# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
To be immune (say: ih-MYOON) means to be protected. So it makes sense that the body system that helps fight off sickness is called the immune system. The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body.

White blood cells, also called leukocytes (say: LOO-kuh-sytes), are part of this defense system. There are two basic types of these germ-fighting cells:

1. phagocytes (say: FAH-guh-sytes), which chew up invading germs

2. lymphocytes (say: LIM-fuh-sytes), which allow the body to remember and recognize previous invaders

Leukocytes are found in lots of places, including your spleen, an organ in your belly that filters blood and helps fight infections. Leukocytes also can be found in bone marrow, which is a thick, spongy jelly inside your bones.

So you have this great system in place. Is it enough to keep you from getting sick? Well, everyone gets sick sometimes. But your immune system helps you get well again. And if you've had your shots (also called vaccines), your body is extra-prepared to fight off serious illnesses that your immune system alone might not handle very well. If you get the shot that covers measles, for instance, it can protect you from getting measles, if you're ever exposed to it.

Healthy kids can help their immune systems by washing their hands regularly to prevent infections, eating nutritious foods, getting plenty of exercise, getting enough sleep, and getting regular medical checkups. And if you feel great today, thank your immune system!

Date reviewed: October 2019

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
To be immune (say: ih-MYOON) means to be protected. So it makes sense that the body system that helps fight off sickness is called the immune system. The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If you're almost a teen, chances are pretty good that you may have some acne. Acne is so common that it seems to be a normal part of growing from a kid to an adult. But knowing that doesn't make it easier when you look in the mirror and see a big pimple on your chin. The good news is that learning about acne and taking some simple steps can help you feel better about your face.

What Is Acne?

Acne is a skin condition that shows up as bumps. There are different types of bumps: whiteheads, blackheads, red bumps (pimples), and bumps filled with pus. What causes these annoying bumps? Well, your skin is covered with tiny holes called hair follicles, or pores. Pores contain oil glands that make sebum (say: SEE-bum), an oil that moistens your hair and skin.

Most of the time, the glands make the right amount of sebum and the pores are fine. But sometimes a pore gets clogged up with too much sebum, dead skin cells, and germs called bacteria. This can cause acne.

Why Do So Many Kids Get Acne?

Kids get acne because of hormone changes that come with puberty. If your parent had acne as a teen, it's likely that you will too. Stress may make acne worse, because when you're stressed, your pores may make more sebum. Luckily, for most people, acne gets better by the time they're in their twenties.

What Can I Do About Acne?

If you have acne, here are some ways to keep pimples away:

Washing

Wash your face gently with your hands once or twice a day with warm water and a mild soap or cleanser.

Don't scrub your face. Scrubbing can actually make acne worse by irritating the skin.

If you wear makeup, be sure to wash it all off at the end of the day.

Wash your face after you've been exercising and sweating a lot.

Treating Acne

There are lotions and creams sold at drugstores that can help prevent acne and clear it up. Talk with your doctor about the choices.

When you use a product for acne, be sure to follow the directions exactly. Try just a little bit at first to be sure that you're not allergic to the cream or lotion. Don't give up if you don't see results the next day. Acne medicine can take weeks or months to work. Don't use more than you're supposed to because this can make your skin very red and very dry.

Kids who have serious acne can get help from their doctor. Doctors can prescribe medicine that's stronger than what you can buy at the store.

Other things to keep in mind:

Try not to touch your face.

Don't pick, squeeze, or pop pimples.

If you have long hair, keep it away from your face and wash it regularly to reduce oil.

Baseball caps and other hats can cause pimples along the hairline. Avoid them if you think they are making your acne worse.

What if I Get Pimples Anyway?

Many kids will get some pimples, even if they take steps to prevent acne. It's totally normal.

If you have acne, now you know some ways to improve your skin. And remember that you're not alone. Look around at your friends and you'll see that most kids and teens are in it together!

Date reviewed: August 2020

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you're almost a teen, chances are pretty good that you may have some acne. Acne is so common that it seems to be a normal part of growing from a kid to an adult. But knowing that doesn't make it easier when you look in the mirror and see a big pimple on your chin.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZREDWD_5bA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Your Urinary System Works? - The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
How The Immune System ACTUALLY Works – IMMUNE

# data[].attributes.body
https://youtu.be/lXfEK8G8CUI

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How The Immune System ACTUALLY Works – IMMUNE

# data[].attributes.body
Try some of these out to test your understanding of the integumentary system.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Touch Experiments

Some of these experiments require a blindfold. Keep in mind that some people do not like to be blindfolded...you could ask them to keep their eyes closed, but don't count on them having their eyes closed for a very long time.

The skin is the largest sensory organ of the body. The skin is sensitive to many different kinds of "stimuli", such as touch, pressure, and temperature. Within the skin, there are different types of "receptors" that are activated by different stimuli. When a receptor is activated, it triggers a series of nerve impulses. For a person to "feel" the stimulus, the nerve impulses must make their way up to brain.

Fine Fingers

Grades K-6

We have the ability to tell whether objects are cold, hot, smooth or rough. To demonstrate the different types of receptors in the skin, gather a number of objects that are:

smooth (an apple)

rough (sand paper; rock)

cold (ice)

warm (a sun-warmed piece of metal)

Tell someone to close their eyes (or use a blindfold) and touch the items to the person's hands or fingers. Ask them what they feel.

Sand Paper Rankings

Grades K-12

To demonstrate the exquisite sensitivity of our sense of touch, try this one. Get five to 10 different grades (roughness) of sandpaper from the hardware store. The degree of roughness should be printed on the back. Cut the sandpaper into pieces about 3 in by 3 in. (If you want to get fancy, you could glue the sandpaper on to block of wood, but this is not really necessary) Make sure you write down the grade of roughness on the back of each cut piece of sandpaper! Mixup the pieces of sandpaper and place them with the rough side up. Using your (or have someone else do it) finger, line up the pieces of sandpaper in order...from the smoothest to the roughest.

Questions and Comparisons:

Check to see if you (or your test subject) did it right. Where were mistakes made? At what grade of sandpaper?

Materials:

Sandpaper - various grades

Wood Blocks (optional)

2-Point Discrimination

Grades 3-12

A complete LESSON PLAN with teacher and student guides is now available.

What areas of our bodies are most sensitive to touch? Hands? Feet? Fingers? To find out, perform a 2-point discrimination exam on a friend. Bend a paper clip into the shape of a U with the tips about 2 cm apart. Make sure the tips of the U are even with each other. Lightly touch the two ends of the paper clip to the back of the hand of your subject. Your subject should not look at the area of skin that is being tested. Do not press too hard! Make sure both tips touch the skin at the same time. Ask your subject if he or she felt one or two pressure points. If your subject reported one point, spread the tips of the clip a bit further apart, then touch the back of the subject's hand again. If your subject reported 2 points, push the tips a bit closer together, and test again. Measure the distance at which the subject reports "I feel two points."

Questions and Comparisons:

Try different parts of the body: the arm, leg, fingers, back, neck, head, hand, toes.

Compare the distances required for a "I feel 2 points" response on different body regions.

What part of the body is most sensitive? In other words, where on the body can 2 points be detected with the smallest tip separation?

The receptors in our skin are NOT distributed in a uniform way around our bodies. Some places, such as our fingers and lips, have more touch receptors than other parts of our body, such as our backs. That's one reason why we are more sensitive to touch on our fingers and face than on our backs.

These data (rounded) are from a 2-pt discrimination threshold experiment (published in The Skin Senses, edited by D. R. Kenshalo, Springfield, IL, 1968).

How did your measurements compare?

Materials:

Complete lesson plan for this experiment!

Paper clip (or a map pin)

Pencil and paper to track responses.

Map Your Homunculus

Grades 4-12

Credit for this activity: Rebekah Corlew, Ph.D. and Theo Walker, Max Planck Florida Institute, Jupiter, FL

What would you look like if you were a homunculus? Use the results of a two-point discrimination test to find out!

Make your two point discrimination tester:

1. Cut toothpicks in half.

2. Glue toothpicks in pairs to index cards so that the points stick out. You should make six different testers with distances between the tips of the toothpicks of 60mm, 30mm, 15mm, 7.5mm, 3.75mm and 0mm. (The 0 mm tester can have just one toothpick). The lengths of the pointy parts should be the same for the pairs.

3. As seen in the illustration below, you can use two index cards for all six testers.

Test your subjects using two-point discrimination testers:

1. The experimenter will lightly touch the two points of the tester to the subject's skin. The points must land at the same time.

2. The subject will report (without looking) if there were two points or one. For a quick and easy version of the test, start with the largest distance first (60mm) and work down until the subject can no longer feel two points.

3. Occasionally, touch with a single point so the subject doesn't try to fool the test.

4. Test the forehead, back, arms, hands, legs, and feet. For each body part, when the subject reports one point instead of two, write down the last distance that the subject could still feel two. Then, open the "homunculus maker" and click on the avatar of your choice.

5. On that page, enter your experimental data and watch your homunculus morph.

6. Print it out and compare with your friends!

Materials

Ruler with millimeter scale

Glue or tape

Toothpicks

Computer with internet connection

Become a Neurologist - Detection Threshold

Grades 4-12

Become a neurologist! Make your own set of Von Frey hairs to test detection thresholds. The tactile detection threshold is the smallest amount of touch necessary for someone to say "Hey, I feel that." To make a set of Von Frey hairs, get various thicknesses of monofilament FISHING LINE from your local sporting goods shop or hardware store. That's right...fishing line! From each thickness of fishing line, cut a piece about 1.5 in. (4.0 cm) long. Glue each piece of line at a right angle onto the end of a popsicle stick. The stick serves as a the holder. You can also write the thickness of the line on the stick. Your completed Von Frey hair apparatus should look like this:

To test the sensitivity of someone, have them close their eyes or blindfold them. Touch the Von Frey hair to their skin until the hair bends. Ask the person if they felt anything.

Questions and Comparisons:

Test different thicknesses. Compare people.

Test different parts of the body. Is the detection threshold different for different parts? What is most/least sensitive?

Materials:

Monofilament fishing line

Popsicle sticks

Glue

Blindfold

Brain Box (Bag) of Science

Grades K-6

What could it be? Only the Brain Boxes and Bags of Science know for sure. The boxes and bags are used to isolate the sense of touch from sight and hearing. The object is to put something into the box and then have other people try to guess what it is just by feeling it with their hands. For the Brain BOX, use a "medium-sized" cardboard box (bigger than a shoe box). On the side of the box, cut a hole large enough to put your hand through. Cut off the closed end of an old sock to make a tube. Tape (duct tape works well) the sock to the inside of the box so that the sock makes a "tunnel" from the outside to the inside of the box. You can make 1 or 2 more tunnels and holes in the box so that more than 1 person can use the box at the same time. Decorate the box with pictures and drawings. For the Brain BAG of Science, use a pillow case. Have people put their hand into the bag while you hold it or sew a length of elastic around the top to close it up.

Questions and Comparisons:

Things to try:

Familiar objects: cup, spoon, ball, block, sponge, fruit, sponge, rock, cotton ball, leaf, pinecone, feather

Difficult objects: wood letters, wood numbers, foil, peanuts, bar of soap

Put several things in the box at the same time. Ask how many items are in the box (bag).

Discuss the texture of objects: smooth, rough, bumpy, soft, hard, etc.

Sponges cut up in similar and different shapes.

Plastic cut-out bath letters and animals (you know, the kind that you can throw into the bathtub)

Get pairs of objects; one object is outside of the box, the other object is inside the box. Show an object to a person, then have this person find the same object in the box.

GLOVE TREATMENT: put on a pair of gloves (dishwashing gloves, latex gloves, work gloves) and try to guess what is in the box. This will show you what happens when you reduce the amount of tactile (touch) information getting to your brain.

Materials:

A cardboard box or pillow case

Socks

Scissors (to cut socks)

Tape (duct tape is best)

Decorations for the box: drawings, pictures

Objects to put in the box or bag

Gloves (for the GLOVE TREATMENT portion of the experiment)

Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes...and Hands, Fingers and Back

Grades K-12

Here is another experiment to test the sensitivity of different parts of the body. Get several different objects with interesting shapes, sizes and textures. Tell someone to close their eyes (or use a blindfold) and touch the items to different parts of the person's body. Can they identify the object? How difficult is it?

Materials:

Blindfold

Objects: tennis ball, eraser, candle, rock, sponge, pine cone

Sock It To Me!

Grades K-12

Here is a simple variation of the Brain Bag/Box of Science project. Get 5 to 7 different socks. Put different small objects into each sock. Have other people try to guess what is inside of each sock by touching and feeling the object on the outside of the sock. If they can't guess what the object is, have them put their hand into the sock and feel it. By actually touching the object, you can get more information about the characteristics of the object. For example, its roughness and texture. Try numbering each sock. Then prepare a worksheet identifying the object in each numbered sock.

Materials:

5-7 socks

Small objects to put into the socks (pencil eraser; coin; golf ball; rock, etc.)

The Braille Alphabet

Grades 3-12

The Braille alphabet was invented by Louis Braille to help people who are blind read. The Braille system uses a series of raised dots that people "read" with their fingers. To make your own set of Braille letters, print out this picture on a piece of paper. Place a small dot of white glue on the black dots of each letter. When the glue dries, you will have created large Braille letters. Cut out each letter and try to arrange the letters in alphabetical order using your sense of touch.

Materials:

Where Was That?

Grades 3-12

With a ball-point pen (or washable marker), touch a location on the skin of a blindfolded person (your subject). A small pen mark should be left behind. While your subject is still blindfolded, give the person a pen of a different color and ask him to touch the point that was just touched by you. Measure the distance from this guessed point to the actual point that was touched.

Questions and Comparisons:

Try different areas of the body and compare the distances between the actual point and the guessed point.

What part of the body has the least distance between the actual point and guessed point? Why?

Materials:

2 different color ball point pens or washable markers

Ruler

Finger Reading

Grades 5-12

Our sense of touch is so sensitive that we can read with our fingers. READ WITH OUR FINGERS??? Blind people do - they read with the "Braille" alphabet. Each Braille letter is a series of raised spots. People read Braille by moving their fingers over the letters. Try making some of your own Braille letters. Cut out squares (2 inches by 2 inches) of cork or cardboard. Draw a letter on the square. Now stick the sharp ends of pins into the outline of each letter. Blindfold a subject, then have the subject try to identify the letter by feeling the blunt ends of the pins with just his or her fingertips.

Questions:

How many pins do you need for successful letter identification? Remove some pins and try it again.

Is it easier to make an identification if the subject MOVES his or her fingers across the pattern compared to just TOUCHING the pattern?

Make a short 2-4 letter word with your Braille letters. Can your subject read the word?

Materials:

Cardboard or thin cork

Pins - one side should have a small ball or be blunt

Marker or Pen or Pencil - to draw outline of letters

Blindfold

Scissors

Tactile Double Trouble

Grades K-6

How about a little comparison shopping? Collect some small object "pairs" such as two identical bottle caps, two paper clips, two marbles, etc. Put one item from each pair into two separate bags. So now you have one set of objects in one bag and the matching objects in another bag. Reach into the bags and pull out the pairs. To make things harder, use object pairs that are only slightly different from each other, such as grades of sand paper or different sizes of marbles.

Another way to play Double Trouble is to put one set of objects in a bag and have a friend hold up the objects. To play, the friend will hold up the item he or she wants you to find in the bag. See how long it takes to find it.

Materials:

Object Pairs - marbles, paper clips, sand paper squares, balls, etc.

Bags- paper bags, pillow cases, brain bags of science

Half Full or Half Empty

Grades 3-12

This experiment is technically not one of the sense of touch....actually, this experiment deals with information sent to the brain from MUSCLES. We usually don't think about where the parts of our body are in space. We just move. However, muscles are constantly feeding information to the brain about what they are doing. To illustrate this, get two identical containers that will hold at least 16 oz (470 ml) of material. Label one container with the letter "A" and the other with the letter "B". Fill each container half way up with exactly the same amount of water (or beans or rice or marbles). Put one container in each hand of a blindfolded subject. The weights should feel the same. Now, add a known amount of water (or beans or rice or marbles) to the container with the letter "A" (to remember, the letter "A" is for "Add"). Give the containers back to the subject and ask if the weights feel the same or different. If the subject says "Different", ask which container is heavier. Is it a right guess? If it is, remove the containers, then place them back on the subject's hands and ask again to make sure it wasn't a lucky guess. If the subject cannot tell the difference between containers or the guess was wrong, add another known amount of material to container "A". Test the subject again until the subject can detect a difference between container weights.

Questions:

What is the detection threshold? (how much material must be added for a correct detection of difference?)

What happens if you start with more "baseline" weight? Use 1 gallon milk jugs and see how much material you must add for the correct difference detection. Do you need to add more or less when you start with these large containers?

Materials:

Containers - make sure they are the same before starting

Filling material - water or beans or rice or marbles

Marker to label containers

Blindfold

Touch Boards

Grades K-3

Here is an easy way to introduce the sense of touch. Cut out square pieces of cardboard. Each square should be about 12 inches (30 cm) by 12 inches (30 cm). Glue on popsicle sticks to divide the cardboard square into sections (or just use a marker). Now in each section, glue on objects that have different textures. For example, feathers, sand, rocks, wood, paper, sandpaper could all be glued into different sections. Everyone's board should be a little different and it is fun to compare the different textures people find. Here is an example touch board:

sand | rock | wood

feather | sandpaper | marble

leaf | string | rice

Materials:

Cardboard (cut into squares)

Popsicle sticks (to divide cardboard)

Items to glue (with different textures)

Glue

Active Touch

Grades K-12

Is it easier or harder to identify an object if you move your hands over the object? Get your collection of small objects (or cookie cutters). Have your subject close his or her eyes. Press the object into your subject's hand and ask what it is. Do not have your subject move his or her hand. If your subjects cannot identify the object, let them move their hands over the object and let them explore the object with their fingertips. Now ask them what the object is. Are they better?

