Preschool

1-3 Years Old

This age is explorative, dynamic, and filled with curiosity. It’s important to understand that everything they are seeing and experiencing, they are doing so for the very first time. They will make comments, ask questions, seek answers (sometimes loudly), and adapt their thinking when they get new, interesting information. It’s typical that they will have what seems like 1,000,000 questions and they may need some direct support in asking those questions in respectful ways and times. They may make observations about bodies (both their own and others’), relationships, gender, sexual orientation, culture, race, and disability. During this age it is important to teach and model using anatomical words for body parts, like penis, testicle, vulva, vagina, anus, breasts, etc. and to teach personal hygiene, privacy, safe touch, and consent to promote safety.

Youth might... 

  • Explore their bodies 

  • Ask questions about their body parts and the body parts of others 

  • Comment on others’ bodies as a way of gathering information 

  • Ask questions about pregnancy and where babies come from  

  • Ask questions about gender 

  • Ask questions about the relationships of others and family relationships (parents, family roles, family structures)

Resources for Preschoolers by Topic!

Resources with an asterisk* next to them are for supportive adults only. All other resources are to be used by supportive adults and youth together!