Did you know that there are 206 bones in the human body? The largest bone is called the femur, or thigh bone. The femur is one of the bones that helps us stand up and walk. The smallest bone, called the stapes, is located inside the middle ear. The bones of the middle ear help us hear by conducting sounds from the ear drum to the inner ear.
Our skeletons are very important. They are what allow us to stand up, sit down, dance, eat, and move. The bones in our body form a frame that give us structure and shape. While many animals have skeletons (scientists call these animals "vertebrates", many other animals - jellyfish and worms are two examples - do not. Scientists call these animals "invertebrates".
The photos below will show you, step by step, how to make a picture of a human skeleton using construction paper and Q-Tips. This fun craft project can help young children learn the parts of the body and can help older children begin to learn the names and locations of some of our 206 bones!