What is a penis?
A penis is an important part of a boy's body. It's part of what makes boys' bodies different from girls' bodies!
The penis is an organ located at the base of a boy's crotch. The small hole at the tip of the penis is the opening of the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body. That's how a boy pees!
The penis is also part of the reproductive system. Underneath the penis is a sac of skin called the scrotum. Inside the scrotum are the testicles. When a boy matures during puberty, the testicles are where the body produces sperm. Sperm are the small cells that carry half the genes a baby will inherit from a parent. Sperm created in the testicles can fertilize a woman's egg to create a baby.
Exploration
Boys' bodies and girls' bodies might be different in some ways, but they're similar in a whole lot of ways, too! Can you make a list of the ways they're the same? Different? Show your list to a parent or grownup and talk about what you thought up. See what they can think of with you!
Further Information
The penis is often referred to as part of a boy's "private parts." That's because it's part of the body we keep clothed and private. We usually touch this area when we wash or go to the bathroom. A parent or doctor may touch this area for the same reasons, or check it to make sure it's okay. But nobody else should touch this part of your body. If that happens, tell a trusted grown-up.
