Safe Stretches

Side Bends

• Stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent. Bend at the hips from one side to the other.
• Hold the position, do not bounce.
• Keep body facing straight forward.

Sit n’ Twist

• Sit, with one leg stretched out in front, the other bent with foot flat on the floor.
• Twist body around from the waist, on the straight leg side, and try to look behind.

Slow Motion Lie Down (strengthening exercise, not a stretch)

• Sit with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms parallel to the floor and forward.
• Lower the body slowly, hold at the halfway point, return to start.

Crunches (strengthening exercise, not a stretch)

• Do a partial sit-up, hands touching forehead or hands crossed at the waist.
• Lift head and shoulders off the ground, hold.
• Knees must be bent throughout, with feet either flat on the floor, or legs in a vertical position (with knees slightly bent).

Butterfly (and inner thigh stretch)

• Sit with legs bent in front, knees to the side, soles of feet touching.
• Using hands, gently press knees towards the floor. Hold.

Seat Walk (range of motion activity)

• In a sitting position with legs straight out in front and together, move forward using only the hips to initiate movement.

Tall as a House, Small as a Mouse, Wide as a Wall

• Children stretch “tall as a house, small as a mouse and wide as a wall.”
• Stand on tiptoes with arms overhead, stretching fingers up to the sky. Hold. Crouch down hugging knees and tucking head down toward chest to curl up like a mouse. Hold.
• Slowly return to standing position and extend arms and legs out on each side of body to stretch as wide as a wall. Hold.

Growing Flowers

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Crouch down, tucking head toward the chest and folding arms across the front of body, like the closed petals of a flower.
• Slowly rise to standing position while unfolding arms.
• Extend arms overhead, like a flower opening. Repeat.

Shake and Splash (range of motion activity)

• Gently shake hand as if shaking water off fingers.
• Flick fingers away as if splashing water.
• Flick other body parts (e.g., toes, hips, arms) as if flicking water.

Arm Swing (range of motion activity)

• Swing arms slowly forward and back.
• Swing arms in front of body.
• Swing arms overhead.

Scarecrow (range of motion activity)

• Pretend to be a scarecrow, putting arms out to the side, parallel to the ground, palms facing backwards.
• Bend arms at the elbows and let hands swing down and towards the body.

Swan Dive

• Raise arms outward from sides to shoulder height.
• Slowly press arms backward and hold.
• Feel a stretch across chest and down arms. Repeat.

Snail Stretch

• In a kneeling position, with arms stretched forward in front (on the floor), try to touch armpits to the floor.
• Keep rear end high, and pretend it is the snail’s shell. Press low to the ground and pretend to be a small snail

Fist and Stretch

• Make a tight fist then spread out and relax the fingers.

Finger Press

• Press finger end pads together.
• Pretend to make hands look like a spider doing push-ups on a mirror!

Wrist Circle

• Rotate wrists by drawing circles with hands

Be a Star

• Stand with feet placed wide apart, moving onto tiptoes and extending arms over head to look like five points of a star.
• Hold stretch while standing on tiptoes.

Hug Me

• Hug yourself, hug tightly and release.

Cat Stretch

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
• Bend forward, placing hands on knees and keeping the back flat.
• Slowly arch the back upward, into a rounded position.
• Hold, then return to flat back. Repeat.

Horse/Camel

• Assume a position on hands and knees.
• The horse position is with back slightly arched and head up; the camel position is with back curled and head down. Hold each position.

Neck Stretches

• Slowly bend neck to the right side, moving right ear toward right shoulder. Hold.
• Repeat on left side.
• Slowly bend neck forward, moving chin toward chest. Hold.
• Slowly roll head across chest from shoulder to shoulder in a half circle, repeat four times.

“I Don’t Know!”

• Slowly tilt head side to side, shrugging shoulders.
• Raise hands in a gesture to indicate, “I don’t know!”

Shin Stretch

• Hold onto desk, chair or wall for balance. Stand with feet slightly apart.
• Lift one foot, and move it slightly behind you, gently pressing the top of the toes into the floor. Feel a stretch up the shin.
• Keep knee of supporting leg slightly bent. Hold. Repeat with the other leg.

Elbow Lunge

• Stand with legs wide apart and knees bent.
• Place hands resting on thighs or on the floor in front of the feet.
• Lunge to the side by bending one leg and straightening the other, keep feet flat on the floor.
• Try to touch your elbow to the floor on the bent leg side.
• Alternate sides.

Calf Stretch

• Place both feet together and hands on the floor ahead of the feet. Press with arms to straighten legs and push with shoulders. Push up with arms and straighten arms and legs
• Cue words: “Make your body into a triangle.

Foot Flexers (range of motion activity)

• Lie on back, legs vertical, knees bent.
• Alternately flex and extend the ankles.
• Try both feet together.

Ankle Rotation (range of motion activity)

• Lie on back or sit, using hands for support, legs bent in front.
• Raise one leg off the ground and rotate the foot at the ankle.
• Repeat with other foot.