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Muscular System Facts for Kids

Anatomy makes a great subject for kids to start learning early, but a lot of terminology may be too advanced for young minds to understand. When looking to introduce kids to anatomy and physiology, focus on the basics and keep the terminology and explanations simple. When talking about the muscular system, relate the movements to ideas they already known.
  1. How Many Muscles?

    • The body has over 630 muscles, which make up almost half of its total weight.

    What Do Muscles Do?

    • We all have muscles, even cows, pigs, snakes and worms. Muscles allow us to move our bodies; without them we couldn't jiggle, wiggle, walk, talk, stand up, sit down or play in the mud. They are also responsible for things we do without knowing it like blinking, breathing, our heart beating and moving the food we eat through our digestive system.

    How Do Muscles Move?

    • Muscles usually work in pairs to produce movement. To straighten your arm, your tricep muscle (on the back of your arm) contracts and your bicep muscle (on top of your arm) relaxes. When you curl your arm, like you are making a muscle, your tricep muscle relaxes and your bicep muscle contracts. Our muscles use energy from the food we eat to make movements.

    Fun Facts

    • You have more than 30 muscles in your face. These muscles make you look surprised, happy or sad.

      Eye muscles are one of the busiest muscles in your body: scientists believe they move more than 100,000 times a day.

      The largest muscle in your body is called the gluteus maximus, which is the muscle in your buttock.

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