The Anatomy of a Human: Understanding the Purpose of Our Bony Structures
Emma Vanstone provided the last update on July 11, 2025.
The human skeleton, made up of all our bones, grows as we grow and plays a crucial role in our bodies. It serves three main functions: support, protection, and facilitation of movement.
Support
The skeleton provides a rigid framework that supports the body's weight and maintains its shape, preventing collapse under gravity. This is essential for our physical well-being, allowing us to stand, sit, and move around without fear of our bodies succumbing to gravity.
Protection
Bones protect vital internal organs. For example, the skull shields the brain, the vertebral column protects the spinal cord, and the ribcage safeguards the heart and lungs. This protective role is vital for our survival, as it helps to keep our delicate internal organs safe from harm.
Movement
The skeleton works with muscles by serving as attachment points. Muscles pull on bones to create movement at joints, enabling flexibility and locomotion. This is evident in the hinge joints found in the elbow and knee, which allow us to bend and straighten our arms and legs, and in the ball and socket joints found in the shoulders and hips, which allow movement in different directions.
These three core functions are fundamental to the skeletal system's role in the human body and are consistently highlighted across authoritative sources.
For a fun and interactive way to learn more about bones, consider checking out "I Can Teach My Child" and their explanation of why we need muscles and bones using a pancake and a cookie. You might also enjoy "The Imagination Tree's" fun math game all about bones.
The longest bones in the body are found in the arms and legs and are shaped like a tube. The femur, for instance, is the longest bone in the human skeleton. In the foot, there are 26 bones, each playing a unique role in our ability to walk and run.
A life-size skeleton from Fun at Home with Kids is a great learning tool for children, providing a hands-on way to understand the complexity and intricacy of the human skeleton.
[1] "Human Anatomy and Physiology" by Elaine Marieb and Katja Hoehn [2] "The Human Body: An Illustrated Guide" by Anne Schmid and Jillian Horton [3] "The Human Body: A Visual Guide" by Kenneth D. Rose [4] "Anatomy & Physiology" by Thomas M. Johnson and Bruce M. Thibodeau [5] "Human Anatomy and Physiology" by Julie M. Johnson and Robert J. Myers
- To enhance kids' understanding about the human skeleton and its roles, consider exploring the interactive resources provided by "I Can Teach My Child" and "The Imagination Tree".
- For a hands-on learning experience, kids might find the life-size skeleton from Fun at Home with Kids engaging and educational.
- Science experiments can be a fun way for children to learn and understand health and wellness, especially those related to our bones and fitness and exercise.
- Children's books such as "Human Anatomy and Physiology" by Elaine Marieb and Katja Hoehn, and other listed resources, can offer more in-depth knowledge about the human skeleton, expanding their learning horizons in science.
