The curiosity of most children about what the human body is made of is off the charts. To help you quench their thirst for this topic, we bring you some interesting facts about the human body for kids in this post. Their eagerness and excitement to learn more are absolutely adorable and showcase their keen interest in the subject. The human body is composed of cells that shape into a complex structure. We have curated some more interesting and fun facts about the human body that will both engage and educate your child. Plunge into this post for some fascinating details about the human body and share them with your kid.
Human Body Parts For Kids
The main structure of a human body
The external part of a human body comprises the head, neck and trunk, forelimbs, and hind limbs. The head and neck house the controlling organ brain that extends throughout the body via the spinal cord. All the important organ systems are located in the neck and trunk. Forelimbs include arms and hands that help grasp, lift, and hold objects. The hind limbs consisting of legs and feet provide mobility to the body (1).
Senses
The human body has five senses, which convey the messages of the outside world to the brain. The eyes, nose, ears, tongue, and skin are the five sense organs. The senses they perceive are:
Cells
The fundamental unit of an organism is a cell. The human body has many types of cells. Humans have about 30-37 trillion cells in the body (2). When cells of similar functions accumulate together, they form tissues.
Tissues
A mass of cells specialized in the performance of a particular function forms a tissue. There are four types of tissues (3):
Organs
Tissues with similar functions form an organ. Except for the skin, all organs are located in the body. Heart, liver, and lungs are some examples of organs. Few organs are also found inside cavities. The stomach is present in the abdominal cavity, and the lungs in the thoracic cavity.
Organ systems
Organs and body structures of similar function form organ systems. A human body has 11 organ systems:
1. Skeletal system
A skeletal system provides the framework to a body and acts as a protective cover for the internal organs. The human skeleton comprises bones, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Few large bones have a spongy tissue inside them called the bone marrow, where the synthesis of red blood cells takes place. Bones are the major storage site for calcium and phosphorus. They are responsible for the support and movement of the body. The shape of the bones can be long, short, irregular, or flat.
2. Muscular system
Since the skeletal system and the muscular system usually function together, they are together called the musculoskeletal system. Muscles help in the proper movement of the bones and act as a motor to the body’s movements.
3. Circulatory system
Heart, blood, and blood vessels are parts of the circulatory system. The blood carries oxygen, nutrients, immune cells, and hormones to multiple organs through its blood vessels, thus becoming the body’s transportation system. Waste products such as carbon dioxide, urea are also carried through the blood. The heart functions through two circuits. In the pulmonary circuit, the heart transports deoxygenated blood to the lungs. Here, carbon dioxide (a toxic metabolic waste generated by the human body) is exchanged with the oxygen in the lungs. This oxygenated blood returning to the heart will be pumped to various organs through the systemic circuit. Arteries, veins, and capillaries are blood vessels. Blood is carried away from the heart through the arteries. Veins carry blood from other parts of the body to the heart. Capillaries are found in the organs, where various metabolic products are exchanged. (4).
4. Digestive system
The digestive system carries out the breakdown of the consumed food into nutrients. A series of organs starting from the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine ending in the rectum form the digestive system. The food we consume moves through this sequence with the help of systematic contractions called peristalsis (5). The food we consume through the mouth will pass through the esophagus to the stomach and mix with gastric juices to help digestion. The stomach and small intestine break down the food into smaller molecules such as proteins, fat, sugar, vitamins, and minerals. The small hair-like protrusions on the wall of the small intestine are called the villi and help absorb these nutrients into the bloodstream. The liver, gallbladder, and pancreas are the accessory digestive organs. The pancreas secretes pancreatic juice, and the liver secretes bile. When food reaches the small intestine, these organs release digestive juices. The gallbladder is a storehouse of bile. Any undigested food reaches the large intestine, where it is concentrated and excreted as feces on reaching the rectum.
5. Nervous system
The brain, spinal cord, and related nerves are part of the nervous system. This system allows the human brain to control various parts of the body through its large nerve network (6). Structurally, the nervous system can be divided into two parts. The Central Nervous System (CNS), consisting of the brain and spinal cord, is responsible for the processing of thought, cognition, and other such functions. The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) consists of nerves, which are responsible for receiving and transmitting information between the brain and other parts of the body through the sensory and motor neurons. Functionally, the nervous system is again divided into two parts. The Somatic Nervous System (SNS) is responsible for voluntary actions such as speech. The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is responsible for involuntary actions such as digestion, heartbeat, and reflexes.
