Body measurement

Other languages　: Arabic

Kindergartens in Japan conduct health checkup and body measurement of children regularly. It is for monitoring children’s health condition and recording their physical development. The example here is the latter one “body measurement” which is often seen in Kindergartens in Japan either monthly or termly. The most popular body measurements in Japan, height and weight, are shown here. The results are recorded in a tool for communication with parents and guardian called “communication notebook (otayori-cho),” and shared with them. Kindergartens try to collaborate with parents and guardians so that it could provide best education and care to each and every child in the institutions that differs from one another.

Target grade:

All ages in Kindergarten

Activity category:

Kindergarten, Body measurement

Time:

30 to 40 minutes once a month or once a term

Aim:

For children:

To have interest in own height and weight
To have interest in own body development, health, and disease prevention

For parents and guardians, as well as kindergartens:

To monitor children’s health physical development
To collaboratively ensure children’s health physical development by sharing the data with parents and guardians

Teaching materials and equipment necessary:

Weight measure

height measure

Record sheet of body measurement (or spread sheet on PC or Tablet)

Communication tool to share the result with parents and guardians (ex. “Otayori-cho” in Japan

Implementation procedures:

(1) Annual plan

Set the body measurement of children in kindergarten’s annual plan so that time slot will be secured for the event. It is usually conducted either once a month or once a term in Japan.

(2) Preparation

Assign teachers responsible for measuring instruments, recording sheer (or spread sheet on PC or tablet), communication tool for sharing with parents and guardians, etc. Divide a class into some groups so that one group goes to measuring height first, while the other goes to weight. If the kindergarten opts for using communication notebook (otayori-cho), select the one that has a page for body measurement record. If not, you may format a report card with using spread sheet where a table shows all the record the kindergarten schedules for the particular year or the entire kindergarten stages. If the kindergarten uses ICT communication tool, you may create a special page for each child to show the body measurement record. Or simply plot it onto excel spread sheet and share it with parents through e-mail or SNS message.

(3) Measuring and recording

Make sure to let children go to bathroom before the measuring. Assign several teachers like the one for taking care of children queuing, the one for measuring heights, and the one for weights. In addition, a teacher for recording the result. They also need to prepare for sharing the result with parents and guardians on the communication tool that the kindergarten uses.

During the measurement, teachers may talk to children so that they will be aware about the importance of healthy development of their body by knowing their own heights and weights.

(4) Sharing the result with parents and guardians

The result shall be shared with parents and guardians using the communication tool. In Japan, many kindergartens use communication notebook that each child take home with him/her. If it is found that the child either loses the weight or gets shorter, class teacher shall work with health teacher or school nurse/doctor and see how best they should react to the situation including communicating with parents and guardians.

Reference:

There are some cases in Egypt where measuring scales are pasted on wall.