Why is core strength so important for your child?
Core strength is the development of the torso muscles that stabilize, align, and move the trunk of the body. Poor core strength can cause poor posture which can also affect gross motor and fine motor skills. Building strong core strength is like building a strong foundation for your child.
Core strength development starts as an infant. Ever wonder why “tummy time” is so important? Tummy time will prepare the infant for such developmental milestones such as crawling, rolling over, and sitting up independently.
For primary school-aged children, the best way to develop core strength is through good old fashioned exercise and play! Children need daily opportunities to run, jump, climb, crawl, and explore.
Children with poor core strength will tend to slump with shoulders rolled forward while seated, they have poor endurance, and they may exhibit poor balance just to name a few things.
There are many ways to help your child exercise to strengthen their core muscles and at Activate Kids we look to tick all of the boxes. What I often do is disguise some movements that really target the core but kids don’t realize that’s the main goal, like a bear crawl in the warm-up for example. Other ways of encouraging kids to take part in core strengthening exercises are to make the exercise fun and think of a creative name to call it.
Listed below are just a few exercises/activities for core strength:
- Wheelbarrow races
- Exercise ball
- Handstands
- Superman Pose – lying on the stomach and lifting arms and legs
- Sit-ups
- Lounge & Twist
- Twister – the game
- Crawling through a tunnel
- Obstacle courses
- Hop Scotch
Once you realize what exercise/activities your child likes it is then time to zone in on that one exercise and use it to full advantage when strengthening your child’s core because after all, it is vitally important!
Coach Shane ☺