Materials:

Small objects (or cookie cutters or block letters or stencils)

Tactile Mazes

Grades K-6

If you think mazes are hard using your eyes, try one with your eyes closed. To make a tactile maze, apply glue (white glue or glitter glue) to a piece of cardboard. Don't make the pattern too difficult. For an easier maze, let the glue dry and then apply another coat (this will raise the maze and make it easier to feel). After the glue is dry, close your eyes and navigate the maze by holding your finger on the glue. You can share mazes with your friends.

Materials:

Glue (white glue or glitter glue)

Cardboard (at least 5 in. x 5 in. square).

A Puzzling Situation

Grades K-6

Jigsaw puzzles are fun, but did you ever try to put one together without looking at it? Get a simple children's puzzle with only 4 to 6 pieces. The best ones are those with a raised rim around the border. Empty the puzzle and try to put it together using only your sense of touch.

Materials:

Copyright © 1996-2021, Eric H. Chudler All Rights Reserved.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Some of these experiments require a blindfold. Keep in mind that some people do not like to be blindfolded...you could ask them to keep their eyes closed, but don't count on them having their eyes closed for a very long time. The skin is the largest sensory organ of the body.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Watch this movie about your nervous system, starring your brain.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Human digestive system - How it works! (Animation)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Even before you eat, when you smell a tasty food, see it, or think about it, digestion begins. Saliva (say: suh-LYE-vuh), or spit, begins to form in your mouth.

When you do eat, the saliva breaks down the chemicals in the food a bit, which helps make the food mushy and easy to swallow. Your tongue helps out, pushing the food around while you chew with your teeth. When you're ready to swallow, the tongue pushes a tiny bit of mushed-up food called a bolus (say: BO-luss) toward the back of your throat and into the opening of your esophagus, the second part of the digestive tract.

On the Way Down

The esophagus (say: ih-SOF-eh-guss) is like a stretchy pipe that's about 10 inches (25 centimeters) long. It moves food from the back of your throat to your stomach. But also at the back of your throat is your windpipe, which allows air to come in and out of your body. When you swallow a small ball of mushed-up food or liquids, a special flap called the epiglottis (say: ep-ih-GLOT-iss) flops down over the opening of your windpipe to make sure the food enters the esophagus and not the windpipe.

If you've ever drunk something too fast, started to cough, and heard someone say that your drink "went down the wrong way," the person meant that it went down your windpipe by mistake. This happens when the epiglottis doesn't have enough time to flop down, and you cough involuntarily (without thinking about it) to clear your windpipe.

Once food has entered the esophagus, it doesn't just drop right into your stomach. Instead, muscles in the walls of the esophagus move in a wavy way to slowly squeeze the food through the esophagus. This takes about 2 or 3 seconds.

See You in the Stomach

Your stomach, which is attached to the end of the esophagus, is a stretchy sack shaped like the letter J. It has three important jobs:

1. to store the food you've eaten

2. to break down the food into a liquidy mixture

3. to slowly empty that liquidy mixture into the small intestine

The stomach is like a mixer, churning and mashing together all the small balls of food that came down the esophagus into smaller and smaller pieces. It does this with help from the strong muscles in the walls of the stomach and gastric (say: GAS-trik) juices that also come from the stomach's walls. In addition to breaking down food, gastric juices also help kill bacteria that might be in the eaten food.

Onward to the small intestine!

22 Feet Isn't Small at All

The small intestine (say: in-TESS-tin) is a long tube that's about 1½ inches to 2 inches (about 3.5 to 5 centimeters) around, and it's packed inside you beneath your stomach. If you stretched out an adult's small intestine, it would be about 22 feet long (6.7 meters) - that's like 22 notebooks lined up end to end, all in a row!

The small intestine breaks down the food mixture even more so your body can absorb all the vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. The grilled chicken on your pizza is full of proteins - and a little fat - and the small intestine can help extract them with a little help from three friends: the pancreas (say: PAN-kree-uss), liver, and gallbladder.

Those organs send different juices to the first part of the small intestine. These juices help to digest food and allow the body to absorb nutrients. The pancreas makes juices that help the body digest fats and protein. A juice from the liver called bile helps to absorb fats into the bloodstream. And the gallbladder serves as a warehouse for bile, storing it until the body needs it.

Your food may spend as long as 4 hours in the small intestine and will become a very thin, watery mixture. It's time well spent because, at the end of the journey, the nutrients from your pizza, orange, and milk can pass from the intestine into the blood. Once in the blood, your body is closer to benefiting from the complex carbohydrates in the pizza crust, the vitamin C in your orange, the protein in the chicken, and the calcium in your milk.

Next stop for these nutrients: the liver! And the leftover waste - parts of the food that your body can't use - goes on to the large intestine.

Love Your Liver

The nutrient-rich blood comes directly to the liver for processing. The liver filters out harmful substances or wastes, turning some of the waste into more bile. The liver even helps figure out how many nutrients will go to the rest of the body, and how many will stay behind in storage. For example, the liver stores certain vitamins and a type of sugar your body uses for energy.

That's One Large Intestine

At 3 or 4 inches around (about 7 to 10 centimeters), the large intestine is fatter than the small intestine and it's almost the last stop on the digestive tract. Like the small intestine, it is packed into the body, and would measure 5 feet (about 1.5 meters) long if you spread it out.

The large intestine has a tiny tube with a closed end coming off it called the appendix (say: uh-PEN-dix). It's part of the digestive tract, but it doesn't seem to do anything, though it can cause big problems because it sometimes gets infected and needs to be removed.

Like we mentioned, after most of the nutrients are removed from the food mixture there is waste left over - stuff your body can't use. This stuff needs to be passed out of the body. Can you guess where it ends up? Well, here's a hint: It goes out with a flush.

Before it goes, it passes through the part of the large intestine called the colon (say: CO-lun), which is where the body gets its last chance to absorb the water and some minerals into the blood. As the water leaves the waste product, what's left gets harder and harder as it keeps moving along, until it becomes a solid. Yep, it's poop (also called stool or a bowel movement).

The large intestine pushes the poop into the rectum (say: REK-tum), the very last stop on the digestive tract. The solid waste stays here until you are ready to go to the bathroom. When you go to the bathroom, you are getting rid of this solid waste by pushing it through the anus (say: AY-nus). There's the flush we were talking about!

Dig That Digestive System

You can help your digestive system by drinking water and eating a healthy diet that includes foods rich in fiber. High-fiber foods, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, make it easier for poop to pass through your system.

The digestive system is a pretty important part of your body. Without it, you couldn't get the nutrients you need to grow properly and stay healthy. And next time you sit down to lunch, you'll know where your food goes - from start to finish!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Your Digestive System (for Kids) - Nemours KidsHealth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The digestive system breaks down the food you eat. Learn how in this article for kids.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Lymphatic System: Crash Course Anatomy & Physiology #44

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Your heart is really a muscle. It's located a little to the left of the middle of your chest, and it's about the size of your fist. There are lots of muscles all over your body - in your arms, in your legs, in your back, even in your behind.

But the heart muscle is special because of what it does. The heart sends blood around your body. The blood provides your body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs. It also carries away waste.

Your heart is sort of like a pump, or two pumps in one. The right side of your heart receives blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs. The left side of the heart does the exact opposite: It receives blood from the lungs and pumps it out to the body.

How the Heart Beats

How does the heart beat? Before each beat, your heart fills with blood. Then its muscle contracts to squirt the blood along. When the heart contracts, it squeezes - try squeezing your hand into a fist. That's sort of like what your heart does so it can squirt out the blood. Your heart does this all day and all night, all the time. The heart is one hard worker!

Page 1

Parts of the Heart

The heart is made up of four different blood-filled areas, and each of these areas is called a chamber. There are two chambers on each side of the heart. One chamber is on the top and one chamber is on the bottom. The two chambers on top are called the atria (say: AY-tree-uh). If you're talking only about one, call it an atrium. The atria are the chambers that fill with the blood returning to the heart from the body and lungs. The heart has a left atrium and a right atrium.

The two chambers on the bottom are called the ventricles (say: VEN-trih-kulz). The heart has a left ventricle and a right ventricle. Their job is to squirt out the blood to the body and lungs. Running down the middle of the heart is a thick wall of muscle called the septum (say: SEP-tum). The septum's job is to separate the left side and the right side of the heart.

The atria and ventricles work as a team - the atria fill with blood, then dump it into the ventricles. The ventricles then squeeze, pumping blood out of the heart. While the ventricles are squeezing, the atria refill and get ready for the next contraction. So when the blood gets pumped, how does it know which way to go?

Well, your blood relies on four special valves inside the heart. A valve lets something in and keeps it there by closing - think of walking through a door. The door shuts behind you and keeps you from going backward.

Two of the heart valves are the mitral (say: MY-trul) valve and the tricuspid (say: try-KUS-pid) valve. They let blood flow from the atria to the ventricles. The other two are called the aortic (say: ay-OR-tik) valve and pulmonary (say: PUL-muh-ner-ee) valve, and they're in charge of controlling the flow as the blood leaves the heart. These valves all work to keep the blood flowing forward. They open up to let the blood move ahead, then they close quickly to keep the blood from flowing backward.

Page 2

How Blood Circulates

You probably guessed that the blood just doesn't slosh around your body once it leaves the heart. It moves through many tubes called arteries and veins, which together are called blood vessels. These blood vessels are attached to the heart. The blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart are called arteries. The ones that carry blood back to the heart are called veins.

The movement of the blood through the heart and around the body is called circulation (say: sur-kyoo-LAY-shun), and your heart is really good at it - it takes less than 60 seconds to pump blood to every cell in your body.

Your body needs this steady supply of blood to keep it working right. Blood delivers oxygen to all the body's cells. To stay alive, a person needs healthy, living cells. Without oxygen, these cells would die. If that oxygen-rich blood doesn't circulate as it should, a person could die.

The left side of your heart sends that oxygen-rich blood out to the body. The body takes the oxygen out of the blood and uses it in your body's cells. When the cells use the oxygen, they make carbon dioxide and other stuff that gets carried away by the blood. It's like the blood delivers lunch to the cells and then has to pick up the trash!

The returning blood enters the right side of the heart. The right ventricle pumps the blood to the lungs for a little freshening up. In the lungs, carbon dioxide is removed from the blood and sent out of the body when we exhale. What's next? An inhale, of course, and a fresh breath of oxygen that can enter the blood to start the process again. And remember, it all happens in about a minute!

Page 3

Listen to the Lub-Dub

When you go for a checkup, your doctor uses a stethoscope to listen carefully to your heart. A healthy heart makes a lub-dub sound with each beat. This sound comes from the valves shutting on the blood inside the heart.

The first sound (the lub) happens when the mitral and tricuspid valves close. The next sound (the dub) happens when the aortic and pulmonary valves close after the blood has been squeezed out of the heart. Next time you go to the doctor, ask if you can listen to the lub-dub, too.

Pretty Cool - It's My Pulse!

Even though your heart is inside you, there is a cool way to know it's working from the outside. It's your pulse. You can find your pulse by lightly pressing on the skin anywhere there's a large artery running just beneath your skin. Two good places to find it are on the side of your neck and the inside of your wrist, just below the thumb.

You'll know that you've found your pulse when you can feel a small beat under your skin. Each beat is caused by the contraction (squeezing) of your heart. If you want to find out what your heart rate is, use a watch with a second hand and count how many beats you feel in 1 minute. When you are resting, you will probably feel between 70 and 100 beats per minute.

When you run around a lot, your body needs a lot more oxygen-filled blood. Your heart pumps faster to supply the oxygen-filled blood that your body needs. You may even feel your heart pounding in your chest. Try running in place or jumping rope for a few minutes and taking your pulse again - now how many beats do you count in 1 minute?

Keep Your Heart Happy

Most kids are born with a healthy heart and it's important to keep yours in good shape. Here are some things that you can do to help keep your heart happy:

Remember that your heart is a muscle. If you want it to be strong, you need to exercise it. How do you do it? By being active in a way that gets you huffing and puffing, like jumping rope, dancing, or playing basketball. Try to be active every day for at least 30 minutes! An hour would be even better for your heart!

Eat a variety of healthy foods and avoid foods high in unhealthy fats, such as saturated fats and trans fats (reading food labels can help you figure out if your favorite snacks contain these unhealthy ingredients).

Try to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

Avoid sugary soft drinks and fruit drinks.

Don't smoke. It can damage the heart and blood vessels.

Your heart deserves to be loved for all the work it does. It started pumping blood before you were born and will continue pumping throughout your whole life.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Your heart is really a muscle. It's located a little to the left of the middle of your chest, and it's about the size of your fist. There are lots of muscles all over your body - in your arms, in your legs, in your back, even in your behind.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Think back to last Halloween for a minute. Wherever you looked, there were vampires, ghosts, or bony skeletons grinning back at you. Vampires and ghosts don't really exist, but skeletons sure do!

Every single person has a skeleton made up of many bones. These bones give your body structure, let you move in many ways, protect your internal organs, and more.

It's time to look at all your bones — the adult human body has 206 of them!

Bones

Our bones give our bodies shape, and support and protect our organs and systems.

Click through this slideshow to learn more about bones.

Bones

Periosteum

This thin, dense membrane on the surface of the bone contains nerves and blood vessels that help nourish bone tissue.

Bones

Compact (Hard) Bone

This type of bone is strong, solid, and whitish in color. It makes up the hard outside portion of a bone.

Bones

Cancellous (Spongy) Bone

This type of bone is located inside the compact bone. It looks like a sponge, with bone marrow filling its spaces.

Bones

Bone Marrow

The soft bone marrow, which is found inside many bones, makes most of the body's red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

© 2020 The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth. All rights reserved.

What Are Bones Made Of?

If you've ever seen a real skeleton or fossil in a museum, you might think that all bones are dead. Although bones in museums are dry, hard, or crumbly, the bones in your body are different. The bones that make up your skeleton are all very much alive, growing and changing all the time like other parts of your body.

Almost every bone in your body is made of the same materials:

The outer surface of bone is called the periosteum (say: pare-ee-OSS-tee-um). It's a thin, dense membrane that contains nerves and blood vessels that nourish the bone.

The next layer is made up of compact bone. This part is smooth and very hard. It's the part you see when you look at a skeleton.

Within the compact bone are many layers of cancellous (say: KAN-sell-us) bone, which looks a bit like a sponge. Cancellous bone is not quite as hard as compact bone, but it is still very strong.

In many bones, the cancellous bone protects the innermost part of the bone, the bone marrow (say: MAIR-oh). Bone marrow is sort of like a thick jelly, and its job is to make blood cells.

P

How Bones Grow

When you were a baby, you had tiny hands, tiny feet, and tiny everything! Slowly, as you grew older, everything became a bit bigger, including your bones.

A baby's body has about 300 bones at birth. These eventually fuse (grow together) to form the 206 bones that adults have. Some of a baby's bones are made entirely of a special material called cartilage (say: KAR-tel-ij). Other bones in a baby are partly made of cartilage. This cartilage is soft and flexible. During childhood, as you are growing, the cartilage grows and is slowly replaced by bone, with help from calcium.

By the time you are about 25, this process will be complete. After this happens, there can be no more growth — the bones are as big as they will ever be. All of these bones make up a skeleton that is both very strong and very light.

Your Spine

Your spine is one part of the skeleton that's easy to check out: Reach around to the center of your back and you'll feel its bumps under your fingers.

The spine lets you twist and bend, and it holds your body upright. It also protects the spinal cord, a large bundle of nerves that sends information from your brain to the rest of your body. The spine is special because it isn't made of one or even two bones: It's made of 33 bones in all! These bones are called vertebrae (say: VER-tuh-bray) and each one is shaped like a ring.

There are different types of vertebrae in the spine and each does a different kind of job:

The first seven vertebrae at the top are called the cervical (say: SIR-vih-kul) vertebrae. These bones are in the back of your neck, just below your brain, and they support your head and neck. Your head is pretty heavy, so it's lucky to have help from the cervical vertebrae!

Below the cervical vertebrae are the thoracic (say: thuh-RAS-ik) vertebrae, and there are 12 in all. These guys anchor your ribs in place. Below the thoracic vertebrae are five lumbar (say: LUM-bar) vertebrae. Beneath the lumbar vertebrae is the sacrum (say: SAY-krum), which is made up of five vertebrae that are fused together to form one single bone.

Finally, all the way at the bottom of the spine is the coccyx (say: COK-siks), which is one bone made of four fused vertebrae. The bottom sections of the spine are important when it comes to bearing weight and giving you a good center of gravity. So when you pick up a heavy backpack, the lumbar vertebrae, sacrum, and coccyx give you the power. When you dance, skip, and even walk, these parts help keep you balanced.

In between each vertebra (the name for just one of the vertebrae) are small disks made of cartilage. These disks keep the vertebrae from rubbing against one another, and they also act as your spine's natural shock absorbers. When you jump in the air, or twist while slamming a dunk, the disks give your vertebrae the cushioning they need.

P

Your Ribs

Your heart, lungs, and liver are all very important, and luckily you've got ribs to keep them safe. Ribs act like a cage of bones around your chest. It's easy to feel the bottom of this cage by running your fingers along the sides and front of your body, a few inches below your heart. If you breathe in deeply, you can easily feel your ribs right in the front of your body, too. Some thin kids can even see a few of their ribs right through their skin.

Your ribs come in pairs, and the left and right sides of each pair are exactly the same. Most people have 12 pairs of ribs, but some people are born with one or more extra ribs, and some people might have one pair less.

All 12 pairs of ribs attach in the back to the spine, where they are held in place by the thoracic vertebrae. The first seven pairs of ribs attach in the front to the sternum (say: STUR-num), a strong bone in the center of your chest that holds those ribs in place. The remaining sets of ribs don't attach to the sternum directly. The next three pairs are held on with cartilage to the ribs above them.

