Five Minute Favorite: Toes to Sky
This is a Five Minute Favorite to have in your toolkit to bring a smile to your child’s face as well as your own.
It is incredibly simple. Yet it is such a good reset for your child and for you.
Consider adding this to your days during the busy holiday stretch ahead.
As long as you’re willing, you can do this almost anytime, anywhere.
At your in-laws’ house, in the car from a seated position, at 5:30 am - when you aren’t ready to talk yet and still need your morning coffee, but don’t want to turn on a show for your child.
In a Target, when your child isn’t ready to nap, when you’re waiting for a sibling’s soccer pick-up.
It’s a support with colder weather and less daylight. And anytime you find yourself heading down an unproductive path with your child and in need of some re-centering - which happens.
It’s adaptable and helps your child develop self-regulation, concentration, and coordination.
Toes to Sky. It’s just that. And you don’t have to be able to touch your toes!
It sounds like this:
Invite. “You know, I would love to move my body. I am going to do some toe to sky stretches. You can join me.”
Model and Move, Together.
Sweep your arms up to the sky and demonstrate reaching for full extension. Breathe in deeply. Be present in this experience for these few minutes. Model focus for your child.
Sweep your arms down to your toes - go slowly to start, take your time. Breathe out deeply. Slow movement actually takes more control and is down-regulating to the nervous system.
After a few rounds, if you feel like speeding up, you can, to show your child the contrast and enjoy the feeling of more rapid movement. “I think I want to move a little bit faster now. Want to try it with me?” Honor your child’s preference.
Conclude Calmly. Complete the experience with slow movements until you come to a resting stop.
In my experience this almost always leads to some change in momentum, in both child and adult.
You then have the opportunity to begin again in your day.
Repeat often and enjoy!