Grade by Grade
Strands C and D: Self-Regulation and Well-Being; Belonging and Contributing · Me, My Feelings and My Community

Healthy Habits and Staying Safe

C16.1 C16.2 C16.3 C16.4About 25 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can name healthy foods and drink water when I'm thirsty.
  • I can wash my hands the right way, and I know when to wash them.
  • I know that moving, resting and sleeping help my body and mind.
  • I know what to do if I feel unsafe: say no, get away, and tell a trusted grown-up.
  • I know not to touch medicine or cleaning products without a grown-up.

Words to know

healthy
Good for your body and mind.
nutritious
Food that helps your body grow strong.
germs
Tiny living things, too small to see, that can make us sick.
unsafe
Something that could hurt you, or makes you feel scared or uncomfortable.
emergency
When someone is badly hurt or in danger and needs help right away.
private parts
The parts of your body covered by a bathing suit.

Strong and healthy me!

Grown-up, read this part out loud.

Flex your arms like a superhero! 💪 Your body is amazing. It helps you run, play, think and grow.

Today we'll learn how to keep your body healthy and safe.

Healthy food

Nutritious foods help you grow, think and play. A healthy plate has:

  • Lots of vegetables and fruits 🥕🍎 (half the plate!)
  • Whole grain foods like whole wheat bread, oatmeal or brown rice 🍞
  • Protein foods like beans, eggs, fish, chicken, nuts, tofu, yogurt or cheese 🥚

When you are thirsty, water is the best drink! 💧

Families all over the world eat different healthy foods, like rice, roti, bannock, pasta or tortillas.

A plate with vegetables and fruit on half, brown rice on one quarter and chicken on one quarter, with a glass of water.
Look at this healthy plate: half is vegetables and fruit, one quarter is whole grains, and one quarter is protein. Water is a great drink. AI-generated image
vegetablesand fruitswholegrainsproteinfoodswater
A healthy plate, like the one in Canada's Food Guide: half vegetables and fruits, a quarter whole grain foods, a quarter protein foods, and water to drink.

Busy time and quiet time

Your body needs both.

  • Active time: run, jump, dance, play outside. 🏃
  • Quiet time: read a book, do a puzzle, rest. 📖
  • Sleep: Your body grows while you sleep! Children your age need lots of sleep every night. 😴

Clean hands, healthy body

Germs are so tiny you can't see them. Some germs can make us sick. Washing your hands gets rid of germs.

How to wash your hands:

  1. Wet your hands. 💧
  2. Add soap. 🧼
  3. Rub, rub, rub: palms, backs, between fingers, and thumbs, for about 20 seconds. (Sing the ABC song!)
  4. Rinse.
  5. Dry with a clean towel.

When to wash: before you eat, after the toilet, after you blow your nose or sneeze, and after playing outside.

1Wet2Soap3Rub4Rinse5DryRub for about 20 seconds: palms, backs, between fingers, thumbs.
The five hand-washing steps in order. The rub step is the long one: about 20 seconds, as long as singing the ABC song.

More healthy habits

  • Cough or sneeze into your elbow. 🤧
  • Brush your teeth in the morning and at bedtime. 🪥
  • Use a tissue to blow your nose, then throw it away and wash your hands.
Just for fun

What did the soap say to the germs?

“Time for you to wash off and bubble away!” 🧼

Staying safe

Sometimes things can feel unsafe or uncomfortable. Remember these three steps:

  1. Say NO in a strong voice. ✋
  2. Get away. 🏃
  3. Tell a trusted grown-up. 🗣️ If they don't listen, keep telling until someone helps.

In the next lesson, you'll learn how to stay safe on screens and what to do if you get lost.

My body belongs to me

Your private parts are the parts of your body covered by a bathing suit.

  • If anyone touches you in a way that makes you feel unsafe, scared or confused, say no, get away and tell a trusted grown-up.
  • You will not get in trouble for telling. It is never your fault.
  • We don't keep secrets about touching. Surprises, like a birthday present, are fun because everyone finds out soon.

Things that can hurt our bodies

  • Medicine can look like candy, but it is not candy. Only take medicine from a trusted grown-up. 💊
  • Cleaning products can hurt you. Never taste or touch them. 🧴
  • This symbol means poison: danger! ☠️ If you see it, don't touch, and tell a grown-up.

