A comfortable chair, bed, mat or floor space. No special materials are needed.
What to Say
“Let us notice one part of the body at a time.”
“Can your hands squeeze just a little – and then become soft?”
“Let your shoulders rest down.”
“Nothing has to feel completely relaxed. We are only noticing.”
What to Do
STEP 1 Choose a comfortable sitting or lying position.
STEP 2 Gently squeeze the hands for one or two seconds, then release.
STEP 3 Lift the shoulders slightly, then let them rest.
STEP 4 Press the feet gently into the floor or bed, then release.
STEP 5 Finish by noticing one part of the body that feels comfortable.
JOIN YOUR CHILD Follow the same gentle sequence. Keep your movements small so the child does not feel expected to use strong tension.
One-Minute Version
Gently squeeze and release the hands, then let the shoulders rest down.
If Your Child Does Not Want to Participate
Offer simple body noticing without squeezing, let the child choose one body part or stop. Some children may prefer movement rather than stillness.
Make It Your Own
Practise fully seated or lying down.
Use a soft-to-hard comparison with playdough before trying it in the body.
Skip any painful, injured or uncomfortable area.
At bedtime, say goodnight to hands, shoulders and feet instead of using tension.
Your child may release their hands, lower their shoulders, notice warmth or heaviness, or become more aware of discomfort. Responses can vary each time.
Use only mild, brief muscle effort. Never encourage strong clenching, pain or holding tension. Stop if cramping, discomfort or distress occurs. This is a wellbeing activity, not physical therapy.
My Body Is Relaxing, LITTLE MINDS, BIG FOCUS Teacher Training Materials and Activity Collection.
