Core Strength

A strong core is critical for both gross and fine motor development of a child. Lack of core stability can not only make certain motor skills difficult to perform but can also lead to pain as a teenager and adult. 

Your "core" is considered all the muscles in-between the pelvic floor and diaphragm. Their main purpose is to protect and stabilize the spine. Your core is generally active during most, if not all body movements. When a child is rolling, sitting, walking, running, or jumping, the core muscles provide stability to help them perform the movement, keep them upright and prevent falling. 

Simple and fun activities that help build up your child’s core strength can easily be incorporated into their daily routine. Here are some examples of activities you may want to try at home. Remember to cater to the ability of your child and to not do any activity you do not feel comfortable with. All activities can be done with as little, or as much assistance as necessary.

• Wheelbarrow walking races (where the child ‘walks’ on their hand and adults hold their feet off the ground) to develop upper body strength – measure how far you can go!

• Riding a bicycle, tricycle, or a balance bike.

• Create an obstacle course by including unstable surfaces, eg. Pillows – this type of activity requires strength and will also help to increase your child’s endurance. Time how fast they can go!

• Play animal walks by pretending to be a variety of animals such as crabs, frogs, bears, worms or kangaroos! All of these use the child’s body weight as resistance.

• Set up a mini ‘core strength circuit’, and have your child complete:

  • Superman or Airplane where your child stretches out while laying on their tummy. Try to lift arms and legs off the floor with hands facing forward and palms down.

• Sit-ups or crunches. 

• Bridge. Encourage your child to lie on their back with their knees bent and feet resting flat on the ground. Have them lift their backside off of the ground high enough that a toy car or ball can be pushed underneath them.

• Plank positions:

  • Four point kneel, where your child assumes a crawling position on hands and knees. Have them extend opposite arm and leg for 5 sec each – try to increase the time held each set!

  • Elbow plank, where your child uses their elbows/forearms and toes for support.

  • Make sure their back is straight, and their bottom doesn’t slouch down or extend upward.

  • Time how long they can hold this for, and aim for 30 seconds.

• Encourage your child to try new equipment at the playground, eg. swings, climbing, monkey bars, slides and poles are all activities that assist in increasing core strength.

• Encourage your child so sit with correct posture during seated activities