SMART START: Health, Wellness & Safety

This winter, our young learners have been learning all about health, wellness and safety through play based lessons.

This unit began with a pretend play activity. The class put on nurse attire and created a “Hospital.” Each student had their own patient to care for using a variety of medical instruments: stethoscopes, thermometers, tweezers, needles etc. We discussed numerous scenarios that may lead to a hospital visit such as being sick, injured or for an appointment.

The group circled outside for a story time about the human body. The importance of proper nutrition, exercise and sleep as well as the concept of germs were explained. A human body costume was worn to guide a discussion on organs and their functions.

SMART START Medical staff decorated fabric masks using puff paint, markers and fun shapes.

A nurse from Massachusetts General Hospital came to school. Classmates were very excited for this interactive presentation. The nurse instructed on how to not spread germs and certain symptoms that tell you when to visit the doctors. In addition, she brought multiple tools and demonstrated how to use them. Everyone enthusiastically listened to each other’s heartbeats using a real stethoscope! As their weekly homework assignment, students colored pages in themed packets the nurse brought for each child.

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. In honor of this event, our curriculum was largely focused on oral hygiene. Students put on scrubs and dramatic played as dentists. An assortment of themed materials were utilized as peers practiced brushing, flossing, counting teeth, taking x-rays and more.

Important tips and terminology were shared to the class while they played.

Here is some information learned:

🦷healthy foods (fruits, vegetables, protein) keep teeth clean and strong

🦷sugary foods (candy, juice, desserts) can cause cavities (a hole in the tooth)

🦷plaque (sticky germs on teeth) can cause cavities

🦷brushing teeth 2-3 times each day prevents plaque and cavities

🦷baby teeth start to get wiggly and fall out around age 5/6

🦷visiting the dentist regularly is very important for your health

A read aloud of, “Tooty the Tenderhearted Tooth” was completed to reinforce these topics. This book is a fun tale about a tooth who shares the dos and don’ts of tooth care and encourages children to visit the dentist without fear.

A pediatric nurse provided a health and safety zoom session. She shared her expertise on a vast amount of topics. In addition to children’s dental health, a few areas highlighted were car seat safety, emergency preparedness and water/pool protocols. Our young learners listened intently and eagerly absorbed all of the knowledge shared. This zoom was an excellent resource for our classroom. It connected us with a community hero to enhance our curriculum while also teaching students about technology.