It's NOT the Stork! / Amazing you! / Only for me

At around four years old, my children start asking questions about babies and where they come from and have questions about body parts. Four years of age is also the time we discuss nudity and privacy with our children. It's when we teach them about keeping their clothes on and keeping their private parts for them.

One of the easiest things we can do for our children from birth is to call our body parts by the correct name. Yes, let's normalise penis, testicles, scrotum, uterus, vagina and labia. The baby doesn't grow in the stomach (that's where our food goes!); the baby grows in the uterus. We don't poop the baby out, the baby comes out through the vagina.

Over the years, I've found two books consistently very helpful in navigating the world of sex education for preschoolers. I am always guided by the child and only give them as much information as I feel they want to know. Enough to satisfy all of their questions in a really accurate and friendly way. Without discussing it with other parents or educators, it may be difficult to know how much is age-appropriate, this is where these books really help.  

The first book is It's NOT the Stork! (UK here) (AU here) (worldwide here). It is written specifically for children. for ages four and up. It is a large book with lots of text, so I don't read it from front to back. I might read a section or just flip through it with the child. We also have It's so amazing! in the same series, for children seven years and up. 

The second book is Amazing you! (UK here) (AU here) (worldwide here). This is a little storybook that we can read from front to back with our children. It is written as a first guide to body awareness for preschoolers. 

A book that is new to us is Only for me (UK here) (AU here) (worldwide here). This is another storybook that we can read from front to back. I'd suggest from 3-4years+. This book is super important as it teaches children how to protect their bodies, to say no when they are touched in a way they don't like and to tell an adult if they are touched. The stats provided tell us that the most vulnerable age for children to be exposed to sexual assault is 3-8 years and abusers are most often a relative, friend, neighbour or acquaintance. This has been a great way for us to discuss appropriate and inappropriate touching and trusting adults. 

This post includes affiliate links. Thank you so much for your support!