Head Facts for Kids

The head is the part of the body where the brain is. It is also where the face is. Different things may be worn on the head, for example a headband, a headdress, or a hat.

Some people get pains in their head sometimes, known as headaches. Also, some people have worse pains in their head called migraines.

A head in English can also mean a person in charge of something, like the head of a company.

Also, the word head can mean the front of something. An example of this is the word "Headline", which means large words on the front page of a newspaper.

The Amazing Human Head
Animal Heads
- Arthropod Heads
  - Insect Heads
Images for kids
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The Amazing Human Head

Your head is a very important part of your body. It holds your brain, which helps you think and feel. The human head is made up of the skull, a small bone called the hyoid bone, and the top bones of your neck (cervical vertebrae).

The skull is actually made of two main parts:

The mandible, which is your lower jaw bone.
The cranium, which is the upper part of the skull that protects your brain.

The cranium has eight bones, and your facial skeleton (which includes your jaw) has fourteen bones. These bones give your face its shape and protect your brain and other important parts.

Sculptors often create human heads based on this bone structure. Even though the number of muscles in the face is usually the same, their shapes can change a lot. This is why people's faces look so different and can show so many different feelings!

Animal Heads

Many animals also have heads! The idea of having a head developed a very long time ago, about 555 million years ago. This process is called cephalization, which means having a clear head area where the brain and main sense organs are located.

Arthropod Heads

Head of a Nomada-species bee

In some arthropods, like trilobites (which are ancient sea creatures), the head area is called the cephalon. It's made up of several body parts that have grown together.

Insect Heads

A typical insect head has eyes, antennae, and mouth parts. These parts can look very different from one insect to another, which helps scientists identify them.

Many insects have a pair of compound eyes. These eyes are made of many tiny lenses, like a honeycomb. Other insects might have simpler eyes, sometimes just one or a few small spots called ocelli on their head.

Insects also have antennae, which are like feelers. They are usually found in pairs between the eyes. Antennae come in many shapes and sizes, from thin filaments to enlarged or club-shaped forms. Insects use them to smell, touch, and sometimes even hear.

Insect mouth parts vary depending on what they eat.

The labrum is like an "upper lip" at the front of the head.
Behind the labrum are a pair of mandibles, which are often used for biting or chewing.
Next are a pair of maxillae, each with a small feeler called a maxilliary palp.
At the back of the mouth is the labium, or "lower lip."
Some insects also have an extra mouth part called a hypopharynx, located between the maxillae.