Wondering how you can help kids strengthen their core muscles through fun and playful activities at home? Check out these fun ideas!
Core strengthening exercises for kids continues to be among the top search terms people use to find their way to The Inspired Treehouse. And…we are SO glad!
We have written about why core strengthening is so important for kids, we’ve featured great toys and games that promote core strength, and we’ve even showed off a quick tip for core strengthening along with some super creative homemade ways to strengthen the core.
But what if we told you that there are also lots of easy ways to strengthen the core through simple play at home? We’re talking about all of the fun stuff your kids might already be doing that really target those core muscles and make them strong. But first, let’s get a refresher about why strong tummy, back, and pelvic muscles are so crucial.
Core strengthening is essential for the progression of other developmental skills and is the center of control for everything else the body does. In order to keep your balance, perform coordinated movements on both sides of the body, sit up straight in a chair, control a pencil or scissors, or jump, you need a strong core!
We find that more and more kids these days are having difficulty with maintaining functional posture at home and in the classroom, and that decreased core strength commonly contributes to other issues like W-Sitting and delayed motor skill development.
Building Core Muscle Strength Through Play at Home
So let’s explore some of the ways that your child can build strength in her core muscles every single day through play!
Picking up objects from the floor.
Do you know that you can’t squat down to retrieve an object from the floor without engaging your core muscles? Yep, it’s true. Whether kids are competing in a relay race where they have to retrieve an object from the ground and return it to a container…or just cleaning up toys in the living room, they’re strengthening their core!
Climbing up a slide.
I know, I know…not everyone likes this one because of safety, but hear me out. Climbing up the slide rocks for so many areas of motor and sensory development, including helping to form a strong middle! Check out some more of our other rule-breaking playground games and activities!
Rolling down a hill.
Or any rolling at all! This is just plain old kid fun! And, really, you adults should try it too!
Lifting something heavy.
Kids can help bring groceries in from the car or take out the garbage – or make it even more fun – can they use a sheet to make a swing with two friends (two to hold the ends and one friend in the middle)?
Pushing and pulling activities.
Pushing a chair out of the way to sweep after dinner, pulling a heavy laundry basket across the room to move it out of the way, pushing a sibling or friend (or stuffed animal!) in a stroller or pulling them in a wagon.
Being on all fours.
Give your child a section of the floor to scrub squeaky clean! They will love the responsibility and they will get a hefty dose of core work. Playing in a quadruped position also works – try doing a puzzle or playing a board game in this position.
Doing somersaults!
So. much.fun! Check out our 10 Days to Conquer series to help kids learn how to do a somersault.
Climbing the stairs on all fours.
My kids love to race up the stairs this way – little do they know that they’re also getting a great core workout!
Click here to find all of our best core strengthening activities for kids in one place!
Family game night
Try Twister
Climbing trees
Riding bikes
Check out our best ideas for helping a child learn to ride a bike!
Sweeping or mopping floors, raking leaves, or shoveling snow
Check out these chores for kids for some other great ideas to keep your child helping around the house while strengthening their core!
Observe your child today. What activities is she doing that would require her to use her core muscles? Watch how she is moving her body and then repeat the movement yourself and really (I mean really) concentrate on your core. Do you feel that? Do you feel all of those muscles working? 
