. As the mystery goes, so does the silliness.
Objectives
Children participating will begin to understand the concept of
food digestion
recognize pictures of digestive system
and they will be able to draw a semblance of digestive system on pre-drawn
figure
Children ages 2-2 ½ years can associate body parts with their functions such as
mouth and eating Lang. IIA
Materials
Diagram and picture of
digestive system; model or "Visible Man or Woman" (if available);
tray with small cup of ice water; papers with pre-drawn body outlines; felt
pens or crayons.
Procedures
1. Gather children around the table and show them pictures or
model of the digestive system. Ask them if they know what happens to their food
when they eat it. Talk about chewing food with their teeth and swallowing. Then
what happens? (Refer to pictures and model.) Describe how food goes down a tube
to their stomach where the food gets mixed up and ready for their body to use
to live and grow. Show the intestines and describe how the food gets taken into
their body through the walls of the intestines. All the extra stuff from the
food that can't be used by the body goes to the colon. Since their body can't
use it and they can't keep all that stuff piling up inside, what happens?
(Right! Poo Poo, BM, etc.)
2. Give each child a cup of ice water and have them all drink at the same time,
feeling the cold water in their mouths, down their throats, and into their
stomachs. Describe how extra liquids go through the kidneys to their bladders.
Then what happens? (Right again!)
3. Give children the pre-drawn body outlines and let them draw in their own
version of the digestive system. Refer to the pictures and/or model, ask
children about their drawings, and review the processes again.
|