Why do we have bones?

Press your finger on your arm and push gently. Can you feel something hard inside? That is a bone! You have lots of them, all working together. But what are bones for?

A frame that holds you up

All your bones joined together make a strong frame called a skeleton. Your skeleton is like the poles inside a tent: it holds everything up and gives your body its shape.

Without bones you could not stand or sit up tall. You would be soft and wobbly, flopping about like a jellyfish on the floor!

Bones help you move

Bones cannot bend, so how do you wiggle and run? Your skeleton has special bendy spots called joints, like in your knees, elbows and fingers.

Soft muscles pull on your bones at these joints. When a muscle pulls, the bone moves — and so you can walk, wave, jump and dance.

A safe box for soft parts

Some bones have a very important job: they protect the soft parts inside you. Your round skull is a hard helmet for your brain. Your curved ribs make a cage that guards your heart and lungs.

So bones hold you up, help you move, and keep your insides safe — all at the same time!

Wonder fact: A grown-up has about 206 bones, but a baby is born with around 300. As you grow, some little bones join together into bigger ones!