Wondering how to teach safe touch unsafe touch to your toddler and preschoolers? Check out how you can talk about unsafe touch, the best books on good touch bad touch, and body safety, the best resources and videos on teaching about body safety to preschoolers, and other ideas that have worked with other moms.
Child sexual abuse remains one of the most unfortunate truths for millions of children from all classes and creeds in our country. It is not only girls, but boys too face domestic abuse, and sexual violence, at home, in school, and in other places. National Crime Report Bureau of India has disclosed that more than 109 children are sexually abused every day.
Any type of abuse has a lasting consequence on a child’s life. As parents the onus to keep our children safe lies on us.
After almost a year of staying in close proximity with their parents or caregivers, children will soon be back to school; will join other classes, and will again start meeting other people. So this also makes it a good time to talk about safe and unsafe touch.
While we talk to our kids about safety and good/bad or safe/unsafe touch, it is important that we don’t intimidate them; talk about it in simple ways making it easy for them to understand.
Let us start with the basics.
Safe touch Unsafe touch Posters and worksheets for kids
If you are in a hurry and are looking for Good touch bad touch posters and activity set printables, Click here.
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Click here to download this NO-PREP safe touch unsafe touch bundle
When should I teach my child good touch and bad touch (safe touch unsafe touch)?
When you start talking to your child about body parts and organs, you can tell them about private parts and the names for these.
Ideally when your child starts communicating, or when the child starts going out (or staying at home) without any primary caregiver, it is best to keep your child informed about safe and unsafe touch. Bath times are considered perfect times to do this.
What is the right age to talk about body safety?
There is no right age to teach about body safety. whenever your child starts communicating and understanding your words well, you can teach them about keeping safe. It could be as early as 2 years.
How do I teach my child appropriate touch?
To teach your child about appropriate touch it is very important to make them understand what is an unsafe touch.
So do explain in simple language what is an unsafe touch and then kids will slowly understand what is an appropriate touch. Touch like hugs, and hand-holding by parents is all a part of safe touch or good touch. Anything that makes one uncomfortable is unsafe and inappropriate touch.
What is an unsafe touch?
An unsafe touch can hurt; it can make you feel uncomfortable. When someone touches you inappropriately, they touch your private parts (parts that are covered by a swimsuit) or your lips. Anybody indulging in such activity will want you to keep it a secret.
How do you teach your child to protect themselves?
When an unsafe person tries to touch you, it is not your fault, don’t feel sad or guilty about it; just say a loud NO and go away from that person. Reach out for help immediately and tell someone from your safety network.
How do you teach children about body safety?
You can teach your child about body safety with the help of books, videos, and posters. While you show or read to your child about body safety keep it non-serious and light while not losing focus on the aim of the activity, i.e. making your child confident and equipped to handle situations and not become a victim of child abuse.
How do I talk to my child about inappropriate touch?
here are multiple ways to talk to your child about inappropriate touch – it could be a frank conversation, books, videos, activities, games, or anything else that works for you. What is best for both of you will depend on case to case basis
I personally find books are one of the best ways to introduce this topic to children. so we will soon look at BEST good touch bad touch books for preschoolers
10 points on good touch and bad touch
With child molestation and physical abuse getting rampant, it is important to teach your children about good touch and bad touch — for the abuser is generally the one who is much known to the family.
Here’s what your child needs to know about good touch and bad touch.
1. If a touch makes your child feel secure, loved, and happy it is a good touch.
2. If the child is uncomfortable, nervous, or feels insecure because of someone’s touch, it is a bad touch.
3. Keep them aware of threats such as “don’t tell anyone” — which is a straight implication of a bad touch.
4. Teach your child it is their body and no one has the right to touch them unless they want to be touched.
5. Enlighten them certain parts of the body are private and no one else can touch them.
6. An appropriate touch should be reported to you immediately. In the case of school, the child needs to bring it to the attention of the class teacher.
7. Explain to your child that a good touch will never make them uncomfortable or afraid but a bad touch will.
8. When a child feels threatened, teach them to run away from that place or scream for help.
9. Talk to your child about sexual development, sexual identity, and other related topics. Teach them the names of their body parts.
10. Teach your child about the three touches. Safe, unsafe, and unwanted. Though unwanted touch might be safe if the child doesn’t want it from that person or at that moment. It is okay for a child to say “noâ€
Best good touch bad touch/ safe touch unsafe touch books for preschoolers
Books are a very handy tool to talk about Safe/Unsafe Touch
There are several good books that cover Body Safety and Safe/Unsafe touch. Some of the good books are listed below
- My Body What I Say Goes by Jayneen Sanders (one of the best body safety books)
- No Means No By Jayneen Sanders (Teaches about personal boundaries)
- I Said No! by Kimberly King (one of the best books to teach good touch bad touch to kindergarteners)
- Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept by Jayneen Sanders (one of the best children’s books about not keeping secrets)
- Not Everyone Is Nice by Frederick Alimonti ( story on good touch and bad touch )
- Do you Have A secret by Jeniffer Moore- Malinos ( children’s book about not keeping secrets
- Keep Your Child Safe, Body Safety Book Set By CoCobear
- My Body Belongs To Me From My Head To My Toes
My Body What I Say Goes by Jayneen Sanders (one of the best body safety books)
This is a very handy and must-have book for all parents. I got this book when my child started going to preschool. He absolutely loved it and often talked about his body and safe and unsafe touch. This is a book that will grow with the child.
