Core Workout for Kids

By occupational therapists Loren Burnett, OTR/L & Madeleine McBroom, OTR/L, Children’s Therapy at Valley Medical Center

Performing these exercises will help your child build core muscles, supporting their overall core strength and stability. When performing the exercises, your child should not feel pain, and should remember to breathe when holding positions.

Why is core strength important? Having a strong core is important for nearly all of our daily activities, from sitting up at a table to eat a meal, to gross motor skills such as running, jumping and sports, and even fine motor skills such as cutting and handwriting.

How can you tell if your child’s core is weak? Signs your child may have a weak core include having poor posture, poor balance, tiring easily in sports, preferring to lay down instead of sitting upright, or using “W” sitting. What’s “W” sitting? “W” sitting is when a kid sits on their bottom with their knees in front of them and ankles out to each side – their legs end up forming a “W” shape. It widens their base of support which can be indicating they have a weak core and need more stability.

For more information, visit valleymed.org/childrenstherapy.