Leader Resource 2: Quick Stretch Exercises
Part of Moral Tales
In this quick "get the wiggles out" activity, you will lead the children in a short
series of stretching and breathing exercises.
Begin standing with arms at your sides. Ask the children to breath in as
they bring their arms slowly out to the sides and then up overhead. Then as
they exhale let the arms slowly float down.
Repeat the exercise but stop when arms are overhead. Tell the children to
breathe out. Then tell them that over their heads high above in the sky are
stars. Show them how to reach their hands over-head one at a time and to
pick the stars from the sky until they are holding a star in each hand. Then
show them how to throw the stars across their bodies so that they cross the
sky like shooting stars one at a time.
Have them shake out one foot and then the other, and then both hands.
Have them start in a crouching or squatting position. Show them how to
take a deep breath and as they do to fill up like a balloon until they are as tall
and full as possible. Then show them how to let all of the air out until they are
crouched down on the floor like a shriveled balloon.
If they need calming down you can repeat the first exercise once or twice.