Parents Making flexibility stretching fun for DD

[Boo'sMom]

DD has lots of strength, but not so much on flexibility. So her coach gave us a list of stretches and skills to do at home each day. We have been doing them for almost 2 months now and her coach said last week that she can finally start to tell a little bit of improvement. YEAH! I can to. Now my problem is DD hates the stretches she needs to do to help her with the splits and I would like some ideas to make it fun for her so she doesn't dread it so much. We have been using rewards and it works to a point, but she just hates it so much and does not want to do it. Everything else she does with no problem or hesitation and enjoys working on the rest of her skills. Thank you for any tips.

 

[txgymfan]

Try doing the stretches after a warm bath or shower. They will be a little easier with warm muscles.

 

[Boo'sMom]

Thank you! never thought of that!

 

[my4buffaloes]

Is there something that is forbidden most of the time? Like an iPad or game on your phone? Or TV time? Something that will occupy her while she does it to help pass the time and take her mind off the dreaded stretching. My girls like for me to read to them when they are stretching out. We have read some great books this way and it ends up being good quality time.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

My dd takes my tablet (mummy's baby) and puts the stop watch app on - it counts down out loud and she holds the streych for that length of time.

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[Boo'sMom]

Thanks for the great tips I will be trying all of them. Think I will let her watch a video on my ipad during her split stretches. Please keep them coming. Iwannabemargo can you tell me the name of the stop watch app please?

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Its ultrachrono lite

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[Boo'sMom]

Its ultrachrono lite

Sent from my CnM Touchpad 9.7 using ChalkBucket mobile app

Darn! I can't find it on my ipad app store, nor any other talking one. grr

 

[txgymfan]

One more tip. Another good time to get in an "extra stretch" is right after she has been physically active like running around and getting sweaty. Her muscles will once again be warm and it will be easier. Teach her that after "exercise" ( or play) we stretch.

 

[Empowered]

Stretching for a very inflexible kid sucks. It's boring, progress is slow and well, it's just lousy. Things that have helped my daughter are comical, out of the box stretching ideas. Her coaches put two mats on beams that are close together and make her balance in a split with legs on each beach. This was mostly funny for those of us watching betting which child would fall first.

Having a stretching buddy helps as well. It's just no fun to do it alone. If you can't get down and stretch with her, pick a favorite stuffed animal and make it her stretching coach. It always makes my daughter smile.

 

[okie]

Try doing the stretches after a warm bath or shower. They will be a little easier with warm muscles.

My DD jumps in and out of the bath and does 30 seconds of splits three times for each split. She calls them nakee splits.

She also plays music and holds each of her splits for the duration of a song. She calls the song that goes with middle splits the "neverending death song."

Another split game is us doing them together as I squeal in pain and say really crazy things referencing my pain. This is her favorite. She is six.

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[Boo'sMom]

WOW! I love all these great tips! you all are amazing! I'm sure I will be doing them all as go along to keep it fresh and fun for her. Tonight I found an ok timer app for my ipad and let her be the one to always start it and I got her fav teddy bear and talk for it =) and made the bear do all the stretches along with her. In the past her brother or myself would do them with her but that's old news now and the bear really did the trick. She did everything happily! it was so nice to see her having fun and really trying hard. She even held her arms up in the air while doing the splits today and with a smile on her face the entire time! THANK YOU everyone!!!