Health, Safety, and Physical Education

Children develop self-help and personal hygiene skills.

Children begin to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to make nutritious food choices.

Children begin to develop an awareness of potential hazards in their environment.

Children develop competence and confidence in activities that require gross- and fine-motor skills.

Develop an awareness of healthy habits (e.g., use clean tissues, wash hands, handle food hygienically, brush teeth, and dress appropriately for the weather).

Demonstrate emerging self-help skills (e.g., developing independence when pouring, serving, and using utensils and when dressing and brushing teeth).

Explore foods and food groups (e.g., compare and contrast foods representative of various cultures by taste, color, texture, smell, and shape). 

Develop awareness of nutritious food choices (e.g., participate in classroom cooking activities, hold conversations with knowledgeable adults about daily nutritious meal and snack offerings).

Use safe practices indoors and out (e.g., wear bike helmets, walk in the classroom, understand how to participate in emergency drills, and understand why car seats and seat belts are used).

Develop an awareness of warning symbols and their meaning (e.g., red light, stop sign, poison symbol, etc.).

Identify community helpers who assist in maintaining a safe environment.

Know how to dial 911 for help.

Develop and refine gross-motor skills (e.g., hopping, galloping, jumping, running, and marching).

Develop and refine fine-motor skills (e.g., complete gradually more complex puzzles, use smaller-sized manipulatives during play, and use a variety of writing instruments in a conventional matter).

Use objects and props to develop spatial and coordination skills (e.g., throw and catch balls and Frisbees, twirl a hulahoop about the hips, walk a balance beam, lace different sized beads, and button and unbutton).