4 Hip Flexor Stretches to Relieve Tight Hips: Top 10 Stretching Exercises For Kids

Top 10 Stretching Exercises For Kids

10 Fun And Simple Stretching Exercises For Kids

Children need to balance long hours of sitting in front of the computer or in classroom with exercises. But before beginning on a fitness regimen, they have to stretch their body to warm up for the strenuous exercises. Stretching exercises for kids keep their joints and muscles flexible. Stretching reduces the risk of injuries like sprains or cramps while increasing the range of motion.

MomJunction brings you ten brilliant stretching exercises to boost energy levels in your child and get him ready for exercise.

10 Cool Stretching Exercises For Kids:

Exercise 1:

This is a perfect activity for kids to begin their stretching session. And it’s relaxing stretches for kids too!

Tell your child to kneel down with knees spread apart and toes touching each other. Keeping the knees together also won’t harm. Or he can try both ways to see which one is more comfortable.

Now tell him to bend over and try to place his forehead on the mat or floor. The arms can be at the side or along the legs. Palms must be up or should be extended in front of the head.

Ask your child to inhale and exhale slowly in this pose. He has to hold the pose for 3 to 5 breaths.

[ Read: Best Exercises For Kids ]

Exercise 2:

Tell your kid to lie on his back with knees bent. Then make him place his hand under the back.

Ask him to tighten his abdominal muscles and flatten the back against the floor.

Have him hold this position for 5 seconds. Kids do not need to hold their breath. Repeat.

Exercise 3:

Have your kid lie down on the floor, face-down with elbows to the sides. He has to tuck his chin in while lying down, and head should be off the ground. Tell him to stay in this position for ten seconds.

Now ask your kid to return to the beginning position as he breathes out.

This stretching exercise for children should be done five times a day.

Exercise 4:

This stretching exercise will relax your child’s shoulders and upper back.

Tell him to sit towards the back of the chair. Now ask him to place his left hand on his lap and stretch the right hand towards the sky or ceiling.

Now ask him to bend to his left side and stretch the right hand over the head, pulling towards the left side. Tell him to count to 10 while breathing in and out.

Then repeat the same exercise with the right hands on the lap.

[ Read: Pilates For Kids ]

Exercise 5:

First and foremost, tell your kid to stand on all fours and raise his/her hips up in the air to form an upside-down V. Ensure that the knees and elbows are straight.

Now tell him to lift his one foot off the ground and place on the opposite ankle.

Ask him to lower the heel of the foot close to the ground.

Now he has to lift the heel, rising back up onto the ball of the foot. Repeat the exercise 5 times. This is one of the easy stretches for kids to keep the muscles stronger.

Exercise 6:

Tell your kid to stand upright with knees slightly bent and legs, shoulder-width apart.

Ask him to raise his arms up to the shoulder height.

Now by bending the elbow, tell him to rotate the torso to the right, then back to the front and finally to the left. Make sure your kid does not twist his legs while performing this stretching exercise. The torso should be the only rotating part of the body.

[ Read: Breathing Exercises For Kids ]

Exercise 7:

Have your kid to stand with feet at shoulder-width apart. Tell him to extend his arms to the sides, keeping them parallel to the ground.

By keeping the back straight, tell him to bend at the hips and try to reach for the opposite foot with one hand.

Kids have to stretch at a gentle pace, using side-to-side movements. They can even bend the knees when going downwards.

Have the children return to the upright position and repeat the exercise on the other side. Try this simple stretches for kids as it can keep the muscles and joints strong.

Exercise 8:

Make the kid stand upright. Now he has to bend one knee and grasp the foot with the same hand from the same side. He can use his free arm to stand against the wall or anything for balance.

Now tell him to pull the foot towards the glutes, bringing it as close as he can, but without overstretching.

Now ask your kid if he is feeling the stretch or not. If he is not feeling the stretch, tell him to push the foot against the hand while pulling the foot towards the buttocks. This is a fun stretching exercises for kids to do.

Note – Kids have to keep their body upright and knees together throughout the stretch.

Exercise 9:

Tell your child to sit on the ground and bring both the soles of the shoes together. The knees should be pointing out to each side.

Now by grasping the ankles have your kid draw both the heels close to the body.

Now ask your child to slight move forward and hold to the position.

For a deeper stretch, tell your kid to press down the thighs with the elbows for bringing the knees closer to the ground. The stretch will be felt in the hips, groin and inner thighs.

[ Read: Benefits Of Aerobic Exercises For Kids ]

Exercise 10:

Tell your kid to cross one foot over the other and try to reach towards the ceiling or sky with both arms.

Now counting from one to ten, tell him to bend forward slowly while attempting to bring the arms towards the toes.

While performing this exercise, tell the kids to breathe fluidly and try reaching a tad further on each exhale.

Now ask him to return to the upright stance. Have your kid repeat the exercise with the other leg.

Kids can do these exercises after an extended play session, sports practice or anytime their muscles feel tight or tense. But make sure they follow the steps precisely. If your kid is suffering from an injury or is undergoing training for a particular sport, then consult an athletic trainer or physical therapist to determine the most effective stretching exercises for them.

Do you have any kids stretching exercises that you’d like to share with us? If yes, then please leave us a comment below!