Strong core muscles – those muscles in the abdomen, lower back, hips and pelvis – form the foundation of all movement and balance in children and are vital for their overall health. Besides supporting good posture and helping prevent injuries, a strong core also helps develop your child’s gross motor skills, such as running, jumping, climbing and skipping, and fine motor skills, such as handwriting and cutting.
Beyond the physical benefits, there are also mental benefits too: studies have shown that a strong core in children helps improve their concentration and focus and gives them stamina for their daily lives. In fact, many children who have trouble concentrating may not have disorders such as ADHD but relatively weak core muscles, making it challenging for them to sit at a desk for long periods. Other signs of a weak core can include slumping while standing or sitting down, leaning their head on their hand, desk or furniture while reading or writing, difficulty in fine motor activity such as writing, or avoiding gross motor activities like sports and outdoor games.
So, how can you help your child improve their core strength in a fun and engaging way? Besides sending your child to an occupational therapist, Fedhealth shares six core-strengthening games you can incorporate into your routine at home:
- Animal walk races
Try a game of animal walks—such as crab, bear, or frog hops – where your child pretends to be various animals by crawling on their hands and feet, kicking their legs in the air, or hopping or scooting backwards. These exercises engage multiple muscle groups, including the core muscles, while also helping to improve their coordination.
Level up the excitement and engagement by turning this into a race or obstacle course, or add soundtracks of different animals that they can pretend to be. This is also a great way of getting your kids outside and into the fresh air before they need to do homework or are allowed screen time.
- Yoga with a twist
Children’s yoga is excellent for building core strength, but adding a twist—literally—can make it more fun. Introduce poses like “starfish,” where your child balances on one hand and foot, or “superman,” where they lie on their stomachs and simultaneously lift their arms and legs in the air. Get them to do this while counting down or counting to the beat of a music soundtrack.
Besides doing yoga with your child at home (or doing a class on YouTube), you can also find kids’ yoga classes in your city or neighbourhood. Children’s yoga is becoming increasingly popular at regular yoga studios – Yoga South Africa has a directory of children’s yoga classes around the country.
- Balance games on a Bosu ball
Bosu balls—also known as wobble boards—are an excellent way to strengthen your child’s core. Standing on the unstable board or ball improves stability, engages the deep abdominal muscles and develops concentration.
If your child is able to do this relatively easily, you can level it up by having them toss a light ball or other object above their heads while standing on it. Bosu balls are easy to find at most sports stores and relatively inexpensive, making them easy to integrate into playtime at home.
- Rolling downhill
Rolling sideways down grassy hills isn’t just nostalgic—it’s also a full-body workout that’s excellent for gross motor development. As your child moves, the rotational movement activates their oblique muscles, and the effort of getting up and running back up the hill works their abdominal and back muscles.
If you don’t have a grass bank in your garden, try to find a nearby park with one, and if you live on the coast, a dune is excellent for this. If you have more than one child with you, turn it into a race or obstacle course for added entertainment.
- Build an indoor hammock or rope swing
If you don’t have a back garden, hanging a rope swing or hammock from an indoor beam is an excellent way to engage the core. As your child balances or swings, their abdominal and lower back muscles engage to keep them stable. This activity is both relaxing and strengthening, so it creates an ideal blend of fun and fitness. One caveat: make sure that your rope or hammock is hung securely to prevent injuries.
- Creative “cleaning” games
On rainy days or when you’re short on time to dedicate to specific exercises, turn your children’s tidying-up tasks into core-strengthening games. Instead of your child picking up toys with their hands, have them pick them up using their feet and move them into a pile, or get them to “crab walk” with a lightweight basket to collect toys.
These playful variations on everyday chores improve balance, flexibility, and core strength while instilling responsibility. Your child is also likely to be far more engaged if you get involved!
Improving your child’s core strength doesn’t have to be done in monotonous, structured workouts. Through a bit of imagination and playfulness, you can help your child build core strength while developing their balance, coordination and confidence. By fostering a positive attitude towards physical activity and movement, you’re not just improving their core strength: you’re also building the foundation for a lifetime of better health.
