A parent’s role in their child’s sexual development starts the day they are born. Sexuality education is an ongoing and evolving discussion that changes as your child grows.

For more information about why talking with your child about sexuality is important, read Talking to Your Children About Sex.

Guidelines of Positive Sexual Development

• Might have a lot of questions
• Learning to trust caregivers
• Genital touching/masturbation
• Curious about other children’s body parts
• Playing with roles, e.g. girlfriend/boyfriend
• Saying “no”

How to Support your 3 to 5-Year-Old

• Continue nurturing positive feelings about their body and what it can do.
• Continue to teach your child that they have the right to say “no” to any unwanted touch. Explain when touch they don’t want might still need to happen for their health, safety or protection.
• Encourage your child to come to you with questions.
• Answer sexuality questions with the same simple language you would any other question. Picture books can help support learning and development.
• Widen your child’s perception of what boys and girls are capable of doing.
• Touching genitals and masturbating is normal; continue teaching the concept of privacy and private spaces.
• Playmates of similar ages may explore each other’s genitals in a consensual, playful, curiosity-focused manner.
• Physical trauma to genitals is a cause for concern and may require medical attention.

Behaviours