The very last two sets of ribs are called floating ribs because they aren't connected to the sternum or the ribs above them. But don't worry, these ribs can't ever float away. Like the rest of the ribs, they are securely attached to the spine in the back.

Your Skull

Your skull protects the most important part of all, the brain. You can feel your skull by pushing on your head, especially in the back a few inches above your neck. The skull is actually made up of different bones. Some of these bones protect your brain, whereas others make up the structure of your face. If you touch beneath your eyes, you can feel the ridge of the bone that forms the hole where your eye sits.

And although you can't see it, the smallest bone in your whole body is in your head, too. The stirrup bone behind your eardrum is only .1 to .13 inches (2.5 to 3.3 millimeters) long! Want to know something else? Your lower jawbone is the only bone in your head you can move. It opens and closes to let you talk and chew food.

Your skull is pretty cool, but it's changed since you were a baby. All babies are born with spaces between the bones in their skulls. This allows the bones to move, close up, and even overlap as the baby goes through the birth canal. As the baby grows, the space between the bones slowly closes up and disappears, and special joints called sutures (say: SOO-churs) connect the bones.

p

Your Hands

As you sit and type at the keyboard, while you swing on a swing, even when you pick up your lunch, you're using the bones in your fingers, hand, wrist, and arm.

Each arm is attached to a shoulder blade or scapula (say: SKA-pyuh-luh), a large triangular bone on the upper back corner of each side of the ribcage. The arm is made up of three bones: the humerus (say: HYOO-muh-rus), which is above your elbow, and the radius (say: RAY-dee-us) and ulna (say: UL-nuh), which are below the elbow.

Each of these bones is wider at the ends and skinnier in the middle, to help give it strength where it meets another bone. At the end of the radius and ulna are eight smaller bones that make up your wrist. Although these bones are small, they can really move! Twist your wrist around or wave and you'll see how the wrist can move.

The center part of your hand is made up of five separate bones. Each finger on your hand has three bones, except for your thumb, which has two. So between your wrists, hands, and all your fingers, you've got a grand total of 54 bones — all ready to help you grasp things, write your name, pick up the phone, or throw a softball!

Your Legs

Sure, your arm, wrist, hand, and finger bones are great for picking up the phone, but how are you supposed to run to answer it? Well, with the bones of the legs and feet!

Your legs are attached to a circular group of bones called your pelvis. The pelvis is a bowl-shaped structure that supports the spine. It is made up of the two large hip bones in front, and behind are the sacrum and the coccyx. The pelvis acts as a tough ring of protection around parts of the digestive system, parts of the urinary system, and parts of the reproductive system.

Your leg bones are very large and strong to help support the weight of your body. The bone that goes from your pelvis to your knee is called the femur (say: FEE-mur), and it's the longest bone in your body. At the knee, there's a triangular-shaped bone called the patella (say: puh-TEL-luh), or kneecap, that protects the knee joint. Below the knee are two other leg bones: the tibia (say: TIH-bee-uh) and the fibula (say: FIH-byuh-luh). Just like the three bones in the arm, the three bones in the leg are wider at the ends than in the middle to give them strength.

The ankle is a bit different from the wrist; it is where the lower leg bones connect to a large bone in the foot called the talus (say: TAL-iss). Next to the talus are six other bones. But the main part of the foot is similar to the hand, with five bones. Each toe has three tiny bones, except for your big toe, which has just two. This brings the bone total in both feet and ankles to 52!

Most people don't use their toes and feet for grabbing stuff or writing, but they do use them for two very important things: standing and walking. Without all the bones of the foot working together, it would be impossible to balance properly. The bones in the feet are arranged so the foot is almost flat and a bit wide, to help you stay upright. So the next time you're walking, be sure to look down and thank those toes!

P

Your Joints

The place where two bones meet is called a joint. Some joints move and others don't.

Fixed joints are fixed in place and don't move at all. Your skull has some of these joints (called sutures, remember?), which close up the bones of the skull in a young person's head. One of these joints is called the parieto-temporal (say: par-EYE-ih-toh TEM-puh-rul) suture — it's the one that runs along the side of the skull.

Moving joints are the ones that let you ride your bike, eat cereal, and play a video game — the ones that allow you to twist, bend, and move different parts of your body. Some moving joints, like the ones in your spine, move only a little. Other joints move a lot. One of the main types of moving joints is called a hinge joint. Your elbows and knees each have hinge joints, which let you bend and then straighten your arms and legs. These joints are like the hinges on a door. Just as most doors can only open one way, you can only bend your arms and legs in one direction. You also have many smaller hinge joints in your fingers and toes.

Another important type of moving joint is the ball and socket joint. You can find these joints at your shoulders and hips. They are made up of the round end of one bone fitting into a small cup-like area of another bone. Ball and socket joints allow for lots of movement in every direction. Make sure you've got lots of room, and try swinging your arms all over the place.

Have you ever seen someone put oil on a hinge to make it work easier or stop squeaking? Well, your joints come with their own special fluid called synovial fluid (say: SIH-no-vee-ul) that helps them move freely. Bones are held together at the joints by ligaments (say: LIH-guh-mints), which are like very strong rubber bands.

Taking Care of Bones

Your bones help you out every day so make sure you take care of them. Here are some tips:

Protect those skull bones (and your brain inside!) by wearing a helmet for bike riding and other sports. When you use a skateboard, in-line skates, or a scooter, be sure to add wrist supports and elbow and knee pads. Your bones in these places will thank you if you have a fall!

If you play sports like football, soccer, lacrosse, or ice hockey, always wear all the right equipment. And never play on a trampoline. Many kids end up with broken bones from jumping on them. Broken bones can eventually heal, but it takes a long time and isn't much fun while you wait.

Strengthen your skeleton by drinking milk and eating other dairy products (like low-fat cheese or frozen yogurt). They all contain calcium, which helps bones harden and become strong.

Be active! Another way to strengthen your bones is through exercise like running, jumping, dancing, and playing sports.

Take these steps to be good to your bones, and they will treat you right!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Your Bones (for Kids) - Nemours KidsHealth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Where would you be without your bones? Learn more about the skeletal system in this article for kids.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What Is a Broken Bone?

A broken bone, also called a fracture (say: FRAK-shur), is when a break goes through part or all of a bone.

How Do Broken Bones Happen?

Most broken bones in kids happen from a fall. Kids also can break a bone in an accident or while playing sports.

What Are the Kinds of Broken Bones?

Types of bone fractures include:

A greenstick fracture: a break on one side of the bone only

A buckle or torus fracture: an outward bend on one side of the bone without breaking the other side

An avulsion fracture: when a tendon or ligament pulls off of a tiny piece of bone

A growth plate fracture: a break in the area of a child or teen's growing bone

A stress fracture: a tiny crack in the bone

A comminuted fracture: a bone breaks into more than two pieces

A compression fracture: a collapsing of the bone

What Are the Signs of a Broken Bone?

It always hurts to break a bone. There also might be swelling and bruising. The injured area may be hard to move and use.

Sometimes the body part looks crooked or different than it did before the injury.

What Do Doctors Do?

Doctors order X-rays if they think a bone is broken.

How Are Broken Bones Treated?

Most broken bones are treated with a cast, splint, or brace. This keeps the broken bone from moving while it heals. Even broken bones that don't line up (called displaced) often will heal straight over time.

Sometimes the displaced bones need to be put back in place before the cast, splint, or brace is put on. This is done through a procedure called a reduction. This is also called "setting the bone."

How Do Bones Heal?

In the first few days after a fracture, the body forms a blood clot around the broken bone to protect it and deliver the cells needed for healing.

Then, an area of healing tissue forms around the broken bone. This is called a callus (say: KAL-uss). It joins the broken bones together. It's soft at first, then gets harder and stronger over the following weeks.

New bone forms in the weeks to months after a break, but full healing can take longer.

How Can I Help My Bone Heal?

To help your bone heal well:

eat a healthy diet that includes plenty of calcium and vitamin D

take care of the cast or splint

rest and/or do any exercises that your doctor recommended

With the right treatment, a broken bone usually heals well. After a few months, you will be back to doing all the things you did before the injury.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A broken bone, also called a fracture (say: FRAK-shur), is when a break goes through part or all of a bone. Most broken bones in kids happen from a fall. Kids also can break a bone in an accident or while playing sports.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What Is Lactose Intolerance?

People who have lactose intolerance (say: LAK-tose in-TAHL-er-ents) have trouble digesting (say: dye-JES-ting) lactose, a type of sugar found in milk and other dairy foods. Lactose intolerance does not mean a kid is allergic to milk, but they will probably feel bad after drinking milk or eating cheese, ice cream, or anything else containing lactose.

A lot of people have lactose intolerance, but no one has to put up with feeling awful. If you have lactose intolerance, you can learn to watch what you eat and your doctor may suggest medicine that can help.

What Happens in Lactose Intolerance?

As with everything else you eat, your body needs to digest lactose to be able to use it for fuel. The small intestine normally makes a special substance called lactase (say: LAK-tase), an enzyme that breaks lactose down into simpler sugars called glucose (say: GLOO-kose) and galactose (say: guh-LAK-tose). These sugars are easy for your body to absorb and turn into energy.

People with lactose intolerance do not make enough lactase in their small intestine. Without lactase, the body can't properly digest food that has lactose in it. This means that if you eat dairy foods, the lactose from these foods will pass into your intestine, which can lead to gas, cramps, a bloated feeling, and diarrhea (say: dye-uh-REE-uh), which is loose, watery poop.

Even if you don't have trouble with lactose now, there's a chance you might someday. Why? Because your body starts making less lactase when you're around 2 years old. The older you get, the more likely it is that you could have trouble digesting dairy foods.

What Are the Signs of Lactose Intolerance?

If you have lactose intolerance, your body will usually start acting up within 2 hours of eating or drinking something that has lactose in it. Not everyone reacts in the same way - or within the same amount of time - because some people can handle more lactose than others can. But when your body starts trying to digest the food, you'll begin to feel yucky.

If you once got a sick feeling in your stomach after gulping down a glass of milk, that doesn't mean you have lactose intolerance. But if you get an upset stomach every time you drink a milkshake, snack on ice cream, or eat a slice of cheesy pizza, there's a good chance that's what it is. Lactose intolerance can start suddenly - even if you've never had trouble with dairy products or other foods containing lactose.

What Will the Doctor Do?

If you and your parent think you might have lactose intolerance, the next step is to see your doctor. After hearing about your symptoms and doing an exam, your doctor may ask you to stop eating dairy for a period of time. If your symptoms improve on a dairy-free diet, but happen again when you try dairy again, there's a good chance you are lactose intolerant.

The doctor also can test your breath to see if you show signs of lactose intolerance. Thery'll check your breath for hydrogen (say: HYE-druh-jun) - a gas you cannot see or taste. When lactose isn't digested, the bacteria that normally live in the large intestine use it and make hydrogen gas.

To test the amount of hydrogen, the doctor will have you drink something with lactose in it. You'll blow into a mask or bag to check the hydrogen level in your breath about every 15 minutes during the test. If it's high, you might have lactose intolerance.

If you do have lactose intolerance, your doctor will talk to you about the best ways to treat it and help you feel your best. You will play a big part in how you feel because it's up to you to watch what you eat. You might want to keep a list of foods that make you feel sick, so you can steer clear of them in the future. Talking with a dietitian (say: dye-uh-TIH-shun) - someone who specializes in food and nutrition - could help you decide what to eat and what not to eat.

The doctor also might suggest a kind of medicine you can take when you eat dairy products and other foods containing lactose. This medicine contains the lactase enzyme. It comes in drops or pills and can be bought in drugstores and supermarkets. If you take it right before eating foods that cause you trouble, it usually helps your body digest the lactose.

Living With Lactose Intolerance

Some people with lactose intolerance must avoid all foods containing lactose, but others can eat some dairy foods. Many people can drink lactose-free milk that has added calcium. Ask your doctor if this could be a good choice for you.

If you are new to lactose intolerance, start by figuring out what's best for you to eat. When you do eat dairy products, stick with foods that have smaller amounts of lactose in them, such as aged cheeses, including cheddar.

Yogurt that contains live cultures is more easily digested because it contains healthy bacteria that produce lactase. Even if you're lactose intolerant, you may be able to handle smaller portions of your favorite dairy products. It also may help to eat a food that does not contain lactose along with a food that does, so have some fruit with your bagel and cream cheese!

If you have lactose intolerance, make sure you still get enough calcium from foods like tofu, leafy green veggies (spinach is a great choice), lactose-free milk, and juices or soy milk that have added calcium. Eating a healthy diet that includes many different kinds of food should do the trick.

If you can't seem to get enough calcium in your diet, your doctor may recommend a calcium supplement. You also need to get the right amount of vitamin D, which helps your body use calcium.

You may also take a lactase enzyme supplement. Taking this before eating food that contains dairy will help your body digest the lactose sugar in dairy so you don't have pain, cramping, bloating, gas or diarrhea.

And if you're trying to cut out lactose, you'll have to cut out more than milk. Remember to check food labels because many packaged foods have added lactose, and sometimes it's tricky to figure out which ones do. Watch out for ingredients like butter, cheese, cream, dried milk, milk solids, powdered milk, and whey, for example. If you're not sure about an ingredient, ask an adult before you try the food.

So keep on enjoying your snacks and meals, but choose your foods and drinks wisely so you'll feel good before and after you eat!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
People who have lactose intolerance (say: LAK-tose in-TAHL-er-ents) have trouble digesting (say: dye-JES-ting) lactose, a type of sugar found in milk and other dairy foods. Lactose intolerance does not mean a kid is allergic to milk, but they will probably feel bad after drinking milk or eating cheese, ice cream, or anything else containing lactose.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Brandon was having a great day. He got an "A" on his math test, the girl he likes had said "hi" to him, and for lunch he had an awesome steak sandwich with cheese, peppers, and lots of onions.

But later that afternoon he felt a burning sensation in the back of his throat. His chest and stomach started to hurt, too. Brandon had a mean case of ... indigestion!

What Is Indigestion?

Indigestion (say: in-dih-JES-chun) is just another name for an upset stomach. It's also called dyspepsia (say: dis-PEP-shuh).

Indigestion usually happens when people eat too much, too fast, or foods that don't "agree" with them. It's fair to say that big cheesesteak sandwich didn't agree with Brandon!

Brandon had a little heartburn with his indigestion. It doesn't mean there was anything wrong with his heart. Heartburn is a burning feeling that travels from a person's chest up to the neck and throat. It's caused by stomach acid, which isn't a problem unless it gets out of your stomach.

With heartburn, stomach acid splashes up and irritates the esophagus (say: ih-SAH-fuh-gus), the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. This is called esophageal reflux (say: ih-sah-fuh-JEE-ul REE-fluks) and can leave a sour or bitter taste in the person's mouth.

Indigestion and heartburn are common problems for both kids and grownups. That's why you see all those commercials for heartburn and indigestion medicines on TV! But don't take any medicine for indigestion unless your parents or doctor says it's OK. Most of the ones that are advertised on TV are meant for adults, not kids.

Stress, not enough sleep, smoking, or drinking alcohol also can make indigestion worse.

Digestive problems, such as ulcers, can cause the symptoms of indigestion and heartburn, too. But they're not common in kids.

P

Do I Have It?

In addition to heartburn, if you have indigestion, you'll probably have one or more of the following symptoms:

pain or burning in your upper belly - usually in the middle

nausea (feeling sick to your stomach)

bloating (that too-full feeling where your stomach sticks out)

burping that you have a hard time controlling

When to Go to the Doctor

Usually, indigestion only happens once in a while, like after eating one too many hot dogs.

But you'll want to see the doctor if you get indigestion even when you're eating healthy foods, exercising, and getting enough sleep.

You may need to be examined, have stomach X-rays or other tests to make sure your indigestion is not the sign of another problem in your digestive tract. Depending on what the doctor finds, you might need to make changes in your diet or take medicine.

Be sure to tell your parent right way if you:

throw up (or vomit), especially if you ever see blood in your throw up

think you're losing weight

have no appetite for more than a day

ever feel short of breath

sweat for no reason

have belly pain that won't go away or feels really bad

have poop (bowel movements) that look black or sticky or you see blood in the toilet or on the toilet paper after you wipe

P

Indigestion Prevention

Some people can eat anything and they never get upset stomachs. But other people are more sensitive to food and they might find certain ones just don't agree with them. If you discover one of these foods, it's best not to eat a lot of them or skip them entirely. (For Brandon, the problem was the onions on his cheesesteak!)

In addition to avoiding problem foods, it's a good idea to eat several smaller meals instead of a couple of really big ones. Here are some other tips to prevent indigestion:

As much as possible, avoid fatty, greasy foods, like fries and burgers.

Avoid too much chocolate.

Eat slowly.

Find ways to relax and decrease stress.

Give your body a chance to digest food. Don't eat a huge meal and immediately go to sports practice. Try to eat at least an hour beforehand, or eat afterward.

You might do all these things, but still get indigestion once in a while. If you do, just remember to say "excuse me" if it makes you burp!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Indigestion (for Kids) - Nemours KidsHealth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Got tummy troubles? Indigestion is a common condition that many people - even kids - have at one time or another. Find out more in this article for kids.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Burp!"

You cover your mouth with your hand, but it's too late. The people at the next table in the lunchroom already heard. As you turn back to your soda, you think: Where did that burp come from?

A burp — sometimes called a belch — is nothing but gas. When you eat or drink, you don't just swallow food or liquid. You also swallow air at the same time. The air we breathe contains gases, like nitrogen (say: NY-truh-jen) and oxygen (say: AHK-sih-jen).

Sometimes when you swallow these gases, they need to get out. That's where burping comes in! Extra gas is forced out of the stomach, up through the esophagus (say: ih-SAH-fuh-gus, the tube for food that connects the back of the throat to the stomach), and out of the mouth as a burp.

