Nails Facts for Kids – 5 Unbelievable Facts about Nails

Have you ever thought about why do we have nails? Are they really important to us? Come and check our five unbelievable nails facts for kids.

Nails Facts for Kids Fact Number 1: The Part of The Nail That Is Visible to Us Is Actually Dead!

Our nails are made of dead cells. For this reason, it doesn’t hurt when we cut our fingernails and toenails. Similar to how it doesn’t hurt when we cut our hair.

The part of our nail that is under the skin is the only part of our nail that is actually alive. Blood flows to this part of the nail, which is the root of the nail, to help it grow. The white part on the bottom part of your nail is called a lunula.

Nails Facts for Kids Fact Number 2: Finger Nails Grow Slowly

Fingernails grow an average of 3.5 millilitres per month, but toenails grow at nearly half this rate. The fingernails on your dominant hand grow faster. Men’s fingernails grow faster than women’s nails. Fingernails grow faster in the summer than in the winter.

This is because your body takes in more Vitamin D during the Summer resulting in greater nail growth. Your thumbnail grows the slowest, while your middle fingernail grows the fastest.

Fingernail growth slows down as we age. According to the Guinness World Records, the longest fingernails in the world belong to Diana Armstrong, whose fingernails are 42 ft 10.4 inches in length!

Nails Facts for Kids Fact Number 3: Fingernails Are Made out of The Same Stuff as Hair

Fingernails are made up of three layers of tissue called keratin. Keratin is naturally present in your hair and nails. This is also found in other animals including horse hooves and bird feathers. The name comes from the Greek word “keras” which means “horn”. Keratin is a very  tough and insoluble material.

Nails Facts for Kids Fact Number 4: The Main Purpose of Our Nails Is for Protection

Fingernails are for protecting not only the fingertips but also the surrounding soft tissue from any external injuries.

Our toenails also protect our toes from being damaged. The nails offer the first line of protection for our fingers and toes. The skin that surrounds your finger is the cuticle and it also serves a purpose.

Our hands come in contact with a lot of bacteria everyday and  the cuticle stops these germs from entering the body through our hands. For these reasons, you should not bite or pick at your nails.

Nails Facts for Kids Fact Number 5: Nail Polish Was Invented in China

The first documented use of nail polishing was in roughly 3000 B.C. in China. During this time people created their nail paints using ingredients like beeswax, egg whites and vegetable dyes.

At the beginning basic colours such as black and red were used. In Ancient times, nail polish often showed someone’s status and rank in society. Nail art has come a very long way since then!

We hope you enjoyed learning more things about nails as much as we loved teaching you about them. Now that you know how majestic this part in the human body is, you can move on to learn about other ones and our human body like: Brain, Eyes, Nose, Teeth, Ears, Kidneys, Tears, The Respiratory System, urinary system, skeletal system, Nervous System, Cells, Microorganisms, Ears Facts, Proteins, Fats, Vegetables, Fruits, Muscles, Endocrine System, Human Heart, Human Body Secrets, Urinary System Facts, The Five Senses, History of Medicine, Respiratory System, Digestive System and cardiovascular system.

Why not subscribe to our LearningMole Library for as little as £1.99 per month to access over 2800 fun educational videos.