No Means No By Jayneen Sanders (Teaches about personal boundaries)
This book by Jayneen Sanders can be used to introduce our children to personal boundaries. Slightly overpriced book, however, following the discussion questions and notes to the reader you can make good use of the book in empowering and educating your child.
I Said No! by Kimberly King (one of the best books to teach good touch bad touch to kindergarteners)
The book in an easy manner introduces children to their body, appropriate/inappropriate touch, and how to respond in various situations. It makes it easy for kids and parents to start a conversation and discuss a serious topic like child abuse.
Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept by Jayneen Sanders (one of the best children’s books about not keeping secrets)
This is a beautiful Children’s picture book that talks about safety and inappropriate touch. The simple yet useful content and beautiful illustrations make it one of the best books on good touch/bad touch. There are also notes for the reader and discussion questions at the back helping the reader to make conversations around this topic stress-free for children. The book is suitable for 3-12 years of children.
Not Everyone Is Nice by Frederick Alimonti ( story on good touch and bad touch)
This book talks about dealing with strangers and how not everyone who looks nice may not be nice. This whole thing is introduced through a story.
Do you Have A secret by Jeniffer Moore– Malinos ( children’s book about not keeping secrets)
The book is a great conversation starter, children love secrets and surprises, and often get confused between the two; this book can help them understand the same and much more.
Keep Your Child Safe, Body Safety Book Set By CoCobear (Best good touch bad touch book in India)
This book set by Cocobear is a comprehensive collection of books on Body Safety. Perfect for 2 to 7 years old children
My Body Belongs To Me From My Head To My Toes
This book talks about instilling confidence in children. Makes them understand when to raise their voice and when they are touched inappropriately.
Where to buy Best books on safe and unsafe touch online (arranged by price)
Best Videos to teach safe and unsafe touch to kids
Videos can be a great medium to show how a predator behaves and the feelings children experience.
Listing here a few videos that you can use to educate your child on safe and unsafe touch.
KOMAL A film on Child Sexual Abuse CSA:
This video is a very good resource as it is from an Indian setting and the story is quite realistic. The unsafe person is someone the family trusts, which is true in the majority of CSA cases.
My Body Safety Rules – 5 Things Every Child Should Know
Protect Yourself Rules- Safe Touch / Unsafe Touch
Other ways in which children can be told about our bodies and safe touch
1. A frank conversation:
While our bodies are beautiful and not something to feel ashamed about, we must tell our children about private parts and that private parts are very personal (private) to an individual. One must not touch another’s private parts and not let anybody else touch their private part.
Begin by telling and using correct names for all body parts. In simple words, the parts covered under a swimsuit/ Bikini are private parts and they are not “willy, ee-pee, nunu, chhichhi “, the private parts are called Penis, Vulva, Vagina, anus, and breasts. When we use correct names in our regular conversations, they know they can talk about these parts with us without feeling ashamed.
Tell your child to name people they feel comfortable and safe with, it could be family members, teachers, an adult they know well.
Form a safety network for your child in consultation with your child and ask your child to reach out to them whenever they want to share something.
2. By playing games
What are some Good touch bad touch games
Roleplay
I remember my Boarding School days when our warden used to have a few girls perform a role play on Safe and unsafe touch and demonstrate few simple Self-defense tricks.
Role play is a very good way to teach children about Safe and Unsafe touch. At home, You can do a role-play asking your child a few questions like-
What would you do if a stranger approached you with a candy/toy?
Would you shake hands or accept hugs from auntie Neena or uncle Sid (friends or relatives they know well)?
Who will you tell if someone tries to touch you inappropriately or makes you uncomfortable or shows you their private part and so on…
Best toys to introduce Safe and unsafe touch and Body Parts (Puzzles and posters)
How do you teach a child to protect themselves?
Children must be told to follow two things when they sense danger; they must shout “NO†or “STOP†and reach out to the nearest safe person, it could be a teacher, a parent or a caregiver and explain to them what happened.
Posters to Teach Good Touch Bad Touch To Your Children (Good touch bad touch chart)
You can use this special (LIMITED TIME LINK) to download these posters today
Check out below video to see what all is included
These points can be ready reckoners for your child to keep them safe and away from unsafe people
Did you like this article on how to teach good touch bad touch to preschoolers?
Hope this post was helpful, have healthy conversations with your child and let them know you are always there for him/her. If you found it useful do not forget to share it with your friends and family.
