Has your 5-7-year-old son started asking you questions about his boy anatomy? They tend to be very curious about their penis and want everyone to know about their questions. This is normal and healthy exploration on the part of your son, but make sure you answer his questions.

This illustration from my book, I’m a Boy, Special Me, is a great place to start. I always encourage small 7-minute chats with our boys. You can probably hold their attention that long, especially if it includes a favorite treat to eat!

Illustration from I’m a Boy, Special Me

There are lots of questions that could be raised, but one question he might have is what is inside his penis. A great answer is that there is a tube inside that the pee passes through.  The hole at the end of his penis is where the pee comes out. The tube is called the urethra. All around the urethra inside the penis it is spongy-feeling.

Don’t worry if big anatomy words like urethra bother him now.  As he reads my next book on puberty, I will use that word over and over. He will eventually get it!

Something you can do to give him an idea about the anatomy of the penis is to find a round sponge. Put a plastic straw through the middle of the sponge. Pour water down the straw and you have a great visual that is easy for him to understand. It works great!