6. Respiratory system
The nose, nasopharynx, trachea, and lungs are parts of the human respiratory system. They take oxygen from the air and release carbon dioxide back into the air. It is located above the diaphragm. The respiration process is divided into two steps —inhalation and exhalation (7). During inhalation, the diaphragm relaxes, creating a vacuum in the lungs. Due to this, the air is drawn into the trachea and eventually reaches the alveoli, the functional unit of the lungs. Alveoli are tiny air sacs surrounded by a network of capillaries carrying deoxygenated blood. Here, the oxygen in the alveoli is exchanged with the carbon dioxide of the blood capillaries. Now, the oxygenated blood is sent to the heart for distribution throughout the body. During exhalation, the diaphragm contracts, and the carbon dioxide absorbed from the bloodstream is released back into the air. This is followed by another round of inhalation and exhalation.
7. Endocrine system
An endocrine system comprises glands. They secrete regulatory hormones responsible for human growth, metabolism, and reproduction. The system includes the pituitary gland, adrenal glands, pancreas, thyroid, and gonads. An imbalance in the endocrine system leads to the malfunctioning of the homeostasis of the body. The endocrine hormones are secreted directly into the bloodstream.
8. Urinary system
The kidneys, urinary bladder, and urethra are part of the human urinary system. The waste accumulated in the blood is filtered by the kidneys and excreted through the body as urine.
9. Immune system
The lymphatic system and the immune system work together in protecting the body from external threats. When foreign particles, such as bacteria or viruses, enter the human body, the immune system recognizes them and releases antibodies, cytokines, or macrophages for their destruction. The immune system comprises the white blood cells, lymph nodes, lymph channels, tonsils, adenoids, appendix, spleen, bone marrow, Peyer’s patches, and the thymus gland.
10. Reproductive system
The human reproductive system includes internal and external sex organs. The survival and the population growth of a species depend on the reproductive system. The testes and ovaries are the gonads of males and females, respectively. The sperm produced by the testes of the male reproductive system fuses with the egg released by the ovaries. This fusion leads to the formation of an embryo, which develops into a fetus in the uterus of the female reproductive system for up to nine months.
11. Integumentary system
All the external protective organs form the integumentary system. These include skin, hair, sweat glands, and nails. They provide structure to the body, protect the internal organs, and act as an interactive medium to the outside world.
Human Body Diagram For Kids
30 Human Body Facts For Kids
Here are a few interesting facts about the human body (2) (8) (9) (10).
References:
title: “30 Informative Facts Diagram Parts Of Human Body For Kids” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-07” author: “Dean Ramsay”
The curiosity of most children about what the human body is made of is off the charts. To help you quench their thirst for this topic, we bring you some interesting facts about the human body for kids in this post. Their eagerness and excitement to learn more are absolutely adorable and showcase their keen interest in the subject. The human body is composed of cells that shape into a complex structure. We have curated some more interesting and fun facts about the human body that will both engage and educate your child. Plunge into this post for some fascinating details about the human body and share them with your kid.
Human Body Parts For Kids
The main structure of a human body
The external part of a human body comprises the head, neck and trunk, forelimbs, and hind limbs. The head and neck house the controlling organ brain that extends throughout the body via the spinal cord. All the important organ systems are located in the neck and trunk. Forelimbs include arms and hands that help grasp, lift, and hold objects. The hind limbs consisting of legs and feet provide mobility to the body (1).
Senses
The human body has five senses, which convey the messages of the outside world to the brain. The eyes, nose, ears, tongue, and skin are the five sense organs. The senses they perceive are:
Cells
The fundamental unit of an organism is a cell. The human body has many types of cells. Humans have about 30-37 trillion cells in the body (2). When cells of similar functions accumulate together, they form tissues.
Tissues
A mass of cells specialized in the performance of a particular function forms a tissue. There are four types of tissues (3):
Organs
Tissues with similar functions form an organ. Except for the skin, all organs are located in the body. Heart, liver, and lungs are some examples of organs. Few organs are also found inside cavities. The stomach is present in the abdominal cavity, and the lungs in the thoracic cavity.
Organ systems
Organs and body structures of similar function form organ systems. A human body has 11 organ systems:
1. Skeletal system
A skeletal system provides the framework to a body and acts as a protective cover for the internal organs. The human skeleton comprises bones, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Few large bones have a spongy tissue inside them called the bone marrow, where the synthesis of red blood cells takes place. Bones are the major storage site for calcium and phosphorus. They are responsible for the support and movement of the body. The shape of the bones can be long, short, irregular, or flat.
2. Muscular system
Since the skeletal system and the muscular system usually function together, they are together called the musculoskeletal system. Muscles help in the proper movement of the bones and act as a motor to the body’s movements.