Some kids find that drinking soda or other carbonated beverages makes them burp more. Can you guess why? If you're thinking that it's because these drinks contain extra gas, you're right! The gas that makes the drinks fizzy is carbon dioxide (say: KAR-bon dy-AHK-side), another gas that can bring on big burps.

Sometimes eating or drinking too fast can cause indigestion, which can make a person burp because this can send extra air into the stomach. The same thing happens when you drink through a straw: extra air in = more burps out.

Burping is almost never anything to worry about. Everybody does it at least once in a while, and it's very unusual for burping to mean something is wrong in a kid's body.

It seems like the only people who can get away with really loud burps are little babies — their parents cheer when they burp because it means that the babies won't feel the extra gas in their stomachs and cry. But unless you're tiny and bald, it's probably a good idea to be polite when it's time to burp.

So what can you do if you're around people and you feel a burp coming on? Try to burp quietly and cover your mouth. Of course, whether your burp is loud or quiet, saying "excuse me" can't hurt either.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why Do I Burp? (for Kids) - Nemours KidsHealth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A burp - sometimes also called a belch - is nothing but gas. Find out more about burping and what to do if it happens to you in this article for kids.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Jordan didn't know what was going on in his stomach. But after eating lunch and going to recess, he stopped wanting to run around after a soccer ball. Was it something he ate? Did he gobble his lunch too fast? Was he coming down with the "stomach flu"?

Jordan was just about to ask his best friend, Nate, for some advice, when Jordan felt like something moved inside his belly. Before he could take a breath, a giant multicolored mess came out of his mouth. "Yuck!" yelled Nate. Jordan felt like yelling too, but his nose was clogged and his throat burned so badly he could barely talk.

What just happened? Jordan just threw up, or puked. But what is puke? It goes by many names: vomit, throw up, upchuck, gut soup, ralphing, and barf. Whatever you call it, it's the same stuff: mushed-up, half-digested food or liquid that gets mixed with spit and stomach juices as it makes a quick exit up your throat and out of your mouth.

Sometimes puke tastes bitter, sometimes it tastes sour. Sometimes it tastes like the food you just ate, and it's often the color of what you last munched on, too. For example, blueberry pie might churn up blue puke. A red ice pop might make red puke. Your puke may be green sometimes, but that's not because you ate green beans. Puke looks green when a chemical called bile (say: BYEL) mixes with it. This will happen if the food that comes back up is squeezed from your intestines into your stomach and then up your throat. Be sure to tell a parent if your puke looks green.

No matter what color it is, though, puke usually stinks - whether you've eaten tuna fish, toast, or jelly beans.

How Does Your Body Do That?

Normally, your digestive system carries food down your throat, into your stomach, and on through your intestines until what's left of the food reaches the end of the line at your rectum and comes out as a bowel movement (what you might call poop).

But if you have a virus or other germs in your stomach or intestine, eat food with lots of bacteria (say: bak-TEER-ee-uh) in it, feel very nervous, or spin too fast on the merry-go-round, your stomach or intestines might say "this food is stopping here." When that happens, the muscles in your stomach and intestines push food up instead of down and carry that food right back up to where it started - your mouth.

P

Can Puking Be Prevented?

As gross as it can look and feel, puking is pretty normal. Everyone has puked during their life, even your mom or dad. When you're sick with the stomach "flu" you may need to puke, and there's not much you can do about it. Sometimes being nervous or eating too much food is all it takes to upset your stomach. In these cases, you often can help your stomach by relaxing and taking a few slow deep breaths.

Motion sickness - a sick feeling that some people get from riding in cars, boats, or airplanes - can sometimes be helped by eating a small snack before you start moving. If you know that trips to grandma's house make you feel yucky, ask your parents for some crackers or a piece of fruit before you hop into the car. Opening the car window a bit and letting in some fresh air can also help prevent that pukey feeling. If this doesn't work, talk with your mom or dad about medicines that might help motion sickness.

Puking in Public

If you're at school or a friend's house and you feel like your stomach is upset enough to make you puke, head to a bathroom or sink. But you might end up like Jordan and puke on the playground or your math workbook. It's not a pretty sight, but don't feel embarrassed - remember, all people puke sometimes! You can make the best of it by staying calm. Catch your breath and let a teacher or adult know what happened. If you don't feel well enough to find an adult, ask a friend to go.

If you see someone else puke, don't make a big deal about it. You'll only embarrass the person who's sick and already feels bad enough. Instead, stay calm and give the person a tissue if you've got one handy. Offer to find an adult or get a glass of water. Sometimes just having you nearby will help the person feel better.

After You Puke

Once you've puked, it's time to work on feeling better. Relax - lie down or sit down - and when you feel well enough, try to take a few sips of water. Don't drink soda or fruit juices right away, because they tend to make upset stomachs feel worse.

Also, don't drink while you're lying down - that makes it too easy for the liquid to come back up. Drink little bits at a time and catch your breath in between sips. You'll most likely begin to feel better pretty quickly. You might feel ready to take bigger sips of liquid and maybe even eat something. If, however, you have a fever, puke several times in a day, or puke for more than a day or two, your body might be telling you to see a doctor. Make sure your parents or another adult know if you've been puking a lot.

Puke is pretty yucky. Luckily, most kids don't puke very often. And when you do, remember that you'll probably feel better very soon.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What’s Puke? (for Kids) - Nemours KidsHealth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Did you ever toss your cookies? That means throw up, or puke. It’s gross, but just about everyone has done it. Find out more in this article for kids.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Note: All information on KidsHealth® is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.

© 1995-2022 The Nemours Foundation. Nemours® and KidsHealth® are registered trademarks of the Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved.

Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You'll get an X-ray if your doctor thinks you might have a broken bone. Find out how X-rays are done in this video for kids.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Note: All information on KidsHealth® is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.

© 1995-2022 The Nemours Foundation. Nemours® and KidsHealth® are registered trademarks of the Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved.

Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Getting a Spirometry Test (Video) (for Kids) - Nemours KidsHealth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A spirometry test is as easy as blowing out birthday candles. Watch how the test is done in this video for kids.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What Is a Scar?

A scar is the pale pink, brown, or silvery patch of new skin that grows in the place where you once had a cut, scrape, or sore. A scar is your skin's way of repairing itself after an injury.

Look at your skin. You probably have one or two scars already. Most people do. Why? Because a lot of things leave behind scars - from falls to surgeries.

How Do Scars Happen?

No matter what caused your scar, here's how your skin repaired the open wound. The skin made a bunch of collagen (say: KAHL-uh-jen) - tough, white protein fibers that act like bridges - to reconnect the broken tissue. As the body did its healing work, a dry, temporary crust formed over the wound. This crust is called a .

The scab's job is to protect the wound as the damaged skin heals underneath. Eventually, a scab dries up and falls off on its own, leaving behind the repaired skin and, often, a scar. Not every cut or scrape can make a scar, though many do.

How Do I Prevent a Scar?

Of course, the best way to prevent scars is to prevent wounds! You can reduce your chances of getting hurt by wearing kneepads, helmets, and other protective gear when you play sports or ride your bike.

But even with protective gear, a person can still get hurt once in a while. If this happens, you can help prevent or reduce scarring. Help your skin heal itself by treating it well during the healing process.

How do you do that? Be sure to:

Keep the wound covered with a bandage to keep out dirt and germs and help it from drying out.

Don't pick at the scab because it tears at the collagen and could get germs into the wound.

Protect the cut from the sun. Use sunscreen or a hat or other clothing. The new skin will be more sensitive to the sun until it's fully healed.

So Long, Scars!

Some scars fade over time. If yours doesn't and it bothers you, treatments can make a scar less noticeable, such as skin-smoothing medicated creams, waterproof makeup, or even minor surgery. Talk to your parent and doctor to find out if any of these treatments would be right for you.

Letting a trusted adult know how you feel about a scar can help you feel a lot better about it.

Date reviewed: March 2022

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A scar is the pale pink, brown, or silvery patch of new skin that grows in the place where you once had a cut, scrape, or sore. A scar is your skin's way of repairing itself after an injury. Look at your skin. You probably have one or two scars already.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Everybody gets cuts, and some cuts are bigger than others. That's why a lot of kids need stitches at one time or another — usually on their face, chin, hands, or feet.

Stitches aren't for scratches. They're for bigger cuts that probably wouldn't heal well on their own. You might take a fall and hit your head or step on something sharp — ouch! Or you might have surgery and get an incision, a cut a doctor makes.

That's where stitches come in. They join the sides of the cut together so that it can heal. If you need stitches, you don't need to worry, but you do need to take care of the stitches until the skin heals.

What Are Stitches?

Stitches are loops of thread that doctors use to join the edges of a cut on your skin. It's a lot like sewing fabric together. But after a few days or a week, the skin heals and the stitches come out.

Once the edges are touching, the doctor ties a knot in the thread so your skin will stay that way until it heals. Doctors have many different kinds of thread, called sutures (say: SOO-churz), including some made of nylon, silk, and vicryl (say: VY-kril). Vicryl thread actually dissolves in your skin, so you don't even need to get those stitches removed. This kind of thread is used mostly on the lips, face, or in the mouth.

Another way of closing a cut is to use glue! Sometimes, if a cut isn't too deep or wide, and is on a flat area like the forehead, the doctor will use special skin glue to keep the cut's edges together until it heals. It usually dissolves by itself in 7 to 10 days.

Another option for tiny cuts is a small sticky strip called a butterfly bandage. It keeps the edges of a shallow cut together for a few days, and then it usually comes off in the bath.

Page 1

How Does a Doctor Put Stitches In?

If you need stitches, the nurse or assistant will usually start by putting a numbing gel on top of the cut. When the skin is numb, he or she will begin cleaning your cut with sterile water, which is squirted into the cut to remove harmful germs and dirt. You're probably wondering if this will hurt. Actually, you won't feel much pain at all during the cleaning and sewing of the cut.

Sometimes a liquid numbing medicine will be put into the skin with a small needle. These substances, called anesthetics (say: an-es-THEH-tiks), may numb the area so you feel hardly any pain at all. It's a lot like the medicine used to numb your mouth when you have a cavity filled.

The doctor also will make sure that whatever cut you (such as a piece of glass) isn't still in the cut.

Using a very tiny needle, the doctor will sew your cut together with the sutures. Although the area will be numb, you might feel a tug as the doctor pulls the stitches together. Stitches are done the same way at the end of surgery. If you get these at the end of surgery, you won't feel it — you won't even be awake!

Page 2

How Does a Kid Take Care of Stitches?

Your doctor will tell you how to care for your cut after it has been closed. It's important to follow the directions carefully with your mom's or dad's help. Different kinds of materials — sutures, glue, and butterflies — need different kinds of care.

The doctor probably will tell you to keep your cut dry for at least 1 to 2 days. Most stitches should not get wet. Some cuts with stitches need to be covered with an antibiotic (say: an-ty-by-AH-tik) ointment and a bandage to prevent infection. Glue, on the other hand, shouldn't be coated with ointment. It's important that you don't tug or pull on the stitches, even if they get itchy. And don't ever try to take the stitches out by yourself.

If you notice that you've popped or torn a stitch, or if your cut is hot, red, swollen, or oozing pus (a yellowish or greenish thick liquid), be sure to tell a parent. You may need to see the doctor to check if the cut is infected.

Getting the Stitches Out

Dissolving stitches, glue, and butterflies come out or off on their own. The doctor or nurse has to remove other kinds of stitches. The stitch is cut at the knot, and the little thread is pulled out. You may feel a bit of pulling, but it won't hurt. It takes a lot less time to remove stitches than it does to put them in. And once the stitches have been removed, your skin will be fine!

The doctor will tell you how to care for your skin after the stitches have been removed. You may be told to avoid getting direct sun on the area of skin for a while. Sunscreen will be recommended whenever you go in the sun. The doctor also might give you a cream for your skin to make the scar better. Before long, it will probably be hard to see the place where your cut used to be. Most important, your skin will be totally healed!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Stitches (for Kids) - Nemours KidsHealth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Most kids need stitches at one time or another to help a cut heal properly. Read this article to learn all about stitches and what they do.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
You're running around with your friend, laughing your head off, when suddenly you trip over a rock and hit the ground. As you pick yourself up, you notice that your knee is bleeding. But while you're trying to figure out where that rock came from, the blood from the cut on your knee is already busy at work creating a scab.

As soon as you scrape or break the skin anywhere on your body, special blood cells called platelets (say: PLAYT-lits) spring into action. Platelets stick together like glue at the cut, forming a clot. This clot is like a protective bandage over your cut that keeps more blood and other fluids from flowing out. The clot is also full of other blood cells and thread-like stuff called fibrin (say: FY-brin) that help hold the clot together.

So now you're home, you're cleaned up, and you're not bleeding anymore. But things are still happening on your knee. As the clot starts to get hard and dries out, a scab forms. Scabs are usually crusty and dark red or brown. Their job is to protect the cut by keeping germs and other stuff out and giving the skin cells underneath a chance to heal.

If you look at a scab, it probably just looks like a hard, reddish glob. But under its surface, all kinds of things are going on. New skin cells are being made to help repair the torn skin. Damaged blood vessels are being fixed.

White blood cells, the kind that fight infection to keep you from getting sick, go to work by attacking any germs that may have gotten into the cut. White blood cells also get rid of any dead blood and skin cells that may still be hanging around the cut. By the time it's all done, a new layer of skin will have been made.

Eventually, a scab falls off and reveals new skin underneath. This usually happens by itself after a week or two. Even though it may be tough not to pick at a scab, try to leave it alone. If you pick or pull at the scab, you can undo the repair and rip your skin again, which means it'll probably take longer to heal. You may even get a scar. So let that scab sit there - your skin will thank you!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You're running around with your friend, laughing your head off, when suddenly you trip over a rock and hit the ground. As you pick yourself up, you notice that your knee is bleeding. But while you're trying to figure out where that rock came from, the blood from the cut on your knee is already busy at work creating a scab.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Human Body: The Heart | Educational Videos For Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Go below the surface of the skin with Chloe and the Nurb. They'll show you skin cells, sweat, and more!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Movie: Muscular System (for Kids) - Nemours KidsHealth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Watch this movie about the muscular system.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Listen

Play Stop Volume mp3 Settings Close Player

Larger text size Large text size Regular text size

What Do Muscles Do?

Did you know you have more than 600 muscles in your body? They do everything from pumping blood throughout your body to helping you lift your heavy backpack. You control some of your muscles, while others - like your heart - do their jobs without you thinking about them at all.

Muscles are all made of the same material, a type of elastic tissue (sort of like the material in a rubber band). Thousands, or even tens of thousands, of small fibers make up each muscle.

What Are the Three Types of Muscles?

You have three different types of muscles in your body:

smooth muscle

cardiac (say: KAR-dee-ak) muscle, and

skeletal (say: SKEL-uh-tul) muscle

What Are Smooth Muscles?

Smooth muscles - sometimes also called involuntary muscles - are usually in sheets, or layers, with one layer of muscle behind the other. You can't control this type of muscle. Your brain and body tell these muscles what to do without you even thinking about it. You can't use your smooth muscles to make a muscle in your arm or jump into the air.

But smooth muscles are at work all over your body. In your stomach and digestive system, they contract (tighten up) and relax to allow food to make its journey through the body. Your smooth muscles come in handy if you're sick and you need to throw up. The muscles push the food back out of the stomach so it comes up through the esophagus (say: ih-SAH-fuh-gus) and out of the mouth.

Smooth muscles are also found in your bladder. When they're relaxed, they allow you to hold in urine (pee) until you can get to the bathroom. Then they contract so that you can push the urine out. These muscles are also in a woman's uterus, which is where a baby develops. There they help to push the baby out of the mother's body when it's time to be born.

You'll find smooth muscles at work behind the scenes in your eyes, too. These muscles keep the eyes focused.

What's the Cardiac (Heart) Muscle?

The muscle that makes up the heart is called cardiac muscle. It is also known as the myocardium (say: my-uh-KAR-dee-um). The thick muscles of the heart contract to pump blood out and then relax to let blood back in after it has circulated through the body.

Just like smooth muscle, cardiac muscle works all by itself with no help from you. A special group of cells within the heart are known as the pacemaker of the heart because it controls the heartbeat.

What Are the Skeletal (Striated) Muscles?

Now, let's talk about the kind of muscle you think of when we say "muscle" - the ones that show how strong you are and let you boot a soccer ball into the goal. These are your skeletal muscles - sometimes called striated (say: STRY-ay-tud) muscle because the light and dark parts of the muscle fibers make them look striped (striated is a fancy word meaning striped).

Skeletal muscles are voluntary muscles, which means you can control what they do. Your leg won't bend to kick the soccer ball unless you want it to. These muscles help to make up the musculoskeletal (say: mus-kyuh-low-SKEL-uh-tul) system - the combination of your muscles and your skeleton, or bones.

Together, the skeletal muscles work with your bones to give your body power and strength. In most cases, a skeletal muscle is attached to one end of a bone. It stretches all the way across a joint (the place where two bones meet) and then attaches again to another bone.

What Are Tendons?

Skeletal muscles are held to the bones with the help of tendons (say: TEN-dunz). Tendons are cords made of tough tissue, and they work as special connector pieces between bone and muscle. The tendons are attached so well that when you contract one of your muscles, the tendon and bone move along with it.

What Do Face Muscles Do?

You may not think of it as a muscular body part, but your face has plenty of muscles. You can check them out next time you look in the mirror. Facial muscles don't all attach directly to bone like they do in the rest of the body. Instead, many of them attach under the skin. This allows you to contract your facial muscles just a tiny bit and make dozens of different kinds of faces. Even the smallest movement can turn a smile into a frown. You can raise your eyebrow to look surprised or wiggle your nose.

And while you're looking at your face, don't pass over your tongue - a muscle that's attached only at one end! Your tongue is actually made of a group of muscles that work together to allow you to talk and help you chew food. Stick out your tongue and wiggle it around to see those muscles at work.

What Are Some Major Skeletal Muscles?