Calling 911

911 is a phone number for emergencies, like a fire, or someone badly hurt who can't wake up. Only call 911 in a real emergency. 🚑

Worked example

Let's practise: what would you do?

You are at the park. A grown-up you don't know says, "Come with me to see my puppy." What should you do?

  1. Think: Do I know this person? No. Did my grown-up say it's okay? No.
  2. Say NO in a strong voice: "No!"
  3. Get away: Go right back to your grown-up.
  4. Tell: "A grown-up I don't know asked me to go see his puppy."

Say no, get away, tell a trusted grown-up. You never go anywhere with someone without checking with your grown-up first.

Hands-on activity

Germ glitter and a healthy snack

Part 1: Germ glitter (You need: hand lotion or a little cooking oil, glitter or cinnamon, soap and water.)

  1. Rub a little lotion on your hands. Sprinkle on some glitter. Pretend the glitter is germs!
  2. Shake hands with your grown-up. Did the "germs" move to their hands?
  3. Try to wash off the glitter with just water. Then wash with soap for 20 seconds. Which works better?

Part 2: Healthy snack plate

Help your grown-up make a snack with a vegetable or fruit, a whole grain, and a protein, like apple slices, whole grain crackers and cheese. Drink a glass of water with it!

Talk about it: "Why do we use soap? How does a healthy snack help your body?"

Your turn

1

🥕 🍭 🍎 🍟

Point to the two foods that are best to eat every day.

2

Show me how to wash your hands. Sing the ABC song while you rub!

3

Where should you sneeze or cough?

4

When you are thirsty, what is the best drink?

5

What are the 3 safety steps if you feel unsafe?

6

💊 You find pills on the floor. They look like candy. What do you do?

7

What number do we call in an emergency?

More practice: warm-up

1

Should you wash your hands before you eat?

2

When do you brush your teeth?

3

Name one fruit you like.

4

Show me 1 minute of jumping, then 1 minute of resting quietly.

5

☠️ What does this symbol mean?

More practice: on your own

1

Name 2 times you should wash your hands.

2

Why is sleep important?

3

Make a healthy plate! Name one vegetable or fruit, one grain food and one protein food.

4

Someone tells you to keep a secret about touching. What should you do?

5

Grandpa fell down and won't wake up. You are the only one with him. What can you do?

Challenge

1

Why does soap work better than just water to wash away germs?

2

Is this an emergency? "My crayon broke." Should you call 911?

3

Your friend found a bottle under the sink and wants to drink it. What do you say and do?

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

What is the best drink when you're thirsty?

2.

When should you wash your hands?

3.

If you feel unsafe, what do you do?

4.

Medicine that looks like candy is...

5.

Which is a healthy habit?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Children learn how healthy, active living affects body and mind (C16.1), explore healthy eating (C16.2), practise hygiene (C16.3), and talk about what to do when they feel unsafe and how to get help (C16.4).

About personal safety (please read): The Kindergarten Curriculum (2026) asks children to talk about feeling unsafe, online or in person, and how to get help. This lesson covers in-person safety, harmful substances and 911; the next lesson, Feeling Safe Online and In Person, adds screens and getting lost. This lesson uses simple, calm language: private parts are the parts covered by a bathing suit; say no, get away, tell; it is never your fault; no secrets about touching. Help your child name several trusted adults (inside and outside your home). If your child ever tells you something worrying, stay calm, thank them for telling you, and contact your local children's aid society or police. Many families also teach the correct names of body parts at home; Grade 1 Health continues this topic.

Food: The healthy plate follows Canada's Food Guide (2019). Avoid calling foods "good" or "bad"; "everyday" and "sometimes" foods works well.

How to help at home:

  • Practise handwashing together, singing the ABC song.
  • Store medicines and cleaning products up high or locked, and practise "Is it safe? Ask first!"
  • Teach your child their address and a grown-up's phone number. Practise a pretend 911 call with a toy phone; explain it's only for real emergencies.

Common difficulties:

  • Rushing handwashing. Use the song or a sand timer.
  • Worrying after the safety talk. Keep it matter-of-fact, like road safety. Remind them that most people are kind and that grown-ups' job is to keep them safe.