Human Skeleton Games for Kids

Being able to identify the different parts of the human skeleton is an integral part of the study of human anatomy.

While in elementary school, students are expected to gain a basic understanding of human anatomy, including the human skeletal system. When teaching a subject as graphic as human anatomy, it is helpful to disguise lessons in the form of games for the students to play. There are several games that can help students learn the different parts of the human skeleton, but the students must first have had a chance to study a diagram of the skeletal system.

Identification Game

Instruct the students to study a diagram of the skeletal system either in class or as homework. Then, group the students into two teams and give the starting student on each team a buzzer of sorts (this can be a bell or other noise-making device, or you may opt to have them raise their hands instead). Then, point to a bone on an unlabeled skeletal diagram or skeleton model and have the students "buzz in" to give the answer. After the question has been correctly answered, award the winning team a point and pass the "buzzer" to the next student on the team. Repeat until every student has had at least one turn, then tally the scores. You can also mix up the questions by naming a bone and having the students point to its location instead.

Puzzle

Provide each student or group of students with individual, labeled paper bone cutouts and a diagram with the bones labeled and in their proper place. Then, instruct the students to reassemble their skeleton as they would a puzzle. Finished skeletons can be held together by glue, safety pins or any other type of fastener, decorated and hung in the classroom.

Jeopardy

Separate the students into two or more teams and host a Jeopardy-style game that has them answer questions for points, then wager the points in "Final Jeopardy." You may put together your own physical game board with questions of varying categories, difficulty and point values or create a PowerPoint-style presentation with a similar setup. Follow the rules of "Jeopardy" to determine the winning team.

Crosswords/Wordsearches

Construct a word-search or crossword puzzle containing words for the different parts of the human skeletal system. In each case, accompany the puzzle with a diagram of the human skeleton that students can use as a reference. You may create your own word-searches and crossword puzzles from scratch or use an online puzzle generator.

References

• Sheppard Software: Skeleton Tutorial
• Kidport: The Human Skeleton

Resources

• Hillendale Health: Skeletal System
• Quia: Skeletal System Jeopardy
• Society of Physics Students: Jeopardy Rules and Instructions
• Lanternfish: Skeletal System Worksheets