School › Heart and lungs › Ages 6–7
My heart and my lungs
What the heart and lungs do, where they are, and why your heart beats faster when you run. With a feel-your-heartbeat experiment.
Read
Your heart is in the middle of your chest, close to your lungs. It is a strong muscle that pumps blood all around your body, all day and all night.[1]
Each squeeze of the heart is a heartbeat. You can feel it if you put your hand on your chest.[4]
Your two lungs fill with air when you breathe in. A big muscle under them, the diaphragm, moves down to make room.[3]
The air has oxygen in it. Your body needs oxygen. The lungs pass the oxygen into your blood, and the heart sends that blood everywhere.[2][1]
When you breathe out, you get rid of a waste gas called carbon dioxide.[3]
Try it: Feel your heartbeat
You need
- A quiet room or the playground
- A sand timer or a clock with a second hand (the teacher keeps time)
- Paper and crayons
Safety
Gentle exercise only. Anyone who feels dizzy, unwell or out of breath stops and tells the teacher. Children with a heart or breathing condition can be the time-keeper instead. Check with parents or the school nurse if unsure.
What to do
- Sit very still for one minute. Put your hand flat on the left side of your chest. Can you feel your heart going thump-thump?
- Is it slow or fast? Show the speed by tapping your other hand on the table.
- Now jump up and down gently, or march on the spot, for one minute.
- Sit down and feel your heart again. Is it faster or slower than before? Are you breathing faster too?
- Rest for two minutes and feel again. What happens?
Play: Heart or lungs?
Read each card. Is it about the heart or the lungs? Pick the right box.
Your best score is kept only on this device. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Quiz
Other ages: Ages 10–11 · Ages 15–16