8 Easy Core Exercises for Kids

Core strength is so important. Your core muscles are the base of support for your entire body, and play a huge role in everyday activities. When core muscles are strengthened, you also reap the benefits of improving your balance and overall stability, which makes you less likely to injure yourself.

Creating that stable base is super important, especially when you start doing movement. And the thing is, kids don’t naturally have lots of core strength, it’s something you build up as you get older. We also have a few other things to thank: increasingly demanding academics and more interest in sedentary technology.

Here are a few easy exercises that are great for kids to start strengthening their core.

1. Bridge with head down, butt up – 5 slow reps
This is a great warm up for the core, tighten the glutes and tummy when lifting up with the legs.

2. Boat to Canoe – 10 reps
Modification is to keep your hands on the ground next to your hips. Try to keep toes off the ground. Bent knees in the boat pose, then straighten your legs while keeping your feet off the ground for canoe.

3. Russian Twists – 20 reps
Keep toes off ground, touch hand on each side of hips.

4. Basic Plank – hold for count of 20, 3 reps
Tighten tummy, push the ground away, with your shoulders. Make sure butt is not sticking up and body is in a straight line. This pose takes some practice for the little ones to get properly. I’ve found that giving them a spot to look just ahead of their hands helps with alignment.

5. Elbow Plank to Dolphin – 10 reps
Starting in elbow plank, push your hips back into the sky, forehead to the ground, then back to elbow plank.

6. Plank to Elbow Plank – 10 reps
Right hand to elbow, left hand to elbow. Then right elbow to hand, left elbow to hand. Repeat with left hand going first.