2013 Week 18: Tatty Bumpkin's pose for the Week is SEAGULL

By Sue Heron – Training Co-ordinator Tatty Bumpkin and Paediatric Physiotherapist
The pose for this week in Tatty Bumpkin classes is SEAGULL; in the sessions your child will go on an a treasure hunt with Tatty Bumpkin, the seagull and the pirate. 

What SEAGULL POSE Looks Like!

Start sitting back on your heels so you can flap your wings up and down with confidence.

Description (What to tell your child)

Imagine you are a seagull! What kind of seagull are you? A noisy seagull, a quiet, tired seagull who has flown a long way or maybe a hungry seagull? Start either sitting back on your heels or kneeling up with your bottom off the floor, stretch your arms out to the side and flap them up and down with your elbows straight. Start with big, slow flaps then see if you can do quicker flaps without losing your balance! Now see if you can rock back forth like a seagull flying in a storm.

 

Want to make it harder? (What to tell your child)

Start in kneeling but this time bring one foot in front of you so you’re only balancing on one knee. In this position lean forwards whilst flapping your wings – like a seagull peering over a cliff. Then swap over feet.

Flap your wings out to the side like a seagull

Note to parents: Younger children - Do seagull pose with your child so they can mimic you. Your child will enjoy holding ribbons in their hands as they will be able to see their arm movements more clearly. Doing activities with your child is a great way to bond with them. Research shows that children, especially boys, bond with others when they move with them.


 

Why it is ‘Good For Me’

Seagull pose will give your child the opportunity to:
Activate and strengthen their ‘core’ muscles. Their hip muscles as they kneel up, their tummy and back muscles as they keep upright and rock back and forth, and their shoulder muscles as they move their arms up and down.
Progress their balance and co-ordination skills. Kneeling is quite a hard position for children as it requires mature balance skills, adding in the arm movements will also challenge their co-ordination. If your child is struggling to wave their arms up and down in kneeling guide them to sit back on their heels or even to just flap their arms in sitting. Once they have the idea then encourage them to do the harder positions.



 

Make it Multi-Sensory, Educational & Fun

All our classes are linked to the new 2012 EYFS framework meaning that your child will have the opportunity to progress in all areas of their development, giving them a truly holistic experience

In Tatty Bumpkin classes we use unique storylines, songs, rhythms and natural props to make the activities: ‘meaningful’ for your child, and to give them the opportunity to use nearly all their senses.  This ensures your child has choice and is supported in their learning.

Hence through the magic of a Tatty Bumpkin class seagull pose becomes both a multi-sensory and an educational activity. In this week’s class your child will be encouraged to ‘have a go’ at seagull pose, either sitting back on their heels or kneeling up depending on their balance skills, flapping their wings up and down. The seagull has a map in his beak for everyone to investigate. It shows a pathway to the treasure however this leads past a lion's liar, past the dancing octopuses and over the stepping stones… Tatty Bumpkin will need ideas on how she can get past these obstacles!

Find your local Tatty Bumpkin class at  http://www.tattybumpkin.com/classes/find-class.html