Tatty Bumpkin gets 'Ready for Big School' with her Yoga-inspired Seagull Pose

By Sue Heron – Training Co-ordinator Tatty Bumpkin and Paediatric Physiotherapist 

The year flies by! Once again, it's the time of year to start thinking about transitions - moving up from nursery to 'big school'. Tatty Bumpkin's Seagull pose has plenty of benefits for your child - and many of them will help your child feel ready and strong for big school.

Studies show a child does not achieve 'adult-like' balance skills until they are about 7 years old. These skills are principally developed by your child moving, playing and exploring in their world - moving in wide variety of situations, in a range of ways. 

Think about the different balance skills your child will develop as they:

Children 'having a go' at Tree pose on uneven ground

Often we think about balance being important for sporting skills - which is indeed the case. However, a range of classroom skills are dependent on your child having good balance. Being able to keep the body in an aligned, balanced, sitting position is not only good for long term spinal health it can also have a profound impact on reading and writing skills. 

2. Activates Core Muscles 

The 'core' of the body is the centre of control for everything else the body does!
The complex movements your child does in the classroom - shifting their gaze, co-ordinating their hand and fingers rely, in part, on being stable in their middle area - core stability. 

The Core Muscles!

Seagull pose, helps your child to refine their 'body awareness' - and become more confident in their movements.
As adults we move pretty automatically - not having to think to hard as we change position. For young children changes of positions are not automatic, they require cognitive thought and more mental energy!
If your child has chances to practice changing their body position during their day - in a relaxed, non-daunting atmosphere - the easier it becomes for them. This is partly due to your child building up a 'map' of their body and it's movements in their brain, using this as a guide for any new movement. As your child refines their mental 'body maps' they will naturally feel more confident about their body – and body confidence is so important especially if you are feeling a little overwhelmed by big school.

Seagull pose stretches muscles groups which can be prone to tightness. The pull of the mobile phone, IPad or TV can be strong. Unfortunately these gadgets prompt your child to sit in a slumped positon with their shoulders hunched and drawn in. This position can be easily counteracted by doing a few activities which encourage a good stretch. Seagull pose guides your child to stretch their back muscles and those across their chest. 

As your children attempts seagull pose they will have to concentrate- even if it is just for a fleeting moment! In seagull pose your child will be have to think about:

• The position their arms, legs and feet
• Keeping their balance as they do the arm movements.

Doing physical poses is a great, fun way for your child to learn how to focus. 

Try to do seagull pose with your child, or encourage brothers and sisters to join in, as 

children learn new movements best by copying the actions.

• Find a clear space on the carpet or mat with your child. Make sure you both have enough space to stretch your arms out wide, and take off your socks and shoes. Your child will benefit from doing seagull pose barefoot - they will be able to bend their toes and feet more easily and they will also receive more accurate sensory information up through their feet. 

• Start the pose either sitting back on your heels, or sitting with your legs crossed. Encourage your child to stretch their arms out to either side – really focus on this as your child will then gain all the benefits of the pose. 

Start seagull pose sitting back on your heels or sitting cross legged

• Once your arms are out wide (you are BIG seagulls with BIG wings) guide your child to wave their arms up and down. The trick is to encourage your child to do this fairly slowly, with control – then they will be using their core muscles. Talk to your child about flapping their large beautiful wings as your fly across the sea. Maybe you are having to fly over a rough waves so you need to do BIG flaps! If your child loves pirates, you can be a pirate’s pet seagull. 

• A fun - Yoga inspired - way to help your child refine their balance and develop their core strength is to encourage them to try doing seagull pose in a variety of positions.  For example once your child has mastered the basic seagull pose, encourage them to try doing seagull pose:
• Kneeling up with their bottom off the floor - this position requires more balance and core strength as your child's centre of gravity is further from the floor. 
• Kneeling with one one foot in front - half kneeling. If your child is older (4-5 years) challenge them to do seagull pose in this position - they will have less of their body on the floor to support themselves, so, once again, their balance and core stability will be challenged.

Seagull pose in 'half kneeling'

                              
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