Skeletal muscles come in many different sizes and shapes to allow them to do many types of jobs. Some of the biggest and most powerful muscles are your calf and thigh muscles. They give your body the power it needs to lift and push things. Muscles in your neck and the top part of your back aren't as large, but they are capable of some pretty amazing things: Try rotating your head around, back and forth, and up and down to feel the power of the muscles in your neck. These muscles also hold your head high.

Because there are so many skeletal muscles in your body, we can't list them all here. But here are a few of the major ones:

What's the Deltoid Muscle?

In each of your shoulders is a deltoid (say: DEL-toyd) muscle. Your deltoid muscles help you move your shoulders every which way - from swinging a softball bat to shrugging your shoulders when you're not sure of an answer.

What Are the Pectoralis Muscles (Pecs)?

The pectoralis (say: pek-tuh-RAH-lus) muscles are found on each side of your upper chest. These are usually called pectorals (say: PEK-tuh-rulz), or pecs, for short. When many boys hit puberty, their pectoral muscles become larger. Many athletes and bodybuilders have large pecs, too.

What Are the Rectus Abdominus Muscles (Abs)?

Below these pectorals, down under your ribcage, are your rectus abdominus (say: REK-tus ab-DAHM-uh-nus) muscles, or abdominals (say: ab-DAHM-uh-nulz). They're often called abs for short.

What Is the Biceps Muscle?

When you make a muscle in your arm, you tense your biceps (say: BYE-seps) muscle. When you contract your biceps muscle, you can actually see it push up under your skin.

What Are the Quadriceps (Quads)?

Your quadriceps (say: KWAD-ruh-seps), or quads, are the muscles on the front of your thighs. Many people who run, bike, or play sports develop large, strong quads.

What Is the Gluteus Maximus?

And when it's time for you to take a seat? You'll be sitting on your gluteus maximus (say: GLOOT-ee-us MAK-suh-mus), the muscle that's under the skin and fat in your behind!

Date reviewed: January 2023

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Listen Play Stop Volume mp3 Settings Close Player Larger text size Large text size Regular text size Did you know you have more than 600 muscles in your body? They do everything from pumping blood throughout your body to helping you lift your heavy backpack.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
You're getting bigger and growing up. But for some kids, growing up comes with something called growing pains.

What Are Growing Pains?

Growing pains aren't a disease. You probably won't have to go to the doctor for them. But they can hurt. Usually they start when kids are between the ages of 3 and 12. Doctors don't believe that growing actually causes pain, but growing pains do stop when kids stop growing. By the teen years, most kids don't get growing pains anymore.

Kids get growing pains in their legs. Most of the time they hurt in the front of the thighs (the upper part of your legs), in the calves (the back part of your legs below your knees), or shins (the front part of your legs below your knees), or behind the knees. Usually, both legs hurt.

What Causes Growing Pains?

Growing pains don't hurt around the bones or joints (like your knees or ankles) - only in the muscles. For this reason, some doctors think that kids might get growing pains when they run, climb, or jump a lot during the day. When you are more active than usual, you might have aches and pains in your legs at night.

What Can I Do to Feel Better?

Your parent can help your growing pains feel better by giving you an over-the-counter pain medicine like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Here are three other things that might help you feel better:

1. Put a heating pad on the spot where your legs hurt.

2. Stretch your legs like you do in gym class.

3. Have your parent massage your legs.

When to Go to the Doctor

If you have a fever, are limping when you walk, or your leg looks red or is swollen (puffed up), your parent should take you to the doctor. Growing pains should not keep you from running, playing, and doing what you normally do. If you have leg pain during the day, tell your parent.

You might never feel any growing pains, but if you do, remember that before you know it, you will outgrow them!

Date reviewed: January 2021

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You're getting bigger and growing up. But for some kids, growing up comes with something called growing pains. Growing pains aren't a disease. You probably won't have to go to the doctor for them. But they can hurt. Usually they start when kids are between the ages of 3 and 12.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
You're getting bigger and growing up. But for some kids, growing up comes with something called growing pains.

What Are Growing Pains?

Growing pains aren't a disease. You probably won't have to go to the doctor for them. But they can hurt. Usually they start when kids are between the ages of 3 and 12. Doctors don't believe that growing actually causes pain, but growing pains do stop when kids stop growing. By the teen years, most kids don't get growing pains anymore.

Kids get growing pains in their legs. Most of the time they hurt in the front of the thighs (the upper part of your legs), in the calves (the back part of your legs below your knees), or shins (the front part of your legs below your knees), or behind the knees. Usually, both legs hurt.

What Causes Growing Pains?

Growing pains don't hurt around the bones or joints (like your knees or ankles) - only in the muscles. For this reason, some doctors think that kids might get growing pains when they run, climb, or jump a lot during the day. When you are more active than usual, you might have aches and pains in your legs at night.

What Can I Do to Feel Better?

Your parent can help your growing pains feel better by giving you an over-the-counter pain medicine like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Here are three other things that might help you feel better:

1. Put a heating pad on the spot where your legs hurt.

2. Stretch your legs like you do in gym class.

3. Have your parent massage your legs.

When to Go to the Doctor

If you have a fever, are limping when you walk, or your leg looks red or is swollen (puffed up), your parent should take you to the doctor. Growing pains should not keep you from running, playing, and doing what you normally do. If you have leg pain during the day, tell your parent.

You might never feel any growing pains, but if you do, remember that before you know it, you will outgrow them!

Date reviewed: January 2021

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You're getting bigger and growing up. But for some kids, growing up comes with something called growing pains. Growing pains aren't a disease. You probably won't have to go to the doctor for them. But they can hurt. Usually they start when kids are between the ages of 3 and 12.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Here is a song I created to help my 6th grade students study. I hope you enjoy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Digestive System | The Dr. Binocs Show | Learn Videos For Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Ride Down the Food Tube/Human DIGESTIVE SYSTEM! - Argo's World | STEM for Kids and Teens (Science)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM | Educational Video for Kids.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Science for Kids - Learn About Valves | Arteries and Veins | Operation Ouch

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Listen

Play Stop Volume mp3 Settings Close Player

Larger text size Large text size Regular text size

How do you remember the way to your friend's house? Why do your eyes blink without you ever thinking about it? Where do dreams come from? Your brain is in charge of these things and a lot more.

In fact, your brain is the boss of your body. It runs the show and controls just about everything you do, even when you're asleep. Not bad for something that looks like a big gray wrinkly sponge.

Your brain has many different parts that work together. We're going to talk about these five parts, which are key players on the brain team:

1. cerebrum (say: suh-REE-brum)

2. cerebellum (say: sair-uh-BELL-um)

3. brain stem

4. pituitary (say: puh-TOO-uh-ter-ee) gland

5. hypothalamus (say: hy-po-THAL-uh-mus)

The Biggest Part: the Cerebrum

The biggest part of the brain is the cerebrum. The cerebrum is the thinking part of the brain and it controls your voluntary muscles - the ones that move when you want them to. So you need your cerebrum to dance or kick a soccer ball.

You need your cerebrum to solve math problems, figure out a video game, and draw a picture. Your memory lives in the cerebrum - both short-term memory (what you ate for dinner last night) and long-term memory (the name of that roller-coaster you rode on two summers ago). The cerebrum also helps you reason, like when you figure out that you'd better do your homework now because your mom is taking you to a movie later.

The cerebrum has two halves, with one on either side of the head. Scientists think that the right half helps you think about abstract things like music, colors, and shapes. The left half is said to be more analytical, helping you with math, logic, and speech. Scientists do know for sure that the right half of the cerebrum controls the left side of your body, and the left half controls the right side.

The Cerebellum's Balancing Act

Next up is the cerebellum. The cerebellum is at the back of the brain, below the cerebrum. It's a lot smaller than the cerebrum. But it's a very important part of the brain. It controls balance, movement, and coordination (how your muscles work together).

Because of your cerebellum, you can stand upright, keep your balance, and move around. Think about a surfer riding the waves on his board. What does he need most to stay balanced? The best surfboard? The coolest wetsuit? Nope - he needs his cerebellum!

Brain Stem Keeps You Breathing - and More

Another brain part that's small but mighty is the brain stem. The brain stem sits beneath the cerebrum and in front of the cerebellum. It connects the rest of the brain to the spinal cord, which runs down your neck and back. The brain stem is in charge of all the functions your body needs to stay alive, like breathing air, digesting food, and circulating blood.

Part of the brain stem's job is to control your involuntary muscles - the ones that work automatically, without you even thinking about it. There are involuntary muscles in the heart and stomach, and it's the brain stem that tells your heart to pump more blood when you're biking or your stomach to start digesting your lunch. The brain stem also sorts through the millions of messages that the brain and the rest of the body send back and forth. Whew! It's a big job being the brain's secretary!

Pituitary Gland Controls Growth

The pituitary gland is very small - only about the size of a pea! Its job is to produce and release hormones into your body. If your clothes from last year are too small, it's because your pituitary gland released special hormones that made you grow. This gland is a big player in puberty too. This is the time when boys' and girls' bodies go through major changes as they slowly become men and women, all thanks to hormones released by the pituitary gland.

This little gland also plays a role with lots of other hormones, like ones that control the amount of sugars and water in your body.

Hypothalamus Controls Temperature

The hypothalamus is like your brain's inner thermostat (that little box on the wall that controls the heat in your house). The hypothalamus knows what temperature your body should be (about 98.6°F or 37°C). If your body is too hot, the hypothalamus tells it to sweat. If you're too cold, the hypothalamus gets you shivering. Both shivering and sweating are attempts to get your body's temperature back where it needs to be.

You Have Some Nerve!

So the brain is boss, but it can't do it alone. It needs some nerves - actually a lot of them. And it needs the spinal cord, which is a long bundle of nerves inside your spinal column, the vertebrae that protect it. It's the spinal cord and nerves - known as the nervous system - that let messages flow back and forth between the brain and body.

If a spiky cactus falls off a shelf headed right for your best friend, your nerves and brain communicate so that you jump up and yell for your friend to get out of the way. If you're really good, maybe you're able to catch the plant before it hits your friend!

The nervous system is made up of millions and millions of neurons (say: NUR-onz), which are microscopic cells. Each neuron has tiny branches coming off it that let it connect to many other neurons.

When you learn things, the messages travel from one neuron to another, over and over. Eventually, the brain starts to create connections (or pathways) between the neurons, so things become easier and you can do them better and better.

Think back to the first time you rode a bike. Your brain had to think about pedaling, staying balanced, steering with the handlebars, watching the road, and maybe even hitting the brakes - all at once. Hard work, right? But eventually, as you got more practice, the neurons sent messages back and forth until a pathway was created in your brain. Now you can ride your bike without thinking about it because the neurons have successfully created a "bike riding" pathway.

Emotion Location

With all the other things it does, is it any surprise that the brain runs your emotions? Maybe you had fun on your birthday and you were really happy. Or your friend is sick and you feel sad. Or your little brother messed up your room, so you're really angry! Where do those feelings come from? Your brain, of course.

Your brain has a little bunch of cells on each side called the amygdala (say: uh-MIG-duh-luh). The word amygdala is Latin for almond, and that's what this area looks like. Scientists believe that the amygdala is responsible for emotion. It's normal to feel all different kinds of emotions, good and bad. Sometimes you might feel a little sad, and other times you might feel scared, or silly, or glad.

Be Good to Your Brain

So what can you do for your brain? Plenty.

Eat healthy foods. They contain vitamins and minerals that are important for the nervous system.

Get a lot of playtime (exercise).

Wear a helmet when you ride your bike or play other sports that require head protection.

Don't drink alcohol, take drugs, or use tobacco.

Use your brain by doing challenging activities, such as puzzles, reading, playing music, making art, or anything else that gives your brain a workout!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Listen Play Stop Volume mp3 Settings Close Player Larger text size Large text size Regular text size How do you remember the way to your friend's house? Why do your eyes blink without you ever thinking about it? Where do dreams come from? Your brain is in charge of these things and a lot more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If you get headaches, you're not alone. Lots of kids have headaches from time to time.

Let's find out more about headaches and how you can feel better.

What Is a Headache?

Although it may feel like it, a headache is not a pain in your brain. Your brain tells you when other parts of your body hurt, but it can't actually feel pain. Most headaches happen in the nerves, blood vessels, and muscles that cover a person's head and neck. Sometimes the muscles or blood vessels swell, which means they get larger.

They also can tighten or go through other changes that stimulate or put pressure on the surrounding nerves. The nerves send a rush of pain messages to your brain, and you end up with a headache.

What Are the Kinds of Headaches?

The most common type of headache is a tension, or muscle-contraction, headache. This happens when stressed-out head or neck muscles keep squeezing too hard. When you get this kind of headache, the pain is usually dull and constant. It might feel as though something is pressing or squeezing on the front, back, or both sides of your head.

Pain that's especially sharp and throbbing can be a sign of a different kind of headache called a migraine (say: MY-grayne). Migraine headaches aren't as common as tension headaches, especially in kids, but they can still happen. Sometimes, just before a migraine happens, the person sees wavy lines or bright spots of light. This is called an aura (say: AWR-uh). Also, kids who get migraines often feel sick to their stomachs and sometimes throw up.

Page 1

What Causes Headaches?

Sometimes a headache is just a part of another illness, such as a cold or flu or strep throat. When you get better, the headache gets better, too.

If you're not sick, other triggers may cause a headache. For example, staying up too late, skipping a meal, or playing in the hot sun too long can set off a headache.

Excitement about a special event or worry about something (a school exam, for instance) can also cause headaches. Some kids get headaches from riding in a car or bus or from straining their eyes by spending too much time watching TV or using a computer.

Strong odors, such as perfume, smoke, fumes, or the smell of a new car or carpet, can start a headache.

Some foods can cause headaches in some kids, such as bacon, bologna, and hot dogs. The caffeine in sodas, chocolate, coffee, and tea may cause headaches, too. Kids don't need caffeine, so it's a good idea to limit it in your diet.

Sometimes no one knows why a kid gets headaches, but if you get them, chances are someone in your family gets them, too. The tendency to get headaches is often inherited. In other words, it runs in the family.

Headache Help

Most headaches will go away after you've rested or slept awhile. When you get one, the first thing you should do is tell an adult, so he or she can help. Lie down in a cool, dark, quiet room and close your eyes. Put a cool, moist cloth across your forehead or eyes. Relax. Breathe easily and deeply.

A grown-up can give you a pain relief medicine - either acetaminophen (say: uh-see-tuh-MIH-nuh-fun) or ibuprofen (say: i-byoo-PROfun). You want to avoid taking aspirin for a headache because it may cause a rare but dangerous disease called Reye syndrome (say: RYE SIN-drome).

When Should I Go to a Doctor?

Headaches are very rarely a sign of anything serious. Headache triggers such as eating certain foods, being stressed out, or not getting enough sleep are much more likely causes of headaches in kids. Or sometimes, there's no obvious reason at all.

Still, there are times when your mom or dad should talk with the doctor about your headaches:

when a headache is particularly painful

when a headache doesn't go away easily

when a headache follows an injury, such as hitting your head

when your vision is affected

when you feel tingling sensations

when you just don't seem like your usual self

when headaches occur once a month or more

when headaches cause you to miss school

A doctor can help you and your parents figure out why you're getting headaches and might be able to help you keep them from happening so often. Sometimes relaxation exercises or changes in diet or sleeping habits are all that's needed. If necessary, a doctor also can prescribe medication to control headaches.

If you're bothered by headaches, you don't have to put up with the pain. Sometimes relief is just a nap away. Other times, seeing a doctor may be necessary. But there's almost always something that you, your parents, and your doctor can do to help.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you get headaches, you're not alone. Lots of kids have headaches from time to time. Let's find out more about headaches and how you can feel better. Although it may feel like it, a headache is not a pain in your brain.

# data[].attributes.headline
Activities to learn about the nervous system

# data[].attributes.subject
Activities to learn about the nervous system

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
These pages contain worksheets and lessons that are ready for you to print out and work on off-line. Just click on a worksheet, print it out and get to work. If the pages do not print out correctly from your computer setup, let me know: chudler@u.washington.edu

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These pages contain worksheets and lessons that are ready for you to print out and work on off-line. Just click on a worksheet, print it out and get to work. If the pages do not print out correctly from your computer setup, let me know: chudler@u.washington.edu

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Waking up with a sore throat that really hurts when you swallow. Jamming your finger at basketball practice. Playing a video game for so long that your wrist aches. These situations are different, but they have one thing in common: They all make you say "ouch!"

When your body is injured in some way or something else is wrong, your nerves (cells that help your body send and receive information) send millions of messages to your brain about what's going on. Your brain then makes you feel pain. So if you put your hand on a hot stove, your nerves call your brain, and your brain quickly sends the message that your hand hurts. You get this message and pull your hand away from the hot stove, which saves your hand from further injury.

People don't come with warning lights, like the lights on a car dashboard that let the driver know when the car is low on oil or gas. We need the sensation of pain to let us know when our bodies need extra care. It's an important signal.

When we sense pain, we pay attention to our bodies and can take steps to fix what hurts. Pain also may prevent us from injuring a body part even more. If it didn't hurt to walk on a broken leg, a person might keep using it and cause more damage. If your throat is really sore, you'll probably go to the doctor, who can treat the infection if you have one.

Doctors and other health professionals use a person's pain as a clue in figuring out what is wrong. The first question you will probably be asked is: "how much pain do you have?" or "how much does it hurt?" Often a nurse will show you some pictures of faces with smiles or tears so that you can choose the one that matches how you feel. This will help your doctor or nurse know how much you hurt.

Here are some other questions a doctor might ask about pain:

Where does it hurt?

Does it hurt all the time?

When did it start hurting?

Does the pain stay in one place or move around?

Does anything make the pain feel better?

What makes it worse?

