1. Unit 2 Children’s health and well-being
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2. LO3 Understand the physical care needs of children.
AC 3.1 Describe the physical care needs of children.
AC 3.2 Explain the role of the early years practitioner during:
nappy changing
toilet training
washing and bath time
care of skin, teeth and hair
meal times.
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3. LO3 Understand the physical care needs of children [AC 3.1]
Time: 15 mins
Write a sentence to provide a definition of the term ‘routine’.
List all the physical care needs of children.
Are some needs more relevant to different ages?
Group the care needs into different age brackets.
Teacher notes:
Learners should identify that care for children is both physical and emotional.
Useful resources:
Explanation of routines
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4. Physical care needs of children
LO3 Understand the physical care needs of children [AC 3.1]
Physical care needs of children
Routines will support the physical care needs of children.
Routines should provide a predictable and well-ordered environment, children know what to expect.
Routines are comforting and provide regularity, especially for babies as they enable them to adjust to their own body rhythms.
For toddlers, routines provide security and they are a way of teaching children about how to look after themselves.
The predictability of routines help to reduce anxiety and the child can develop self-control.
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5. Physical care needs of children
LO3 Understand the physical care needs of children [AC 3.1]
Physical care needs of children
Routines should provide a predictable and well-ordered environment.
Nappy changing
Provides the opportunity for parents and practitioners to bond with babies.
Toilet training
Encourages children to develop independence.
Washing and bath time
Shows children how to take care of themselves.
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6. Physical care needs of children
LO3 Understand the physical care needs of children [AC 3.1]
Physical care needs of children
Skin, teeth and hair
Provides the opportunity for children to be taught the importance of self care and how to look after themselves properly.
Meal times
These are when children can learn to use tools properly and have the opportunity to learn social skills.
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7. LO3 Understand the physical care needs of children [AC 3.1]
Time: 15 mins
In groups, discuss your own settings and describe the routines that you have in place to support the physical care needs of children:
Nappy changing
Toilet training
Washing and bath time
Skin, teeth and hair
Meal times.
Discuss similarities and differences to the approach in each of your settings. Why do you think that the approach is different in some settings?
Teacher notes:
This provides an opportunity to discuss the importance of routines.
Useful resources:
A useful Teacher’s TV video which shows routines in a primary school setting from Early Years
Routines – why they matter
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8. The role of the early years practitioner
LO3 Understand the physical care needs of children [AC 3.2]
The role of the early years practitioner
Many physical care needs involve intimate personal care. Practitioners need to consider:
How to provide respect and dignity
The welfare of the child.
As well as the above, it is the practitioner’s role to educate the child, to consider:
The holistic development of the child – learning to be independent, making their own choices
Provide encouragement of independence and making informed choices.
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9. What might the practitioner need to do? What should you be aware of?
LO3 Understand the physical care needs of children [AC 3.2]
Time: 15 mins
In groups, discuss how you can show respect and dignity when you are nappy changing or toilet training a child.
Consider:
What might the practitioner need to do?
What should you be aware of?
How can you encourage and reassure the child?
What should you not do?
Teacher notes:
Learners should consider the need to:
consult the child and parents
follow policies
gain written parental consent
use reflective practice
use private spaces
empathise with the child
seek advice/training when necessary.
N.B This safeguards the child and the practitioner.
They should not be bothered by accidents or criticise the child, but always encourage them in their efforts.
Useful resources:
NHS guide to potty training
Toilet teaching your child
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10. LO3 Understand the physical care needs of children [AC 3.2]
Time: 15 mins
1 In pairs, discuss washing and bath time routines, care of skin, teeth and hair and meal times.
How can you make these routines fun?
What are you teaching the children in each of these routines?
What skills are they learning?
How are they learning to care for themselves?
2 Look at the game cards provided for this session.
Sort them into positive and negative experiences for the child.
Explain all the reasons why you have categorised them as such.
Useful resources:
The game cards can be found on the accompanying worksheet.
Lots of information, tips and quizzes on bathing babies
NHS advice on teeth cleaning routines for children
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11. Do you know how to care for them if their condition requires it?
LO3 Understand the physical care needs of children [AC 3.1, 3.2]
Time: 15 mins
In your setting, list the children that you know of who have allergies, asthma, epilepsy, diabetes or other conditions. Use initials or pseudonyms, not children’s real names.
Do you know how to care for them if their condition requires it?
Consider all the other day-to-day routines, nappy changing, toilet training etc.
Do you know what stage each child is at and what their next goals are?
Teacher notes:
Learners could be encouraged to research these or other relevant conditions.
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12. LO3 Understand the physical care needs of children [AC 3.1, 3.2]
Time: 15 mins
Daily routines
What is a routine?
Give an example of a routine.
Give three reasons why routines are important for children.
Describe what you would do for a skin, teeth and hair or bath time routine for a young child.
What would theorists such as Bowlby, Skinner and Piaget have to say about routines? Do their theories support the use of routines in a child’s life? If so, how?
Teacher notes:
This provides an opportunity for learners to recap on what they have learnt and relate it to relevant theorists.
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13. Have identified physical care needs of children.
In this lesson we:
Have identified physical care needs of children.
Understand why routines are important and have outlined some of the routines that are in place in our settings.
Understand the importance of the role of the practitioner in providing for the welfare of the child and in educating them.
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14. Name four physical care needs children have.
Explain the importance of routines in meeting physical care needs.
Describe the role of the practitioner during two different physical care routines.
Outline the routines that you have in your setting.
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