Fun Ways to Improve Core Strength at Home
Children can be very resistant when asked to do “exercise” because it is challenging. The following activities are fun ways to incorporate exercise to encourage improving core strength.
4 Fun Ways to Improve Core Strength at Home:
- Have your child lie on their back on the floor, with their knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Then have your child lift up their hips and hold it to make a bridge.
Drive cars or have fish toys swim under the bridge to encourage them to participate. For an easier version, have them rest in between each fish or car. For a more challenging version, have them maintain the bridge until all the fish or cars have gone under the bridge. - Play board games or do puzzles while your child is lying on the floor on their stomach. They can use their elbows/forearms to support them. Your child may not even realize they are “exercising” since they will be distracted by the game.
- Challenge your child to travel to and from places in the house using only crab walk, bear walk, or wheel barrel walk. This will incorporate strengthening the core muscles at different times during the day and allows the child a choice of what they would like to do.
- Sing “Row row row your boat” while two people are sitting in long sitting and holding hands, one person sits up while the other goes down to the floor on their back.
Drive cars or have fish toys swim under the bridge to encourage them to participate. For an easier version, have them rest in between each fish or car. For a more challenging version, have them maintain the bridge until all the fish or cars have gone under the bridge.Adequate core strength is important for establishing a stable base for performing most fine and gross motor activities. These activities will help to build core strength in fun ways for your child!
Stay tuned for ways to encourage core strengthening on the playground!