They ask these questions because they want what you want: for the pain to go away! If pain doesn't go away on its own, often a doctor can suggest medicine or other treatments that will make you feel better until it does.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Waking up with a sore throat that really hurts when you swallow. Jamming your finger at basketball practice. Playing a video game for so long that your wrist aches. These situations are different, but they have one thing in common: They all make you say "ouch!"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Oops! It looks like your security settings are blocking this video 🙁

If you are on a school computer or network, ask your tech person to whitelist these URLs:
*.wistia.com, fast.wistia.com, fast.wistia.net, embedwistia-a.akamaihd.net

Sometimes a simple refresh solves this issue. If you need further help, contact us.

Create a free account to unlock all content!

List 3 of the 11 human body systems and describe what they do.

When your muscles work harder, what happens to your heart and breathing rates?

Pick 3 body systems and explain how they work together while you are running.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The human body is made up of many interacting systems! We cover the circulatory, digestive, respiratory and muscular systems in this science video for kids!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Bronchoconstriction

Say: brong-ko-kun- strik-shun

Doesn't this sound like a cross between a dinosaur and a snake? Actually, bronchoconstriction affects the airways in a person's lungs. You can think of airways like straws or tubes. They let air flow in and out so you can breathe. These airways have muscles, but not the kind you flex! When bronchoconstriction occurs, the muscles surrounding the airways contract, or tighten. This narrows the airways so there's less space inside for air to get through. Bronchoconstriction happens to people who have asthma, but asthma medicines can help relax the muscles in the airways and make breathing easier.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Say: brong-ko-kun- strik-shun Doesn't this sound like a cross between a dinosaur and a snake? Actually, bronchoconstriction affects the airways in a person's lungs. You can think of airways like straws or tubes. They let air flow in and out so you can breathe. These airways have muscles, but not the kind you flex!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Your lungs work with your respiratory system to allow you to take in fresh air, get rid of stale air, and even talk. Let's take a tour of the lungs!

Locate Those Lungs

Your lungs are in your chest, and are so big that they take up most of the space in there. You have two lungs, but they aren't the same size the way your eyes or nostrils are. Instead, the lung on the left side of your body is a bit smaller than the lung on the right. This extra space on the left leaves room for your heart.

Your lungs are protected by your rib cage, which is made up of 12 sets of ribs. These ribs are connected to your spine in your back and go around your lungs to keep them safe. Beneath the lungs is the diaphragm (say: DY-uh-fram), a dome-shaped muscle that works with your lungs to allow you to inhale (breathe in) and exhale (breathe out) air.

You can't see your lungs, but it's easy to feel them in action: Put your hands on your chest and breathe in very deeply. You will feel your chest getting slightly bigger. Now breathe out the air, and feel your chest return to its regular size. You've just felt the power of your lungs!

A Look Inside the Lungs

From the outside, lungs are pink and a bit squishy, like a sponge. But the inside contains the real lowdown on the lungs! At the bottom of the trachea (say: TRAY-kee-uh), or windpipe, there are two large tubes. These tubes are called the main stem bronchi (say: BRONG-kye), and one heads left into the left lung, while the other heads right into the right lung.

Each main stem bronchus (say: BRONG-kuss) - the name for just one of the bronchi - then branches off into tubes, or bronchi, that get smaller and even smaller still, like branches on a big tree. The tiniest tubes are called bronchioles (say: BRONG-kee-oles), and there are about 30,000 of them in each lung. Each bronchiole is about the same thickness as a hair.

At the end of each bronchiole is a special area that leads into clumps of teeny tiny air sacs called alveoli (say: al-VEE-oh-lie). There are about 600 million alveoli in your lungs and if you stretched them out, they would cover an entire tennis court. Now that's a load of alveoli! Each alveolus (say: al-VEE-oh-luss) - what we call just one of the alveoli - has a mesh-like covering of very small blood vessels called capillaries (say: KAP-ill-er-ees). These capillaries are so tiny that the cells in your blood need to line up single file just to march through them.

Every time you inhale air, dozens of body parts work together to help get that air in there without you ever thinking about it.

As you breathe in, your diaphragm contracts and flattens out. This allows it to move down, so your lungs have more room to grow larger as they fill up with air. And the diaphragm isn't the only part that gives your lungs the room they need. Your rib muscles also lift the ribs up and outward to give the lungs more space.

At the same time, you inhale air through your mouth and nose, and the air heads down your trachea, or windpipe. On the way down the windpipe, tiny hairs called cilia (say: SILL-ee-uh) move gently to keep mucus and dirt out of the lungs. The air then goes through the series of branches in your lungs, through the bronchi and the bronchioles.

Thank You, Alveoli!

The air finally ends up in the 600 million alveoli. As these millions of alveoli fill up with air, the lungs get bigger.

It's the alveoli that allow oxygen from the air to pass into your blood. All the cells in the body need oxygen every minute of the day. Oxygen passes through the walls of each alveolus into the tiny capillaries that surround it. The oxygen enters the blood in the tiny capillaries, hitching a ride on red blood cells and traveling through layers of blood vessels to the heart. The heart then sends the oxygenated (filled with oxygen) blood out to all the cells in the body.

Waiting to Exhale

When it's time to exhale (breathe out), everything happens in reverse: Now it's the diaphragm's turn to say, "Move it!" Your diaphragm relaxes and moves up, pushing air out of the lungs. Your rib muscles become relaxed, and your ribs move in again, creating a smaller space in your chest.

By now your cells have used the oxygen they need, and your blood is carrying carbon dioxide and other wastes that must leave your body. The blood comes back through the capillaries and the wastes enter the alveoli. Then you breathe them out in the reverse order of how they came in - the air goes through the bronchioles, out the bronchi, out the trachea, and finally out through your mouth and nose.

The air that you breathe out not only contains wastes and carbon dioxide, but it's warm too! As air travels through your body, it picks up heat along the way. You can feel this heat by putting your hand in front of your mouth or nose as you breathe out. What is the temperature of the air that comes out of your mouth or nose?

With all this movement, you might be wondering why things don't get stuck as the lungs fill and empty! Luckily, your lungs are covered by two really slick special layers called pleural (say: PLOO-ral) membranes. These membranes are separated by a fluid that allows them to slide around easily while you inhale and exhale.

Time for Talk

Your lungs are important for breathing . . . and also for talking! Above the trachea (windpipe) is the larynx (say: LAIR-inks), which is sometimes called the voice box. Across the voice box are two tiny ridges called vocal cords, which open and close to make sounds. When you exhale air from the lungs, it comes through the trachea and larynx and reaches the vocal cords. If the vocal cords are closed and the air flows between them, the vocal cords vibrate and a sound is made.

The amount of air you blow out from your lungs determines how loud a sound will be and how long you can make the sound. Try inhaling very deeply and saying the names of all the kids in your class - how far can you get without taking the next breath? The next time you're outside, try shouting and see what happens - shouting requires lots of air, so you'll need to breathe in more frequently than you would if you were only saying the words.

Experiment with different sounds and the air it takes to make them - when you giggle, you let out your breath in short bits, but when you burp, you let swallowed air in your stomach out in one long one! When you hiccup, it's because the diaphragm moves in a funny way that causes you to breathe in air suddenly, and that air hits your vocal cords when you're not ready.

Love Your Lungs

Your lungs are amazing. They allow you to breathe, talk to your friend, shout at a game, sing, laugh, cry, and more!

Keeping your lungs looking and feeling healthy is a smart idea, and the best way to keep your lungs pink and healthy is not to smoke. Smoking isn't good for any part of your body, and your lungs especially hate it.

You can also show your love for your lungs by exercising! Exercise is good for every part of your body, and especially for your lungs and heart.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Your lungs work with your respiratory system to allow you to take in fresh air, get rid of stale air, and even talk. Let's take a tour of the lungs! Your lungs are in your chest, and are so big that they take up most of the space in there.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Watch this movie about the respiratory system, the system that enables you to breathe.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Nervous System - Get to know our nervous system a bit closer, how does it works? | Neurology

# data[].attributes.body
https://youtu.be/6O-0CVAgaEM

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Nervous System - Get to know our nervous system a bit closer, how does it works? | Neurology

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.brainpop.com/health/bodysystems/immunesystem/

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.brainpop.com/health/bodysystems/respiratorysystem/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How does oxygen get from the air outside our bodies into our bloodstream? Through the good ol’ respiratory system! Tim and Moby talk trachea and lungs.

# data[].attributes.body
https://jr.brainpop.com/health/bodies/muscles/

# data[].attributes.body
https://jr.brainpop.com/health/bodies/heart/

# data[].attributes.body
https://jr.brainpop.com/health/bodies/bones/

# data[].attributes.body
https://youtu.be/8NUxvJS-_0k

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Hands-on learning with immune system activities developed for different grade levels helps children understand the intricacies of our immune system. The human body and the way we fight off infections is fascinating! The human immune system, germs, and practicing healthy hygiene habits have become topics our children have become very familiar with.

We have divided these immune system activities by two loose age levels. However, one of our goals at TheHomeschoolScientist.com is to make science fun and accessible for all types of learners and a multitude of learning differences. So, don’t hesitate to bring all of the ages together in your homeschool to do some of the activities. Younger students will walk away with new knowledge if an activity may appear above grade level. They love doing “older school”. Older siblings can learn the material really well when they work alongside siblings completing simpler activities.

The goal is to help our children enjoy learning and develop lifelong habits of seeking new knowledge.

This post contains affiliate links.

Immune System with Activities for Kids Preschool – High School

Immune System Activities for Preschool and Early Elementary

A short video about germs from Cincinnati Children’s. Good for K-4.

An excellent PDF with information, activities, lessons on the immune system. It’s from Human Body Detectives.

Germs-related free coloring pages from Kidsactivities.com

The How the immune system works video from KidsHealth.org is a fun, animated overview.

The Notebooking Journal that goes along with the text is a great place for students to take notes on fun pages, do crosswords that help them learn new terms, and to record experiments.

If your kids love The Magic School Bus series, try The Magic School Bus World Of Germs science kit!

Glitter Germs Activity

Germ Detective Activity

Pepper Germs Experiment

Growing Germs Activity

Middle School and High School Immune System Activities and Resources

Understanding the Immune System PDF from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Health.

A 5-minute video on the immune system, its components, and how it fights off infection. Grades 5-adult.

This immune system card game is great for middle and high school students. In the sidebar of this link are the links to the printable cards and supply list.

This is an interesting video on natural killer cells.

You can swab surfaces around the house and use those swabs to inoculate Petri dishes to see which surfaces have the most bacteria. Be ready for some surprises!

An EXTENSIVE list of immunology-related terms from The International Union of Immunological Societies.

Fighting Infections With Your Immune System

Fighting Back! – Engineering and the Immune System

Viral Hijackers

Viral Packaging   Activity

Cellular Soap Opera:   Anatomy & Physiology experiment

How Big is a Virus?  Video

Don’t miss the entire Human Anatomy and Physiology series from The Homeschool Scientist.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hands-on learning with immune system activities developed for different grade levels helps children understand the intricacies of our immune system. The human body and the way we fight off infections is fascinating! The human immune system, germs, and practicing healthy hygiene habits have become to…

# data[].attributes.body
https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/respiratory-system/353709

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
All animals need a steady supply of oxygen in order to live. Oxygen is a gas found in air. It helps to turn food into energy. This process creates another gas-carbon dioxide....

# data[].attributes.body
https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/nervous-system/353527

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Animals constantly use their senses to gather information about their surroundings. Nerves in the body pick up this information. In most animals the nerves send the...

# data[].attributes.body
https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/muscle/353503

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Muscles make it possible for animals to move. Worms move by tightening and relaxing their muscles in waves. Snails and clams crawl with the help of a big muscle called a...

# data[].attributes.body
https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/circulatory-system/352964

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
All animals need to move important fluids through their body. The fluids move through what is called a circulatory system. The fluids carry nutrients and gases, like oxygen, that keep the animals alive. The fluids also remove wastes from the body. In humans and some other animals they also carry substances that help the body fight infection.

The circulatory system of humans consists of two parts: the cardiovascular system and the lymphatic system. The main fluid in humans and most other animals is blood. It is transported through the cardiovascular system. This system consists of the heart and a network of blood vessels. The fluid that helps fight infections is called lymph. It is carried in the lymphatic system.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
All animals need to move important fluids through their body. The fluids move through what is called a circulatory system. The fluids carry nutrients and gases, like oxygen, that keep the animals alive. The fluids also remove wastes from the body. In humans and some other animals they also carry substances that help the body fight infection.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Kids will have fun learning about their skeletal system with these fun, hands on bones activities for kids. These Skeletal System Projects for Kids make learning about the human body for kids fun!

Make learning about the human body fun for kids with these creative Skeletal System Projects for Kids.

Human Spine Project for Kids

Before we built our human spine I tried to help them visualize two things:

1. Without the cartilage disks our bones would get chipped (I demonstrated that by rubbing two rigatoni together and they were able to see the wear and tear on the "bone")

2. Without 33 independent bones working together we couldn't bend and twist like we do (I put a sword down their back to be there solid bone vertebrae and they tried to do simple things like bend over - not so easy!!)

To help my kids understand what the spine looks like and how it functions we created this fun spine model:

pipe cleaner as the spinal cord

layers of rigatoni pasta as vertebrae (there should be 33 if you make it to scale)

in between each vertebrae we put a life saver gummy to represent the cartilage disks

Layers of Bone Project for Kids

To help the kids visualize all the different layers in our bones we made the cross section of a bone. Here is what we used:

red & blue pipe cleaners to represent blood vessels

red straw to put the pipe cleaners in to represent red bone marrow

yellow pool noodle to represent the spongy bone

Lego Duplo to represent the hard smooth compact bone (the part you actually see in a typical skeleton)

Gauze Wrap to represent the Periosteum (we drew blood vessels in the Periosteum with blue and red markers)

Skeletal System Printables

To complete your unit on the skeletal system you will want to grab our FREE Skeletal System Printables to learn about not only the bones and joints, but fun and interesting facts too!

Human Body Activities for Kids

Human Body free Playdough Mats - lots of choices to learn about various systems of the body including simple for preschoolers, skeletal system, organs, muscles, nerves, and more!

Teach kids about human cells for kids with hands on activities, free printable reader, human cell worksheets, and more!

This Free Human Body Printables for Kindergarten bakes a printable book that teaches students all about their bodies

4 EPIC Skeletal System Project Ideas for kids - using things like pasta, life saver gummies, lego, and more you can learn about the human body in a fun memorable way

Free Skeletal System Worksheets for Kids - everything you need to teach kids about their bodies!

Kids will love learning about the ear with this Building a model of the ear

Amazing 5 Senses Kindergarten Unit for kids to explore with hands on activities. or try this jelly bean taste test experiment.

Grab this free printable 5 senses mini book to explore the senses of sight, taste, sound, smell, and touch

Kids will be amazed by these eye science experiments

Even more creative printable science experiments, units, and activities for kids for all ages

Or see all of our fun, hands on ideas to make learning about the human body for kids FUN

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Kids will have fun learning about their skeletal system with these fun, hands on bones activities for kids. These Skeletal System Projects for Kids make learning about the human body for kids fun! Make learning about the human body fun for kids with these creative Skeletal System Projects for Kids.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ06mrNliC0

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Biology | "What's In Our Digestive System?" Explained | Human Body | Science for Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Watch this movie about the urinary system, which produces pee.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version Download sample

The excretory system is a collection of organs with the main function of excretion or the process of disposing waste from the body. Moreover, the excretory system is responsible for the elimination of waste produced by the chemical processes in the body to regulate its metabolism.
See the fact file below for more information on the excretory system or alternatively, you can download our 25-page Excretory System worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information

MAIN FUNCTIONS

It eliminates waste products in the body such as urea, uric acid ammonia, and other waste products.

These products are excreted from the body through urine.

The excretory system helps in maintaining the osmotic level of blood and plasma.

It is involved in the process of osmoregulation, a process that maintains the proper amount of electrolytes in the body regardless of external factors like temperature, diet, and weather conditions.

An electrolyte is a substance that produces an electrically conductive solution when dissolved in a polar solvent like water. It is maintained through osmoregulation and is involved in vital processes of the body.

When taking medication, the excretory system metabolizes or processes the drugs that are not processed in the liver.

MAIN ORGANS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

KIDNEYS

The kidneys are the main organ of the excretory system.

Each individual has a pair of kidneys, located on each side of the spine at the level of the liver.

The kidneys are divided into three regions: the renal cortex, renal medulla, and renal pelvis.

The renal cortex is the outer region of the kidney. It is the region between the renal capsule and the renal medulla. It is made up of blood vessels connected to the nephrons.

Erythropotein, a hormone needed for the synthesis of new red blood cells, is also produced in the renal cortex.

The renal medulla is the inner region of the kidney. It is where renal pyramids are found. These are dense networks of nephrons. This is where blood is filtered and water and ion levels are regulated.

The renal pelvis is the region where blood enters and exits the kidney. It is also where urine exits from the ureters and empties into the urinary bladder. It is the region that connects the kidney to the rest of the body.

Nephrons are found in the kidneys and are responsible for the filtration of blood and regulation of chemicals.

URETER

The ureter is connected to the renal pelvis.

It is a muscular tube whose sole function is to carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder.

URINARY BLADDER

The urinary bladder is a sac-like structure, lined with a smooth layer of muscle, where the ureter transports urine from the kidneys.

It stores urine until it is expelled from the body via microturition, the act of expelling urine from the body.

The placement of the urinary bladder differs in gender.

Microturition has two main stages:

Resting or Filling stage

This is the phase where urine is transported from the kidney via the ureter.

The ureter is obliquely placed in the bladder. Its opening to the bladder is not guarded by any muscle; this prevents the urine from re-entering the ureter and allows the bladder (the detrusor muscle) to relax and store more urine.

Voiding stage

Voiding is the stage where urine is expelled.

In this stage, the bladder and urethra are involved.

The detrusor muscle, which was relaxing at the resting or filling stage, contracts when the bladderʼs capacity is reached.

The urethraʼs muscles, internal and external muscles, relax.

