Physical touch as a love language

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