By Sue Heron – Training Co-ordinator Tatty Bumpkin and Paediatric Physiotherapist
The pose for this week in Tatty Bumpkin classes is FISH. In the sessions your child will go with Tatty Bumpkin and her friends to investigate the river. As she looks closely at her reflection in the water Tatty Bumpkin hears a ‘gobble, gobble’ sound, it is her friend the fish and he has a very special message ..... just for her…
What FISH POSE Looks Like!
Roll as a fish down the river!
Roll with a friend - it may be easier
Description
Lay out a strip of, ideally, blue fabric on a non-slip surface and pretend this is the river. Encourage your child to roll over and over down the river like a fish swimming, then to roll back the other way. See if you child can roll like a ‘pencil’ or ‘log roll’ i.e. with their arms above their head.
Young children may find it hard to roll in a straight line may be due to a variety of reasons: lack of practice
difficulty with planning the rolling movement
interference from their ‘baby’ reflexes (primitive reflexes)
their mature ‘postural’ reactions (balance system) not yet being fully developed
muscles on one side of their body being slightly more active than the other side
easily becoming dizzy due to their vestibular sensory system being either over active or underactive
Usually, with practice, children quickly get the idea of rolling in a fairly straight line. If your child is older (4 – 5 years) and they are rolling very crookedly and maybe you are concerned with other aspects of their development you can always speak with your health visitor or G.P. Sometimes it is easier to roll with someone else, so encourage your child to try rolling with a friend, or you. Lie down next to each other, shoulder to shoulder, decide which direction to roll in and then roll over together. Rolling as a pair or in a group helps to slow the roll and this makes it easier; it’s also a great social activity.
Alternatively your child can roll with a group of friends to be a ‘conveyor belt’. For this game everyone lies down, shoulder to shoulder as before, place a soft toy on a child lying at one end, then the group has to pass the toy down the line just by rolling- no hands allowed!
Note to parents: If your child is younger they may enjoy rolling down your legs! Start sitting the floor with your legs out in front of you, guide your child to lie across your thighs keeping their arms by their sides and making sure their head is ‘free’. First rock your child side to side so they get the idea then gently roll them down your legs and back towards to you.
Want to make it harder?
Rolling head to head – you and your child lie down facing each other with your arms above your head. Between you hold onto a soft ball or piece of fabric and roll. When rolling like this your child is not using their arms and hence it is harder to do.
Why it is ‘Good For Me’
Fish pose will give your child the opportunity to:
Develop their 'balance reactions’: as your child moves they are develop mature balance reactions, these are sometimes known as 'postural reactions' and keep us safely up against gravity. They are 'automatic' responses similar to reflexes
Develop and stimulate their vestibular sense: the vestibular sense helps us to keep our balance. It also helps us to regulate our alertness levels. Hence when your child does fish pose they will be developing their sense of balance and in addition, the pose can either help them calm or become more alert. This will depend on how quickly they roll and how their body reacts to the movement
Increase their awareness of their ‘midline’: as your child rolls they cross the ‘midline’ of their body again and again
Strengthen their tummy and spinal muscles: as your child rolls from their back onto their front they will be largely using their tummy muscles, as they move from their tummy onto their back they will be using their spinal muscles more. As they are working these muscles alternatively and in quick succession they will be building up great co-ordination between these two muscle groups which is important for overall stability and balance
Develop a mental map of their body: over time it is very important that your child builds up a picture in their mind of how their body parts relate to one another and work together. An accurate body map gives your child a deep inner confidence that they are able to tackle a wide range of tasks in different situations.
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.
In this week’s class your child can ‘have a go’ at fish pose as part of the ‘Funny Fish Flap’ event! Tatty Bumpkin finds her fish friend whilst she is investigating the river. He tells her about their annual ‘Funny Fish Flap’ where everyone has to make funny sounds, do funny faces and roll or swim in a funny way. Tatty Bumpkin will have lots of funny ideas but I am sure you can think of a few more. … So come along and join the fun!
