How Bodies Change wellbeing lesson plan
A primary wellbeing lesson for Years 1 and 2 that helps Australian teachers introduce how bodies grow and change over time through a structured, ready-to-teach lesson. Students learn simple, factual language for describing body changes and practise understanding that everybody grows and changes at their own pace. The lesson keeps the focus calm and age-appropriate, helping students build early confidence around body changes while reinforcing respect, privacy and safe help-seeking.
Sex & Relationships Education
Snapshot
How Bodies Change
This gives teachers a structured way to introduce body growth and change using simple, factual, age-appropriate language.
Prep time:
5 to 10 minutes
Lesson length:
45 to 50 minutes
Key Focus
Understanding that bodies grow and change over time
Lesson Format
Teacher-led discussion and structured activities
What students will learn
By the end of the lesson, students will be supported to:
Recognise
Recognise that bodies grow and change throughout life.
Recognise examples of body changes, such as growing taller, losing baby teeth or gaining new skills.
Recognise that everybody grows and changes at their own pace.
Understand
Understand that body changes are a normal part of growing up.
Understand that some body changes happen at different times for different people.
Practise
Practise using respectful, factual language when talking about body changes.
Practise identifying a trusted adult to talk to if they have questions about their body.
Practise showing respect for privacy and personal boundaries when discussing bodies.
Who this lesson is for?
This lesson is designed for younger primary students in Years 1 and 2 who are beginning to learn about body growth and change in simple, factual terms.
It is suitable for:
primary wellbeing lessons
Health or PDHPE teaching
pastoral care, circle time or advisory sessions
early puberty education or body awareness learning
respectful relationships and protective behaviours work
Suitability should be based on more than age alone. Teachers should consider the lesson focus, student maturity, cohort needs, classroom culture, existing discussion norms and available support pathways.
Best used when
Use this lesson when students need clear, practical language for recognising unkind behaviour and knowing what to do next.
Introducing body growth and change Use when students are learning early language for body changes and growth for the first time.
Building a Health or PDHPE unit Use when body changes forms part of a broader Health or PDHPE sequence on growth and development.
Reinforcing respect and privacy Use when reinforcing respectful language and personal boundaries around bodies.
Supporting protective behaviours learning Use alongside broader protective behaviours or respectful relationships teaching.
Preparing for transition Use when students are moving into new stages of schooling and may have early questions about growing up.
Creating a structured wellbeing discussion Use when you want a calm, teacher-led discussion about body changes and growth.
The lesson can be used proactively with the whole class. It does not need to follow a specific incident.
Why this lesson matters
Young students often notice body changes in themselves and their peers well before they have the language to talk about them calmly and factually. Introducing body growth and change early gives students a shared, respectful vocabulary and helps normalise the idea that growth happens differently for everyone. It also opens the door for students to ask questions and know who they can speak to if something feels confusing or unclear. This lesson supports a classroom culture where body changes are discussed factually and respectfully, without shame or comparison, and where students understand that trusted adults are available to help with questions.
How this lesson supports wellbeing
This lesson supports student wellbeing by building practical social and emotional skills students can use in everyday school life. It helps students develop:
Capability How the lesson supports it
Body awareness Students build early understanding that bodies grow and change over time.
Respectful language Students practise using calm, factual words when talking about body changes.
Privacy and boundaries Students recognise the importance of privacy when discussing bodies.
Help-seeking Students learn who they can talk to if they have questions about their body.
Self-acceptance Students recognise that growing and changing at their own pace is normal.
Protective behaviours Students connect body awareness with broader safety and boundary skills.
For teachers and school leaders, the lesson contributes to broader wellbeing, respectful relationships, child safety and pastoral care goals in Australian primary schools.
Teaching notes & Delivery Considerations
This lesson includes content about unkind behaviour, exclusion and asking adults for help. It should be taught with calm, clear discussion norms.
Before teaching
Remind students that bodies grow and change differently for everyone, and there is no single normal pathway
Frame discussion around general growth and change, not personal appearance or comparison
Identify trusted adults students can speak to if they have questions about their own body
Be prepared to follow your school's child safety, wellbeing or child protection procedures if a student discloses harm or says they feel unsafe.
During delivery
Use simple, factual examples such as growing taller, losing teeth or gaining new skills
Avoid singling out individual students when discussing body changes
Keep language body-respectful and avoid comments about appearance
Allow students to ask questions and respond calmly and factually
Supporting safe discussion
Remind students not to name classmates or share personal stories about others
Reinforce that privacy and personal boundaries matter when talking about bodies
Explain that questions about their own body can be shared with a trusted adult
Adaptation options
Use simple visuals or discussion prompts for younger or less verbal groups
Spend more time on trusted adults if students need support identifying who to ask
Adjust pacing depending on prior learning and classroom readiness
