Tamsin Grimmer and Angelica Celinska explore physical touch as a way in which early childhood educators can demonstrate their love to children in their care. As one of the love languages, physical touch can be demonstrated in many different ways, and needs to be part of getting to know each unique child. This episode includes considerations around different types of appropriate and loving physical touch, children’s consent and agency, safeguarding, power dynamics, role modelling and consistency between home and the setting.

Tamsin and Angelica tap into:

00:40 – Love languages
04:00 – Why is physical touch so important?
06:45 – Different ways of using touch
08:45 – Physical touch and safeguarding
09:45 – Auditing physical touch
11:15 – Consent and children’s rights
12:45 – Tuning into behaviour
13:20 – Agency and nappy changing
14:55 – Role modelling consent and choice
17:30 – Encouraging consent between children
18:10 – Consistency at home and in the setting
20:00 – Sharing as an abstract concept
21:40 – Equalling out power dynamics through loving pedagogy
23:00 – Role modelling the sharing of feelings
25:40 – Not all children respond well to physical touch

Read Tamsin Grimmer’s article: Tuning into children’s love languages on The Voice of Early Childhood website: www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com

Physical touch as a love language 28:40 Share

The Voice of Early Childhood

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Physical touch as a love language