Body image - everyone has an opinion about their own, but should children as young as three be having negative thoughts about theirs? Of course not, but this is the harsh reality of early years today.
As a nursery manager with over ten years’ experience I have seen, first-hand, an increase in children’s awareness around body image and a worrying lack of body confidence from these children who we care for.
Recent research from PACEY has shown that nearly a quarter (24 per cent) of childcare professionals have witnessed body confidence issues in children aged three- to five-years- old.
This increases to almost half (47 per cent) of childcare professionals witnessing anxieties about body image in six- to ten-year-olds. Statements such as 'I am fat', 'S/He is fat', 'I am ugly' are becoming commonplace amongst children in these age ranges.
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