Lesson 6: Relaxation: Stretches

By imitating the shapes of animals, children explore different stretches to help to ease tension in the body and aid relaxation.

Learning objective

  • To perform a range of relaxation stretches

National curriculum

All schools should make provision for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), drawing on good practice.

The PSHE Association Programme of Study recommends that pupils are taught:

  • H16. about strategies and behaviours that support mental health — including how good quality sleep, physical exercise/time outdoors, being involved in community groups, doing things for others, clubs, and activities, hobbies and spending time with family and friends can support mental health and wellbeing

Success criteria

Cross-curricular links

Before the lesson

Download classroom resources

Attention grabber

Main event

Differentiation

Pupils needing extra support: Might need to work in pairs so that one person can do the stretch while the other draws a stick figure to show the pose.

Pupils working at greater depth: Could label the stick figures, describing what parts of the body should feel a stretch or how you should be breathing during the activity.

Wrapping up

Assessing pupils' progress and understanding

Vocabulary

Created by:
Elaine Bousfield,  
Wellbeing specialist
Elaine worked for many years as a therapist with young people. She is the founder and chair of XenZone and its children and young people’s counselling service, kooth.com. Kooth delivers an online counselling and therapy service. It is also an online community…
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