The human body is a fascinating study and so is the pregnancy belly. Today, in my female study of human anatomy I’m sharing a fun craft. Also I have this Human Body Crafts page for more fun ideas.
Coming soon is a Human Reproduction and Development Free Unit Study for Big Kids homeschool lapbook that I know you’ll love.
To begin any study of human anatomy, it can be easier to talk to your kids by letting them make a hands-on craft.
Whether you want to cover a full anatomy unit study, or it is time to talk deeper about sex and reproduction you’ll want a relaxed approach.
Plus, I never shy away here from important topics for our kids.
So, if you’re teaching about puberty, pregnancy, conception, reproduction or similar topics, this hands-on activity makes it incredibly easy to understand.
And makes it a bit more real for your kids.
This project gently introduces the beauty of babies and female development.
It can easily be adjusted to your comfort level, your child’s maturity, and what you want to cover.
How a Baby Grows Resources
To give your middle schooler a little better idea of where and how a baby grows during pregnancy and how the body changes you can provide them with a fun activity.
It takes a little of the pressure off you both.
Even a too cool for school middle schooler will enjoy the relaxing and fun break from worksheets to dig into playdough.
Here are a few books you can add to this activity to round out the reproduction unit study.
If you don’t already have some of your own that you like, these books can be used for more than just a reproduction topic.
So, your kids will get a lot of use out of them.
Basher Science Human Body book has a small section in the beginning on several good terms such as man and woman, baby, sperm, egg, cell, stem cell, and DNA.
The series is a good reference tool for covering the topic. While the books are a little silly they are recommended for ages 10 and up and make a great addition to a middle school bookshelf.
The Fascinating Human Body Book may be a little young for your middle schooler.
However, depending on the maturity level it may be just right.
It covers small chunks of many different topics and has great illustrations.
Finally, the Anatomicum book is great anytime you are doing a study of any part of anatomy.
It is a handy reference book to add to your shelf permanently because it has beautifully illustrated diagrams on male and female.
Human Body Crafts
- Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids
- How to Turn a Pizza Into a Fun Edible Human Cell Model
- How To Make A Fun Bones Of The Hand Labeled X-Ray Craft
- 7 Human Skull Facts and Cool Human Skull Anatomy Activity
- How to Make a Fun Hands-on Playdough Brain Activity
- Major Organs of The Human Body Labeled Fun Felt Anatomy Activity
- Fun Resources and Books About The Human Body For Preschoolers
- 8 Eye Facts & Human Body Activities Middle School & Fun Eye Model
- 12 Human Body Games For Middle School & High School
- Craft a Fun Hand Straw Model to Explore Human Anatomy Muscles & Tendons
- How to Make a Human DIY Heart Model Easy Craft for Kids
- 8 Facts About the Respiratory System & Fun Lung Craft for Kids
- 7 Human Body Facts and Kids Human Body T-Shirt Project
- Fun Edible Spine
- Making Blood + What Are the Components of Blood
- DIY Heart Pump
- Kids Stethoscope Activity
- Build An Edible DNA Model
- Edible Skin
- Rigid versus Flexible Bone Activity.
- Pregnancy Belly Female Study of Human Anatomy Kids Fun Craft
Reproduction Female Study of Anatomy
Next, look at this easy hands-on pregnancy belly craft. It requires a few easy ingredients.
- Playdough in several colors
- A Paper and pen
- Plastic mini baby or tiny doll.
We got a bag of these adorable lifelike babies to use in our unit study. They were a little pricey, but we plan to use many of them in different ways.
Start by looking up photos of the female reproductive system and recreate the female reproductive organs with playdough.
You could then have your child label the various parts like fallopian tubes and uterus. Be as detailed or as general as you like.
Use this opportunity to demonstrate the path of the egg with a pointer (or pencil) and how a period is your body’s response to an egg not being fertilized.
Next research Google photos or a book of a cross section for a basic outline of the female body.
Have your child draw a basic outline of a pregnant female body. This gives them a rough shape to work on and helps to create a visual of where organs and systems are in relation to each other.
I found it easy to start by making the outline of the uterus and making sure our little baby fit inside it first then worked my way out with the other organs.
Roll playdough into snakes and coil to make the small and large intestines. Then bunch them up.
Too, you’ll want to add these other human body or anatomy resources.
Other Anatomy and Human Body Resources
- Beautiful Human Body Lapbook and Fun Unit Study
- Making Blood + What Are the Components of Blood
- Fun Edible Spine
- Mega List Free Resources for Human Body Homeschool Unit Study. Crafts, Lesson Plans,Teachers Guides for Elementary, Middle and High School
- DIY Heart Pump
Then continuing with the craft. Your child can make each system a different color if he or she likes. That makes for a great visual overall for all the systems of the body.
If your focus is just on reproduction, just make those organs a particular color and all others something else.
Be sure to show how as the baby grows and the uterus expands organs are shifted and pressed affecting everything.
Everything doesn’t have to be in proportion.
You just want them to understand the general makeup of the body and where it is in relation to each other as well as how and where the baby grows.
You might also have them recreate a sperm and egg with playdough as you talk about the job of each.
In addition, understanding X and Y chromosomes are a very important part of reproduction.
If you are at the point of teaching it, you could also demonstrate how the baby’s head eventually turns downward.
And explain the path it takes as it is delivered demonstrating how the body opens and adjusts naturally to allow this to happen.
Human reproduction and development are not easy subject to talk about with kids of any age.
It’s an amazing and complex process which leads to the birth of a human being.
And I hope having this easy hands-on lesson will help you to make this topic a little easier to teach to your kids.
What do you think?
Cynthia @ Activefamilychiroaz says
It is important to ensure that any educational materials or craft activities related to pregnancy and the human body are age-appropriate and presented in a way that is respectful and accurate. Children can benefit from learning about pregnancy and childbirth, but it is important to use materials that are appropriate for their age and developmental level.
Cynthia @ Activefamilychiroaz recently posted…Are Chiropractors REAL Doctors?
Tina Robertson says
Yes thanks Cynthia which is why we homeschool. AFter using materials with my three young adults, I agree that it’s age appropriate. Not all kids have the same questions but black and white drawings seem to work across the board with most kids