The Importance of Core Strength for School Readiness: Insights from an Occupational Therapist
When preparing a child for school, many parents focus on skills like reading, writing, and social interactions. However, one key area that is often overlooked is core strength. A strong core helps children sit upright, concentrate during lessons, and take part in physical activities like running, jumping, and playing. Core strength plays a critical role in a child’s ability to succeed in school, and an Occupational Therapist can help build this essential foundation.
At OneOnOne Children’s Therapy in Bondi Junction and Mascot, our team of experienced Occupational Therapists works with children to improve their core strength to support their school readiness. In this blog, we’ll explore why core strength is so important and how an Occupational Therapist can help your child develop it.
Why is Core Strength Important?
Core strength refers to the muscles in the abdomen, lower back, hips, and pelvis. These muscles work together to stabilise the body, allowing children to maintain posture, balance, and movement control. Strong core muscles help children perform daily tasks such as sitting at a desk, writing, and participating in school sports.
Children with weak core strength may struggle to sit upright for long periods, slouch in their chairs, or tire easily. This can affect their focus and involvement in classroom activities. An Occupational Therapist can assess your child’s core strength and design exercises to help strengthen these muscles, ensuring they are ready for school.
How Core Strength Affects School Readiness
1. Sitting Upright
Children need strong core muscles to sit upright at a desk or on the floor during lessons. If your child has weak core strength, they may slouch, lean on their desk, or constantly shift in their seat. This discomfort can distract them from focusing on tasks like writing or listening to the teacher.
An Occupational Therapist works on improving postural control to help children sit with good posture, so they can concentrate better during class.
2. Writing and Fine Motor Skills
Core strength supports fine motor skills, which are essential for writing, drawing, and cutting. When core muscles are weak, children may struggle to stabilise their bodies while using their hands for fine motor activities. This instability can make writing or cutting difficult and exhausting.
An Occupational Therapist can provide activities to improve core stability, helping children gain the control they need for fine motor tasks.
3. Physical Play and Coordination
Strong core muscles are essential for gross motor skills, like running, jumping, and balancing. These physical activities are crucial for both physical health and social development. Children with good core strength can participate more fully in games and sports, which helps them build confidence and make friends.
An Occupational Therapist can create engaging exercises that target gross motor skills and improve coordination, giving children the tools they need to thrive both physically and socially.
4. Attention and Focus
Children with poor core strength may use extra energy trying to stay balanced or comfortable, which leaves them with less energy to focus on learning. Constant fidgeting or slouching can be signs of weak core muscles. By developing strong core muscles with the help of an Occupational Therapist, children find it easier to stay seated and focus on tasks during lessons.
How to Build Core Strength at Home
Building core strength doesn’t require special equipment. With guidance from an Occupational Therapist, you can incorporate simple activities at home that help your child develop strong core muscles.
1. Animal Walks
Animal walks are a fun way to strengthen core muscles while keeping children engaged. Encourage your child to walk like animals, such as:
- Bear walks: Hands and feet on the floor, hips lifted.
- Crab walks: Sitting on the floor, lifting hips, and walking using hands and feet.
- Frog jumps: Squatting down and jumping forward like a frog.
These activities, recommended by an Occupational Therapist, help develop balance, coordination, and core strength.
2. Planks
Planks are an excellent exercise for core strength. Have your child lie face down on the floor and lift their body onto their hands and toes, keeping their body straight. Start with short periods (about 10 seconds), and increase the time as their strength improves. An Occupational Therapist can provide variations of this exercise to make it fun and challenging.
3. Balancing on One Leg
This simple activity improves balance and core stability. Have your child stand on one leg and hold their balance for as long as possible. Turn it into a game by challenging them to balance while passing a ball or holding a toy. An Occupational Therapist may use this exercise to boost both core strength and concentration.
4. Play on Swings
Swinging engages the core muscles and improves coordination. Encourage your child to swing back and forth by pumping their legs. This activity, often recommended by an Occupational Therapist, helps build balance and body control while strengthening core muscles.
5. Tummy Time
For younger children, tummy time helps build core muscles and upper body strength. Encourage your child to lie on their stomach while playing with toys or looking at books. This activity engages the muscles in the back, shoulders, and neck, which are key to school readiness. An Occupational Therapist can provide more tummy time activities to strengthen these muscles.
When to Seek Help from an Occupational Therapist
If your child struggles to sit still, slouches often, or finds physical activities difficult, it may be time to consult an Occupational Therapist. At OneOnOne Children’s Therapy in Bondi Junction and Mascot, our skilled Occupational Therapists specialise in building core strength through fun and effective exercises. We can assess your child’s core stability and create a personalised plan to support their school readiness.
Conclusion
Core strength plays a crucial role in your child’s ability to sit upright, focus, and engage in physical activities. By building core strength, children can improve their posture, fine motor skills, and attention, all of which are vital for success in school. Fun activities like animal walks, planks, and swinging can help strengthen your child’s core muscles and prepare them for school life.
If you’re concerned about your child’s core strength or school readiness, our team of Occupational Therapists at OneOnOne Children’s Therapy in Bondi Junction and Mascot is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your child’s development and ensure they are ready for school success. Our Occupational Therapists are members of AHPRA.