The nervous system is also involved in the process.

As the bladder reaches its capacity, the receptors on the walls of the bladder send an impulse through the pelvic nerve to the brain via the spinal cord.

URETHRA

The urethra is a tube that arises from the urinary bladder and functions to expel urine to the outside by microturition.

The urethra is the pathway for both urine and sperm for males.

Men have longer urethras than women.

The opening of the urethra is guarded by a sphincter that is autonomically controlled.

OTHER EXCRETORY ORGANS

The skin is the largest organ in the body.

The skin excretes body waste via sweating.

The lungs are the main organ of the respiratory system.

The lungs expel waste by taking in oxygen and breathing out carbon dioxide.

The lungs also expel water in the form of vapor.

The liver is also important in the excretion of waste in the body.

It is the first to process hormones, fats, alcohol, and drugs.

While few drugs are directly eliminated in the kidneys, drugs are first or partially processed in the liver.

Excretory System Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the excretory system across 25 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Excretory System worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the excretory system which is a collection of organs with the main function of excretion or the process of disposing waste from the body. Moreover, the excretory system is responsible for the elimination of waste produced by the chemical processes in the body to regulate its metabolism.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

Excretory System Facts

Incomplete Boxes

Systems of the System

Goodbye, Wastes!

Urinary Labels

Match The Organs

The Excretion Process

Excretory Crossword

Different Concepts

Excretory Diseases

Better Than Cure

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Excretory System Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, October 3, 2019
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Excretory System Facts, Worksheets & Functions For Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version Download sample The excretory system is a collection of organs with the main function of excretion or the process of disposing waste from the body. Moreover, the excretory system is responsible for the elimination of waste produced by the chemical processes in the body to regulate its metabolism.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Excretory System | Educational Videos for Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Excretory System Parts and Functions Animation video for kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
How Do Your KIDNEYS Work? | Science for Kids | @Operation Ouch

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Do Your KIDNEYS Work? | Science for Kids | @Operation Ouch

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Causes Kidney Stones? | The Dr. Binocs Show | Best Learning Videos For Kids | Peekaboo Kidz

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
how the excretory (urinary) system works:

The Excretory System helps excrete or remove waste from our system.  We focussed on the urinary system and liquid waste.  Step 1:  The first thing that happens in the Excretory System is you drink a liquid or eat some protein (like meat).

Step 2:  The second thing that happens in our system is it goes down the esophagus.

Step 3:  The third thing that happens in our system is the liquid goes into the kidneys.  The kidneys work as a filter and produce urine (pee) to get rid of it.  The kidneys remove a waste called urea from blood.  We make urea when our body breaks down proteins like meat.

Step 4:  The next thing that happens is the kidneys take what is not needed from the liquid and turns in into waste, also known as urine.

Step 5:  The fifth thing that happens in our system is the urine goes down into the right and left ureter.

Step 6:  From the ureters the urine then goes into the bladder.  The bladder stores the urine until there is enough for the body to eliminate.

Step 7:  Lastly the liquid waste, urine, exits the body through the urethra.

If you or your class want to learn more about our system, here is the planner we used to become "Specialists".  The Excretory System Planner.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Click here to watch a very good video about the Excretory (Urinary) System!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What's the Human Nervous System Made Of?

The human nervous system is made up of two distinct categories: the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain and the spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system, which is made up of a massive network of nerves that branch off the spinal cord and extend throughout our entire bodies.

The Central Nervous System (CNS)

The central nervous system consists of two main parts: the brain and the spinal cord. Let's dive a little bit deeper into each of these sections:

The brain

The brain is an extremely complex organ that has control over our thoughts, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, vision, breathing, temperature, hunger and essentially every process that regulates our body. The brain consists of four main parts:

The brain stem is another key aspect of the body's central nervous system. It is located between the pons, which is a mass of transverse nerve fibres that connect the brain stem with the cerebellum, and the spinal cord.

The cerebrum makes up the majority of the brain and is supported by the brain stem. It can be divided up into two distinct hemispheres, each of which is responsible for controlling the activities of the opposite side of the body.

The hemispheres are then divided further into four lobes, known as:

The cerebellum is located behind and below the cerebrum. It is responsible for coordinating voluntary movements, and for motor skills such as balance, coordination, and posture.

The diencephalon is the part of the brain that connects the midbrain to the forebrain. It is located deep within the brain and contains the epithalamus, thalamus, subthalamus, and hypothalamus.

You may have heard the word 'matter' used when talking about the brain. This is because the brain contains two types of matter: grey matter, and white matter. Both of these types of matter work together to help the brain function. For instance, grey matter is responsible for receiving and storing the body's impulses, whilst the white matter is responsible for carrying these impulses to and from the grey matter.

Learn more about the brain with this Brain Awareness Week Resource Pack.

The spinal cord

The second component of the body's central nervous system is the spinal cord. The spinal cord in and of itself is divided up into a series of 31 smaller segments, each of which has a pair of spinal nerves coming out of it. Both motor and sensory nerves can be found within the spinal cord.

Other parts of the central nervous system

Aside from the brain and the spinal cord, there are some other parts of the body included within the central nervous system. The meninges, for example, are the three layers of membranes that cover the brain and the spinal cord. The outermost layer of the meninges is called the dura mater, the middle layer is called the arachnoid, and the innermost layer is called the pia mater. The function of the meninges is to protect the brain and the spinal cord by forming a barrier against bacteria and other microorganisms.

The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is also part of the central nervous system. This fluid circulates around both the brain and spinal cord, protecting and nourishing them.

The Peripheral Nervous System

The second part of the human nervous system is the peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system is made up of two parts:

Somatic Nervous System

Autonomic nervous system

Somatic nervous system

Within the somatic nervous system is a range of peripheral nerve fibres that pick up sensory information from the peripheral organs, i.e., organs that are far away from the brain. These fibres then carry this sensory information to the central nervous system.

The somatic nervous system also contains motor nerve fibres that come out of the brain and transport messages for movement and necessary action to the skeletal muscles.

Autonomic Nervous System

The autonomic nervous system is another part of the human nervous system. It contains three parts:

The sympathetic nervous system: This is responsible for the body's rapid involuntary response to dangerous or stressful situations.

The parasympathetic nervous system: This is responsible for controlling bodily functions when a person is at rest.

The enteric nervous system: This has many functions, including controlling motor functions, local blood flow, mucosal transport and secretions, and modulating immune and endocrine functions.

The autonomic nervous system is responsible for controlling the nerves of the body's inner organs, which humans have no conscious control over. These inner organs include the heartbeat, digestion, and breathing, excluding conscious breathing.

The enteric nervous system is an extremely complex network of nerve fibres that supply the abdomen's organs like the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, and gall bladder, with nerves. There are almost 100 million nerves in the enteric nervous system.

Neurons

The entire human nervous system is built on the back of a specialised type of cell called a neuron.

As you can see in this diagram, neurons have a long, tail-like extension called an axon, and they end in tiny branching protrusions called dendrites. These two parts allow neurons to communicate with each other, even over long distances. Big bundles of axons are found throughout the body, helping to organise signals from any individual body part, which is what forms our "nerves". Our brains contain 86 billion neurons on average - that's an absolutely staggering amount of cells that are organised into smaller structures to manage different processes that we need to survive.

The body has different types of neurons for different tasks: motor neurons transmit messages from the brain to the muscles to generate movement. Meanwhile, sensory neurons detect light, sound, odour, taste, pressure, and heat and send messages about those things to the brain. Other parts of the nervous system control involuntary movements that are still essential for keeping our bodies alive, such as keeping a regular heartbeat, releasing hormones like adrenaline, opening the pupil in response to light, and regulating the digestive system.

How Does the Nervous System Work?

Let's start off by explaining how messages travel between our neurons, allowing messages to travel throughout the body. When a neuron sends a message to another neuron, it sends an electrical signal down the length of its axon. At the end of the axon, the electrical signal changes to a chemical signal. The axon then releases the chemical signal with chemical messengers called neurotransmitters into the synapse -the space between the end of an axon and the tip of a dendrite from another neuron. The neurotransmitters move the signal through the synapse to the neighbouring dendrite, which converts the chemical signal back into an electrical signal. The electrical signal then travels through the neuron and goes through the same conversion processes as it moves to neighbouring neurons, allowing messages to travel throughout the body. Although it sounds complicated, this can all happen in a fraction of a second!

The messages are then transmitted from the peripheral nerves further into the body and then on to the Spinal Cord. The Spinal Cord has an extremely large amount of neurons that carry messages back to the brain and organise all the input from nerves all over the body into one channel of information - think of it as a big motorway that lots of smaller roads filter into, taking traffic directly to a single destination, and allowing traffic from that destination to get to remote places quickly. Once the message has arrived at the brain, the brain can analyse and make sense of the information transmitted from the peripheral nervous system, work out a response, and then send out instructions with the appropriate response.

It's easier to make sense of this remarkable process with an example. Say, for instance, that you're moving your hand towards a hot stove. Sensory neurons in your hand will detect the heat and send the signal back through the network of nerves in the hand to increasingly large nerve bundles until the message telling the brain that your hand is about to touch something hot reaches the spinal cord. From the spinal cord, the information is transferred up the spinal cord to your brain, where the brain recognises the message and forms a response: move your hand away from the heat.

The brain then sends this message through the neurons in the brain back to the spinal cord, and through the spinal cord, to the motor neurons in the hand. These motor neurons then instruct the muscles in the hand and arm to pull away from the hot stove, preventing you from getting burned. All of this happens in just a few seconds, and you don't need to consciously think about any of it!

Why Do We Need a Nervous System?

The nervous system plays a vital role within the body since it effectively controls everything that happens within the body. The brain coordinates all our bodily functions from breathing, to movement, to complex activities like solving complicated mathematics puzzles. The network of nerves both carries information and instructions from the brain to our organs and limbs and carries sensory information back to the brain.

Both of these things are essential for our continued survival: without our nervous systems, we'd be totally unaware of the world around us, unable to sense anything, and unable to move, respond to stimuli, or even breathe!

Help children to expand their knowledge on this topic with our KS2 Parts of the Brain PowerPoint and .

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is the Human Nervous System? | Twinkl Teaching Wiki

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The human nervous system is a system of organs made up of the brain, spinal cord, and a massive network of nerves. This organ system is vital: we need our nervous systems to allow us to move, respond to sensory information, and much more! Read on to learn more about the nervous System.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We did a lot of hands-on activities over the course of two or three weeks. I'm going to put them all into one post. These hands-on activities are all activities we did as we went through our Digestive Unit. Be sure to check out our 150+ page Digestive System Packet too!

Does food fall down to the stomach? We proved that muscles helped move the food bolus down to the tummy with this quick upside-down activity. Everyone took turns standing on their hands, chewing up a cracker and swallowing. We also did this lying on our sides. Yes, the food travels to the stomach, no matter what direction the esophagus is pointing.

As food is swallowed, the muscles in the esophagus contract and relax. This activities with panty hose showed how the food is pushed down with the rhythmical muscle movement.

Click here to save this on Pinterest: The kids did a cut-and-paste activity on Digestive System Functions:

After food is swallowed, it collects in the stomach where stomach acid and food enzymes mix. Muscles in the stomach wall squeeze the food around to mix it.
Stomach Activities:
The kids were keen to do this quick activity that I saw on Zelda's wondeful blog, Homeschool Escapade, a several years ago. We used the recipe she suggested:
Make your own vomit:

1/4 cup water

1/2 mashed banana

1/2 cup carrot, finely chopped (we were out, so we used a red pepper)

1 or two cookies or crackers, crushed (we used 3 so each kid could do their own)

1/8 cup vinegar (we were out, so we used lemon juice as our stomach acid)

1 tsp baking soda

Of course, it all fizzed, but after it was done we were all SO GROSSED OUT!!! What do you think? Looks pretty disgusting, doesn't it?

(Zelda does a lot of hands-on, wonderful activities with her kids, be sure to go check out her blog, Homeschool Escapade.)
Worksheets on the Digestive Tract

The kids were impressed with just how long the digestive tract is!!!
Hands-On Activity: How Long is the Digestive Tract?
Click here to save this for later on Pinterest: How Long is the Digestive Tract? Hands on Activity
Stomach Noises:
As the stomach wall squeeze and mix the food mixture, it makes a lot of noises. We took turns listening to each other's tummies. The kids said they could here a lot of noise, but unfortunately without my hearing aid in, I couldn't hear much (though I've certainly heard my own rumble from time to time!!)
Small intestines:
Using panty hose we squeezed some cooked oatmeal down through our "intestines." We noticed how some small particles, "nutrients," were able to make their way out of the lining of our "intestines."

We pulled out our SmartLab Toys Squishy Human Body ( affiliate link.) and spent time looking over all the internal organs. This product by Smart Lab is really fun. The kids love it and it has held up well.

Digestive System Packet: The digestive system packet I made for this portion of our unit is now available! It's been updated a number of times and is now over 150 pages! This packet is perfect for homeschool families with mixed age students!

This unit in included in our Human Body BUNDLE. See details about that here or down below.

Our 150+ Page Digestive System Packet has worksheets and activities that cover the following areas:

Part I: Digestive System - Mouth

Part II: Digestive System - Swallowing, How the epiglottis works

Part III: Digestive System - The Digestive Tract

Part IV: Digestive System - Overview Pages

Part V: Digestive System Lapbook and Flapbook Activity

Part VI: Small & Large Intestine Liver, Gall Bladder & Pancreas

Part VII: The Transformation of Food Writing Pages

Part VIII: Introduction to Nutrition

Functions of the Digestive System

Essential Nutrients

The Digestion of Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Fats

Enzymes

Saturated vs. Unsaturated Fats

Part IX: Nutrition - Fiber and Vitamins

Be sure to check out the Human Body BUNDLE Options at this Human Body Systems page or down below. 🙂

The Digestive System Packet is 150+ pages.

Our packets are PDF digital downloads. After your purchase, remember to check your PayPal email address for the download link. This page answers some Frequently Asked Questions. Feel free to email me if you have any questions! ~Liesl

Digestive System Unit: $7.99
What is included in the Digestive System Packet?
When our family studied the Digestive System again more recently, we spent quite a bit of time learning about the small intestine; liver, gall bladder and pancreas; and the large intestine. I added a dozen new pages to the packet. You can choose either the fill-in-the-blank notebook pages or use these pages as supplementary readings (with no words missing!).
Various worksheets and notebook pages:
You will also find worksheets and activity ideas about swallowing, the epiglottis and choking in this packet:

We included all of our hands-on activity ideas in this packet as well:

A new section on Nutrition: Fiber & Vitamins

Note: This packet is included in the Human Body Bundle Options (details below or at this Human Body Systems Page).
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links in this post are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase.
The Digestive System Packet is 150+ pages. Our units are PDF downloads.

Digestive System Unit: $7.99

These are some of the packets that are included in our Human Body Bundle. These units can be purchased individually or together in our Human Body Bundle Options. See photos down below or at this Human Body Bundle Page or in Our Store.

Our units are PDF downloads.

Our packets are PDF digital downloads. After your purchase, remember to check your PayPal email address for the download link. This page answers some Frequently Asked Questions. Feel free to email me if you have any questions! ~Liesl

$8.99 A Study of Cells Uni t (150+pages) Animal and Plant Cells, Cell Theory, Organelles of the Cell, Photosynthesis and More

$5.99 Five Senses Unit: This 100+ page Five Senses Unit has dozens of hands-on activities and detailed, colorful worksheets for learning all about the five senses - sight & the eye, hearing & the ear, taste & the tongue, smell & the nose, touch & the skin. (NOTE: This unit is NOT included in the Human Body BUNDLE 1 or 2.) Recommended for PreK to Early Elementary. View Post, image 1, image 2, image 3, image 4, image 5

$42.99 Human Body BUNDLE OPTION 2: Human Body Systems, A Study of Cells Unit, Skeletal System Packet, Digestive System, Circulatory System Unit, Muscular System Packet, Nervous System Packet, Endocrine System, Reproductive System Worksheets (We often talked about cells as we started our Human Body Units... then went on to talk about human body cells, tissues, organs & systems... and then would move on to a different body system each year. Generally as homeschoolers, we covered just one or two major body systems each year before moving on to another science topic.) (Does not include the Five Senses Unit.)

FAQ: Do you need to purchase any other books or materials to go with these packets? No, these materials will work with any books or curriculum resources you have on hand. The answers to various notebook pages and worksheets are provided. We tended to get a lot (10-20!!) books from the library and we'd read through those as we covered a particular topic. When my kids were younger, we did a number of activities from the Body Book (which can be found here affiliate link). I photocopied things onto cardstock. For example, the kids made a skeleton that was about 3 feet once it was put together! They really enjoyed doing that, though it is not necessary to purchase that!

Don't forget to check your PayPal email address for the download link.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me! ~Liesl

View our Privacy Policy here.

Each year usually in the spring semester, we focus on the human body.

We often spend a little bit of time reviewing what we learned the previous year and then add to what we learned.
If you have a student who is 8+ you might want to do the units in this order:
If you have younger kids, you might want to just jump right in with the Skeletal System Unit and/or the Digestive System Unit.

Once my kids were a little older (with my youngest in 2 nd grade and my older two in upper elementary) - we started covering and reviewing Cells (the organelles and their function) each year. I want them to feel comfortable with the names and have a general idea of the "jobs" each of these organelles have. By reviewing it each spring, they've gradually come to understand how these work together a little better each year. That will be helpful once they get to high school level biology.

Note: Since our family studies one major system each year, sometimes we skim over some of this so we can dive in depth into that particular body system.

Cell Unit

Photosynthesis (and you can do a little tangent about atoms and building molecules)

Human Body Systems (Depending on the age of your kids, you might want to just introduce them to the major human body systems and then move straight on to one of the units below... or you can spend a little time talking about how cells/tissues/organs/body systems work as a whole. The packet you are getting includes ALL the materials, but I've added to this over the course of several years, so don't feel like you need to cover all of this at once!

