Small ways to teach babies and toddlers body safety and consent in early learning

In early childhood education and care (ECEC), the concept of consent is often misunderstood as something too advanced for babies and toddlers. Yet, foundational learning around body safety, agency and respectful relationships begins in the earliest months of life, and early learning settings are uniquely placed to nurture it.

While very young children may not yet grasp the full meaning of consent, they can experience and internalise what it feels like to be respected, listened to and given choices. These experiences lay the groundwork for lifelong understandings of autonomy, boundaries and personal safety.

Teaching body safety in early learning does not require formal lessons or complex resources. It starts with intentional, respectful interactions during everyday routines, nappy changes, mealtimes, greetings and transitions.

• Seeking permission before touching: Saying “I’m going to pick you up now” or “Can I wipe your nose?” gives children a moment of preparation and models respectful communication.
• Acknowledging refusals: If a child turns away or says “no”, educators can affirm that response by pausing, validating their feeling and explaining the next step: “I hear you don’t want your nappy changed, but your body needs to be clean. I’ll be gentle and quick.”
• Using correct anatomical language: Naming all body parts, including genitals, accurately and without shame supports body awareness and reduces vulnerability.
• Offering real choices: Encouraging toddlers to choose between two shirts or decide how they want to be comforted (“Would you like a cuddle or to sit nearby?”) builds agency and confidence.

These micro-moments of choice, affirmation and respect communicate to even the youngest children that their bodies are their own and their voices matter.

The Pikler approach: Consent begins with caregiving

This approach aligns closely with the Pikler philosophy, developed by Hungarian paediatrician Dr Emmi Pikler. Central to Pikler’s work is the understanding that infants are active participants in their own care and deserve the same respect and communication as older children.

In practice, the Pikler approach encourages educators to:

• Slow down and engage with each child during caregiving routines.
• Explain what they are going to do before doing it.
• Wait for the child’s non-verbal or verbal response.
• Maintain consistent, predictable routines that support trust and emotional safety.

Through these practices, babies and toddlers learn that their cues matter and that their bodily autonomy is respected. These interactions foster secure attachments, build confidence, and set the foundation for understanding consent and personal boundaries.

These respectful, relationship-based practices are not just pedagogically sound—they are also essential to fulfilling the sector’s obligations under the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations and the National Quality Standard, specifically Quality Areas 2 and 5.

The National Principles emphasise the importance of empowering children, respecting their rights, and creating environments where they are safe, heard and supported. When educators take time to listen to infants, validate their signals, and uphold their choices, they are putting these principles into action.

ECEC professionals have an opportunity to lead a cultural shift away from outdated norms that prioritise adult convenience over child comfort, such as insisting children hug adults goodbye or minimising their resistance to care routines.

Instead, by modelling consent-based language and respectful caregiving, educators teach that every child has a right to body autonomy, comfort and safety.

As the sector deepens its commitment to child safety through the Child Safe Standards, the National Principles, and evolving early childhood frameworks, there is a clear opportunity to embed body autonomy, choice and trust from the very beginning.

Teaching consent to babies and toddlers is not only possible, it is foundational. It begins with the small, consistent acts of respect that tell every child: your body belongs to you, and you have a right to be safe.