Tatty Bumpkin's Peacock Pose - To Stretch Muscles and Build Self-Esteem

• Find a non-slip mat, or an area of carpet, where you can do Peacock pose together  without bumping into anything. 

• Take off socks and shoes. It is important to do Peacock pose with bare feet, as wearing heavy shoes whilst doing this pose can strain the lower back area,  

Helping the peacock open his tail!

• Guide your child to lie on the carpet or mat in front of you. 
• Encourage them to bend their knees up - keeping their feet on the floor, see picture above. 
• Gently guide your child's knees out to the side and back to the middle. Do this slowly so your child has the chance to feel and learn the movement.
• If you child is younger, say the words 'open' and 'close' as you guide their knees apart and together. This will deepen their understanding of these words. 
• Once your child has the idea - try doing Peacock pose together. 

If your child is doing Peacock pose confidently with their knees bent - they can try the pose with knees straight. Once again you may need to hold your child's feet at first - this will give them added support and direction. 

• Lie down together on your clear mat or carpet

• Don't raise your feet from the floor with straight knees. Instead, show your child how they can bend their knees first before lifting their feet off the floor - this movement protects the lower back.  For added back support adults can consciously tighten their tummy muscles and breathe out as they lift their feet, children will usually do this automatically. 

• Together, carefully straighten your knees, as much as is comfortable, so your feet are up in the air over your body. Adults - as you straighten your knees, keep your tummy muscles tight and gently breathe out - so your back is kept well supported and in contact with the floor. If you feel any strain on your lower back do stop. 

• Once your feet are up in the air take them apart a little way - then bring them back to the middle. Adults - remember to keep your tummy muscles tight and engaged, but breathe normally! 

• Repeat the pose a few times -  encouraging your child to copy you. 

• If your child is older encourage them to think about something about themselves that is 'amazing' but not immediately 'seen'. Their hidden 'peacock's tail'! 

Why Peacock Pose is Good for Your Child

Peacock pose gives your child the opportunity to:

1. Stretch and strengthen their hip muscles
As your child takes their knees, or feet, out to each side and back to the middle they will be stretching and strengthening the muscles around their hips. Great for posture and balance skills. 

2. Stretch their hamstring and lower back muscles 
If your child does the harder version of peacock pose (with their knees straight) they will be stretching their ‘hamstring’ and lower back muscles. 
The hamstrings muscles run down the back of our thighs - see picture below.  From the 'ischial tuberosities' in our pelvis (the bones we sit on!) to our lower leg bones - just below our knees. Hamstring muscles are prone to tightness, especially if a child is growing fast, because they cross over 2 joints - the hip and the knee. 



Tight hamstring and lower back muscles can affect your child’s overall sitting posture. This is because your child may try to relieve tightness in these areas by sliding their bottom forwards in their chair - this can result in a slumped sitting posture see http://www.skillsforaction.com/tight-leg-muscles. 

Tight hamstrings and lower back muscles can cause bad posture

3. Activate their tummy muscles
Peacock pose gives your child an excellent chance to 'switch on' and strengthen their tummy muscles. As your child holds their legs in the air, and moves them out to the side and back, they will certainly be using their tummy muscles.

4. Boost their Self-Esteem
The peacock's beautiful tail is usually hidden from view. At this time of year, it can be a real boost to your child to highlight their own, inner strengths - especially if they are not winning the more obvious sports cups or form prizes. 

The Tatty Bumpkin Multi-sensory Yoga Adventure This Week 

Our qualified Tatty Bumpkin Teachers are fully trained in aspects of child development and Yoga and are kept fully up-to-date by our professional team of paediatric physiotherapists, Yoga teachers and musicians. All the Tatty Bumpkin stories are aligned to the Early Years Foundation Stage (England) and  the Curriculum for Excellence (Scotland) this means the sessions not only enhance your child’s physical skills they also develop their communication, social and thinking skills.

This week Tatty Bumpkin finds herself in the rainforest. There, deep amongst the trees, with her animal friends, she helps peacock to celebrate the differences which make us all special. In this week’s story your child will have the chance: 

1. To improve their physical skills- As they wriggle as snakes, swing on the trees as monkeys, and open their peacock tails.

2. To use gestures or words to express their thoughts - Feeling ‘hot’ with Tatty Bumpkin in the Rainforest, caring for peacock with Tatty Bumpkin, feeling ‘confident’ with peacock when he realises he has a magnificent tail!

3. Come up with their own ideas and feel confident to talk about them - Wondering which creature could make that squawking noise? Deciding which shape to make as a snake?!

4. Become more aware of their breathing as they blow the peacock’s feathers. 

5. Learn to dance to a rhythm as they move to the Tatty Bumpkin Monkey, Snake or Frog songs. 

6. Most important of all - have fun with their friends as they: creep through the rainforest, swing with the monkeys and jump with the jumping Tree Frog! 

A peacock's feather is full of wonder!

Find out about your local Tatty Bumpkin class at http://www.tattybumpkin.com/classes/find-class.html. Or, ask your child’s nursery if they are doing Tatty Bumpkin Yoga activity sessions as part of their day. 

Love Tatty Bumpkin x

A New Start with Tatty Bumpkin?  

Or, maybe, you are thinking of a new career which gives you:

• The opportunity to work with kids
• A great sense of job satisfaction and
• Flexible working to fit around your own family

Find out how you could be trained to deliver Baby and Tatty Bumpkin classes in your area at http://www.tattybumpkin.com/business/index.html. Alternatively, contact  our Franchise Manager Zoe Patmore directly at zoepatmore@tattybumpkin.com. 

Stretching out whilst sharing ideas in a Tatty Bumpkin nursery session