Skeletal System - We almost always review the major bones of the body each year. Some years, we go into more depth about things like the structure of bones or the axial system. Other times, we review the major bones and move on!

Digestive System - This was a fun, hands-on unit. I would suggest you do this one before the Circulatory System unit.

Circulatory System - In this unit my kids were in elementary and middle school so we did some data collecting, graphing and other activities. If you have younger kids, you can just focus on the blood system (how blood leaves the heart and enters the lungs to pick up oxygen, then returns to the heart where it is sent off to the extremities).

Here are some screen shots of these units:

$8.99 A Study of Cells Uni t

$6.99 Skeletal System Packet

$7.99 Digestive System

$5.99 Endocrine System Packet - (60 pages) Exocrine glands are those glands that have ducts and lead to the surface of the body... like sweat glands, tear glands whereas endocrine glands (like the hypothalamus or thyroid) secrete hormones into the bloodstream.

$5.99 Five Senses Unit: This 100+ page Five Senses Unit has dozens of hands-on activities and detailed, colorful worksheets for learning all about the five senses - sight & the eye, hearing & the ear, taste & the tongue, smell & the nose, touch & the skin. (NOTE: This unit is NOT included in the Human Body BUNDLE 1 or 2.) Recommended for PreK to Early Elementary. View Post, image 1, image 2, image 3, image 4, image 5

Don't forget to check your PayPal email address for the download link.
Find out more at these posts: Circulatory System Packet 40+ pages

You can visit Our Store to find out more about our other packets!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Digestive System Hands-On Activities - Esophagus, Stomach, Small Intestines - Homeschool Den

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We did a lot of hands-on activities over the course of two or three weeks. I'm going to put them all into one post. These hands-on activities are all activities we did as we went through our Digestive Unit. Be sure to check out our 150+ page Digestive System Packet too!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
24 Hands-On Heart and Circulatory System Activities For Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Make a working heart pump model, hold a stuffed animal “blood drive,” and more!

# data[].attributes.body
https://youtu.be/tqMBLWABMAE

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Build a Model Heart | Wise Wonders

# data[].attributes.body
https://youtu.be/Ba3Bj_Rrhr0

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
School Science Projects | Kidney Working Model

# data[].attributes.body
https://youtu.be/sl0ma4m-wb4

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
School Project - Human Nervous System Model

# data[].attributes.body
https://youtu.be/LploqQ49-Kc

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Nervous System Projects Model || Science Project 3D Neurone Model

# data[].attributes.body
https://youtu.be/IEWWvGqW694

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Model of respiratory system for kids | School science project | How to make lungs with balloons

# data[].attributes.body
https://youtu.be/3KioE-0_yts

# data[].attributes.body
https://youtu.be/jmzqLAcqXlw

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
skin model project ideas | anatomy science project | DIY | craftpiller

# data[].attributes.body
https://youtu.be/pBKBAaW3ydE

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
0:00 / 0:30•Watch full video

# data[].attributes.body
https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/immune-system/353285

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Most living things try to protect themselves from harm. Animals have a special protection called the immune system. The immune system protects the body from substances called...

# data[].attributes.body
https://youtu.be/okT3NTd_Rhs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is the Lymphatic System? (Part 1: Anatomy and Physiology)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What are Lymphatic Malformations? (Lymphatic System Part 2)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It was processed successfully!

DEFINITION OF HUMAN BODY SYSTEMS

A body system is a group of organs that work together to perform a specific function. The human body has 11 body systems. The systems studied in elementary school are usually the circulatory system, respiratory system, muscular system, digestive system, and nervous system. The other systems are just as important but more complex, so they are studied at higher grade levels. They are the endocrine system, immune system, lymphatic system, reproductive system, skeletal system, and urinary system.
To better understand how the human body systems work....

LET'S BREAK IT DOWN!

The human body is made up of multiple interacting systems.

Each system in the human body has a special function. Your skeletal system gives your body support and structure, so you can stand up. Your immune system helps you stay healthy by fighting off diseases. Each of these systems also interact with each other. For example, the bones in your skeletal system would not be very useful without the muscular system to help them move around. And how would your muscles know where to move your bones if your nervous system didn't tell them?

The circulatory system pumps blood through your body.

The circulatory system consists of your heart and blood vessels. The heart's job is to pump blood throughout your body.

The left side of the heart takes oxygen-rich blood from the lungs and pumps it to other parts of the body to use. The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs to add oxygen to it.

The heart has a very busy job! When you are resting, your heart pumps between 60-100 times each minute. When you are exercising, it pumps much faster to deliver blood to your muscles.

The heart is responsible for getting the oxygen to your muscles, but it is the respiratory system's job to provide the oxygen. This means that the circulatory system is directly linked to the respiratory system.

The respiratory system gathers oxygen and removes carbon dioxide.

The main part of the respiratory system is the lungs. It is the lungs' job to bring air into and out of the body. Oxygen from the air you inhale moves through small blood vessels and enters the bloodstream. It then hitches a ride on red blood cells and travels to all parts of the body.

The blood coming back to the lungs contains carbon dioxide. When you exhale, you remove carbon dioxide which your body does not need anymore.

The muscular system allows the body to move.

You have over 600 muscles in your body. Muscles are attached to bones and are controlled by nerves that communicate with the brain. Movement takes place when a muscle gets shorter (contracts).

Most muscles work in pairs, allowing movement in more than one direction. For instance, there are two sets of muscles that move your arm. When you lift your arm up, your bicep contracts. At the same time, the muscle on the back of your arm, called the tricep, relaxes.

The digestive system breaks down food to release nutrients.

Digestion begins when we break food down into little pieces in our mouth with the help of teeth, the tongue and saliva.

After that, food travels down the esophagus and into the stomach, where it's further broken down by stomach acids.

From the stomach, it heads to the small intestine. Here, your body removes nutrients it needs from food, and sends the nutrients to parts of the body through the circulatory system.

Finally, the digested food is sent to the large intestine, out of your body... and beyond!

EXAMPLES OF THE HUMAN BODY SYSTEMS

Olympic athletes train for years to increase the strength and efficiency of their body systems. All the body systems must work at their peak performance to compete at such a high level. Training just one system is not enough.

Lifting weights can increase the size of your muscles. When you exercise your muscles, they need lots of oxygen-rich blood with nutrients, which involves your respiratory and digestive systems!

Someday, it might be possible to make artificial hearts on a 3D printer. Scientists are working to develop this technology, which can potentially save thousands of lives. Not everyone has body systems that work right all the time. With science, we can help these people.

VOCABULARY ON HUMAN BODY SYSTEMS

Made up of the stomach, intestines, and other components. It allows us to break down food and absorb its nutrients.

Provide living things with energy and building blocks to grow.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ON HUMAN BODY SYSTEMS

Food: The digestive system takes in food and breaks it down, then the circulatory system sends the nutrients to all parts of the body.

Water: The digestive system also takes in water which ends up in your blood. The circulatory system distributes it around your body.

Air: Taken in by your respiratory system. The oxygen in the air passes into your circulatory system.

Shelter: Found or built using your nervous system, muscular system, skeletal system and more.

Sleep: While you sleep, all your systems are still working, though some work more than others during this time.

We Cover All Major Science Standards in Grades 3-5

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Body Systems Lesson For Kids | Circulatory, Digestive & Respiratory

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It was processed successfully! DEFINITION OF HUMAN BODY SYSTEMS A body system is a group of organs that work together to perform a specific function. The human body has 11 body systems. The systems studied in elementary school are usually the circulatory system, respiratory system, muscular system, digestive system, and nervous system.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Relation Between the Vital Functions and the Organ Systems of the Human Body - Science for Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Page ID

16779

1. Teamwork

2. Communication among Organ Systems

3. Examples of Organ System Interactions

1. Cellular Respiration

2. Fight-or-Flight Response

3. Digesting Food

4. Playing Softball
Feature: Reliable Sources

4. Review

5. Explore More

6. Attributions

Teamwork

Every player on a softball team has a special job to perform. Each of the orange team's players in Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\) has his part of the infield or outfield covered if the ball comes his way. Other players on the orange team cover other parts of the field or pitch or catch the ball. Playing softball clearly requires teamwork. The human body is like a softball team in that regard. All the organ systems of the human body must work together as a team to keep the body alive and well. Teamwork within the body begins with communication.

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Softball

Communication among Organ Systems

Communication among organ systems is vital if they are to work together as a team. They must be able to respond to each other and change their responses as needed to keep the body in balance. Communication among organ systems is controlled mainly by the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system.

The autonomic nervous system is the part of the nervous system that controls involuntary functions. For example, the autonomic nervous system controls heart rate, blood flow, and digestion. You don't have to tell your heart to beat faster or to consciously squeeze muscles to push food through the digestive system. In fact, you don't have to even think about these functions at all. The autonomic nervous system orchestrates all the signals needed to control them. It sends messages between parts of the nervous system and between the nervous system and other organ systems via chemical messengers called neurotransmitters.

Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): The figure illustrates the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, brain stem, spinal cord, cerebellum, pineal gland, and cerebrum.

The endocrine system is the system of glands that secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream. Once in the blood, endocrine hormones circulate to cells everywhere in the body. The endocrine system is under the control of the hypothalamus, a part of the brain. The hypothalamus secretes hormones that travel directly to cells of the pituitary gland, which is located beneath it. The pituitary gland is the master gland of the endocrine system. Most of its hormones either turn on or turn off other endocrine glands. For example, if the pituitary gland secretes thyroid stimulating hormone, the hormone travels through the circulation to the thyroid gland, which is stimulated to secrete thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone then travels to cells throughout the body, where it increases their metabolism.

Figure \(\PageIndex{3}\): The image shows a concept map of how the fight-or-flight response occurs. A treat (an attack, harmful event, or threat to survive) leads to the brain processing the signals - beginning in the amygdala, and then the hypothalamus. ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) is released by the pituitary gland. This causes cortisol and adrenaline to be released. The physical effects include heart rate increase, bladder relaxation, tunnel vision, shaking, dilated pupils, flushed face, dry mouth, slowed digestion, and hearing loss.

Examples of Organ System Interactions

An increase in cellular metabolism requires more cellular respiration. Cellular respiration is a good example of organ system interactions because it is a basic life process that occurs in all living cells.

Cellular Respiration

Cellular respiration is the intracellular process that breaks down glucose with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and energy in the form of ATP molecules. It is the process by which cells obtain usable energy to power other cellular processes. Which organ systems are involved in cellular respiration? The glucose needed for cellular respiration comes from the digestive system via the cardiovascular system. The oxygen needed for cellular respiration comes from the respiratory system also via the cardiovascular system. The carbon dioxide produced in cellular respiration leaves the body by the opposite route. In short, cellular respiration requires at a minimum the digestive, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems.

Fight-or-Flight Response

The well-known fight-or-flight response is a good example of how the nervous and endocrine systems control other organ system responses. The fight-or-flight response begins when the nervous system perceives sudden danger, as shown in Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\). The brain sends a message to the endocrine system (via the pituitary gland) for the adrenal glands to secrete their hormones cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones flood the circulation and affect other organ systems throughout the body, including the cardiovascular, urinary, sensory, and digestive systems. Specific responses include increased heart rate, bladder relaxation, tunnel vision, and a shunting of blood away from the digestive system and toward the muscles, brain, and other vital organs needed to fight or flee.

Digesting Food

Digesting food requires teamwork between the digestive system and several other organ systems, including the nervous, cardiovascular, and muscular systems. When you eat a meal, the organs of the digestive system need more blood to perform their digestive functions. Food entering the digestive systems causes nerve impulses to be sent to the brain; in response, the brain sends messages to the cardiovascular system to increase heart rate and dilate blood vessels in the digestive organs. Food passes through the organs of the digestive tract by rhythmic contractions of smooth muscles in the walls of the organs, so the muscular system is also needed for digestion. After food is digested, nutrients from the food are absorbed into the blood of the vessels lining the small intestine. Any remaining food waste is excreted through the large intestine.

Playing Softball

The men playing softball in Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\) are using multiple organ systems in this voluntary activity. Their nervous systems are focused on observing and preparing to respond to the next play. Their other systems are being controlled by the autonomic nervous system. Organ systems they are using include the muscular, skeletal, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems. Can you explain how each of these organ systems is involved in playing softball?

Feature: Reliable Sources

Teamwork among organ systems allows the human organism to work like a finely tuned machine. Or at least it does until one of the organ systems fails. When that happens, other organ systems interacting in the same overall process will also be affected. This is especially likely if the system affected plays a controlling role in the process. An example is type 1 diabetes. This disorder occurs when the pancreas does not secrete the endocrine hormone insulin. Insulin normally is secreted in response to an increasing level of glucose in the blood, and it brings the level of glucose back to normal by stimulating body cells to take up insulin from the blood.

Learn more about type 1 diabetes. Use several reliable Internet sources to answer the following questions:

1. What causes the endocrine system to fail to produce insulin in type 1 diabetes?

2. Which organ systems are affected by high blood glucose levels if type 1 diabetes is not controlled? What are some of the specific effects?

3. How can blood glucose levels be controlled in patients with type 1 diabetes?

Review

1. What is the autonomic nervous system?

2. How do the autonomic nervous system and endocrine system communicate with other organ systems so the systems can interact?

3. Explain how the brain communicates with the endocrine system.

4. What is the role of the pituitary gland in the endocrine system?

5. Identify organ systems that play a role in cellular respiration.

6. How does the hormone adrenaline prepare the body to fight or flee? What specific physiological changes does it bring about?

7. Explain the role of the muscular system in the digestion of food.

8. Describe how three different organ systems are involved when a player makes a particular play in softball, such as catching a fly ball.

9. True or False. The autonomic nervous system controls conscious movements.

10. True or False. Hormones travel throughout the body.

11. True or False. The pituitary gland directly secretes thyroid hormone.

12. What are two types of molecules that the body uses to communicate between organ systems?

13. Explain why hormones can have such a wide variety of effects on the body.

14. Heart rate can be affected by:

1. Hormones

2. Neurotransmitters

3. The fight-or-flight response

4. All of the above

15. Which gland secretes the hormone cortisol?

Explore More

Without the muscles lining the GI tract, you would be unable to digest food. Watch this short animation of food moving through the GI tract. It illustrates very clearly the necessary interaction of the muscular and digestive systems in the digestive process.

LICENSED UNDER

Back to top

Was this article helpful?

Yes

No

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Communication among organ systems is vital if they are to work together as a team. They must be able to respond to each other and change their responses as needed to keep the body in balance. ...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How the Nervous System Interacts
with Other Body Systems

All of the systems within the body interact with one another to keep an organism healthy. Although each system has specific functions, they are all interconnected and dependent on one another. The nervous system controls various organs of the body directly. The brain also receives information from many organs of the body and adjusts signals to these organs to maintain proper functioning.

SYSTEM

FUNCTION

ASSOCIATED ORGANS

INTERACTION WITH THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

The skeletal system makes up the framework of the body and allows us to move when our muscles contract. It stores minerals (e.g. calcium, phosphorous) and releases them into the body when they are needed. The skeletal system also protects internal organs and produces blood cells.

Bones (e.g., skull, vertebrae)

Bones provide calcium that is essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system.

The skull protects the brain from injury.

The vertebrae protect the spinal cord from injury.

Sensory receptors in joints between bones send signals about body position to the brain.

The brain regulates the position of bones by controlling muscles.

The cardiovascular system delivers oxygen, hormones, nutrients and white blood cells around the body by pumping blood, and it removes waste products.

Heart, blood vessels

Endothelial cells maintain the blood-brain barrier.

Baroreceptors send information to the brain about blood pressure.

Cerebrospinal fluid drains into the venous blood supply.

The brain regulates heart rate and blood pressure.

Different types of muscles enable motion, generate heat to maintain body temperature, move food through digestive tract and contract the heart.

Muscles (smooth, skeletal and cardiac muscles)

Receptors in muscles provide the brain with information about body position and movement.

The brain controls the contraction of skeletal muscle.

The nervous system regulates the speed at which food moves through the digestive tract.

The endocrine system secretes hormones into blood and other body fluids. These chemicals are important for metabolism, growth, water and mineral balance, and the response to stress.

Pineal body, pituitary gland, hypothalamus, thyroid, parathyroid, heart, adrenal gland, kidney, pancreas, stomach, intestines, ovary

Hormones provide feedback to the brain to affect neural processing.

Reproductive hormones affect the development of the nervous system.

The hypothalamus controls the pituitary gland and other endocrine glands.

The lymphatic system protects the body from infection.

Adenoid, tonsils, thymus, lymph nodes, spleen

The brain can stimulate defense mechanisms against infection.

The respiratory system supplies oxygen to the blood and removes carbon dioxide.

Lungs, larynx, pharynx, trachea, bronchi

The brain monitors respiratory volume and blood gas levels.

The brain regulates respiratory rate.

The digestive system stores and digests foods, transfers nutrients to the body, eliminates waste and absorbs water.

Stomach, esophagus, salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, intestines

Digestive processes provide the building blocks for some neurotransmitters.

The autonomic nervous system controls the tone of the digestive tract.

The brain controls drinking and feeding behavior.

The brain controls muscles for eating and elimination.

The digestive system sends sensory information to the brain.

The reproductive system is responsible for producing new life.

Testes, vas deferens, prostate gland, ovary, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix

Reproductive hormones affect brain development and sexual behavior.

The brain controls mating behavior.

The urinary system eliminates waste products and maintains water balance and chemical balance.

Bladder, urethra, kidney

The bladder sends sensory information to the brain.

The brain controls urination.

The integumentary system reduces water loss, contains receptors that respond to touch, regulates body temperature, and protects the inside of the body from damage.

Skin, hair

Receptors in skin send sensory information to the brain.

The autonomic nervous system regulates peripheral blood flow and sweat glands.

Nerves control muscles connected to hair follicles.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Neuroscience Resources for Kids - Body System Interaction