3. Circulatory system
Heart, blood, and blood vessels are parts of the circulatory system. The blood carries oxygen, nutrients, immune cells, and hormones to multiple organs through its blood vessels, thus becoming the body’s transportation system. Waste products such as carbon dioxide, urea are also carried through the blood. The heart functions through two circuits. In the pulmonary circuit, the heart transports deoxygenated blood to the lungs. Here, carbon dioxide (a toxic metabolic waste generated by the human body) is exchanged with the oxygen in the lungs. This oxygenated blood returning to the heart will be pumped to various organs through the systemic circuit. Arteries, veins, and capillaries are blood vessels. Blood is carried away from the heart through the arteries. Veins carry blood from other parts of the body to the heart. Capillaries are found in the organs, where various metabolic products are exchanged. (4).
4. Digestive system
The digestive system carries out the breakdown of the consumed food into nutrients. A series of organs starting from the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine ending in the rectum form the digestive system. The food we consume moves through this sequence with the help of systematic contractions called peristalsis (5). The food we consume through the mouth will pass through the esophagus to the stomach and mix with gastric juices to help digestion. The stomach and small intestine break down the food into smaller molecules such as proteins, fat, sugar, vitamins, and minerals. The small hair-like protrusions on the wall of the small intestine are called the villi and help absorb these nutrients into the bloodstream. The liver, gallbladder, and pancreas are the accessory digestive organs. The pancreas secretes pancreatic juice, and the liver secretes bile. When food reaches the small intestine, these organs release digestive juices. The gallbladder is a storehouse of bile. Any undigested food reaches the large intestine, where it is concentrated and excreted as feces on reaching the rectum.
5. Nervous system
The brain, spinal cord, and related nerves are part of the nervous system. This system allows the human brain to control various parts of the body through its large nerve network (6). Structurally, the nervous system can be divided into two parts. The Central Nervous System (CNS), consisting of the brain and spinal cord, is responsible for the processing of thought, cognition, and other such functions. The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) consists of nerves, which are responsible for receiving and transmitting information between the brain and other parts of the body through the sensory and motor neurons. Functionally, the nervous system is again divided into two parts. The Somatic Nervous System (SNS) is responsible for voluntary actions such as speech. The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is responsible for involuntary actions such as digestion, heartbeat, and reflexes.
6. Respiratory system
The nose, nasopharynx, trachea, and lungs are parts of the human respiratory system. They take oxygen from the air and release carbon dioxide back into the air. It is located above the diaphragm. The respiration process is divided into two steps —inhalation and exhalation (7). During inhalation, the diaphragm relaxes, creating a vacuum in the lungs. Due to this, the air is drawn into the trachea and eventually reaches the alveoli, the functional unit of the lungs. Alveoli are tiny air sacs surrounded by a network of capillaries carrying deoxygenated blood. Here, the oxygen in the alveoli is exchanged with the carbon dioxide of the blood capillaries. Now, the oxygenated blood is sent to the heart for distribution throughout the body. During exhalation, the diaphragm contracts, and the carbon dioxide absorbed from the bloodstream is released back into the air. This is followed by another round of inhalation and exhalation.
7. Endocrine system
An endocrine system comprises glands. They secrete regulatory hormones responsible for human growth, metabolism, and reproduction. The system includes the pituitary gland, adrenal glands, pancreas, thyroid, and gonads. An imbalance in the endocrine system leads to the malfunctioning of the homeostasis of the body. The endocrine hormones are secreted directly into the bloodstream.
8. Urinary system
The kidneys, urinary bladder, and urethra are part of the human urinary system. The waste accumulated in the blood is filtered by the kidneys and excreted through the body as urine.
9. Immune system
The lymphatic system and the immune system work together in protecting the body from external threats. When foreign particles, such as bacteria or viruses, enter the human body, the immune system recognizes them and releases antibodies, cytokines, or macrophages for their destruction. The immune system comprises the white blood cells, lymph nodes, lymph channels, tonsils, adenoids, appendix, spleen, bone marrow, Peyer’s patches, and the thymus gland.
10. Reproductive system
The human reproductive system includes internal and external sex organs. The survival and the population growth of a species depend on the reproductive system. The testes and ovaries are the gonads of males and females, respectively. The sperm produced by the testes of the male reproductive system fuses with the egg released by the ovaries. This fusion leads to the formation of an embryo, which develops into a fetus in the uterus of the female reproductive system for up to nine months.
11. Integumentary system
All the external protective organs form the integumentary system. These include skin, hair, sweat glands, and nails. They provide structure to the body, protect the internal organs, and act as an interactive medium to the outside world.
Human Body Diagram For Kids
30 Human Body Facts For Kids
Here are a few interesting facts about the human body (2) (8) (9) (10).
