Display Patient Information Leaflets

Date issued: November 2024 

For review: November 2026 

Ref: C-599/LB/Physiotherapy/Paediatric Pilates: Level 2

PDF: Paediatric Pilates: Level 2.pdf [pdf] 1MB

Walk the plank (Balance) 

Aims:

•  Increase lower limb muscle strength.

•  Improve balance.

Instructions: 

• Stand with your feet hip distance apart, shoulders back and down and chin gently tucked.

• Walk along a line, exercise band or small beam/bench.

Variations: 

• Using arms out to the side to help.

• Hands on head to make harder.

• Different foot positions, e.g. turning out toes to increase balance.

• Try walking backwards.

Dot to dot (Balance) 

Aims: 

• Increase balance around foot and ankle.

• Increase muscle power in legs.

Instructions: 

• Lay out some teddies/toys as markers.

• Stand with your feet hip distance apart, shoulders back and down and chin gently tucked. 

• Hop in line with the first marker and hold your balance.

• On the same leg, hop to the next marker and hold balance again.

• Repeat on other leg.

Variations: 

• Make it harder with increasing distance between markers.

• Try multi-direction hops, side to side, backwards etc.

• Challenge endurance with repetition and increased speed.

Soldier (Balance)

Aims: 

• Improve posture.

• Body awareness.

Instructions: 

• Stand with your feet hip distance apart, shoulders back and down and chin gently tucked. 

• Place a cushion/block on your head.

• Walk around room without dropping cushion/block.

Tips: 

• Keep tall like a soldier.

Variations: 

• Challenge core control by increasing walking speed or competing against others.

• Challenge lower limb endurance by moving in a squat position.

Balanced throw and catch (Coordination) 

Aims: 

• Improve single leg balance.

• Increase muscle strength in legs and bottom.

Instructions: 

• Stand with your feet hip distance apart, shoulders back and down and chin gently tucked.

• Balance on one leg.

• Throw and catch the ball against a wall or with a partner.

• Challenge on number of repetitions.

• Repeat on other leg.

Variations: 

• Challenge endurance by trying to do more repetitions.

• Challenge coordination by using a smaller ball.

• Use one hand only to challenge hand-eye coordination.

• Make it harder by trying a heavier ball.

Beans (Coordination) 

Aims: 

• Enjoy movement.

• Increase core, arm and leg strength.

• Increase heart rate.

• Improve listening skills, respond to verbal commands correctly.

Instructions: 

• Stand with your feet hip distance apart, shoulders back and down and chin gently tucked.

• Ask someone to call out one of the following instructions and try to respond/move into each position as quickly as possible.

1. Jumping bean (jumping on spot).

2. Frozen bean (hold a pose).

3. Sun beams (lie on your back, legs and shoulders stretched out from your body).

4. Baked bean (hug knees into body).

5. Runner bean (running on spot).

Variations:

• Increasing speed of calls to challenge reaction times.

• Decrease speed between each challenge to increase endurance.

Around the sun (Coordination) 

Aims:

• Increase standing balance.

• Improve shoulder, hip and spine flexibility.

• Increase spatial awareness.

Instructions: 

• Stand with your feet hip distance apart, shoulders back and down and chin gently tucked.

• Hold a small ball in one hand.

• Pass the ball clockwise around your waist.

• Pass the ball in the opposite direction.

• Stand on one leg whilst passing ball under the opposite leg.

• Swap legs.

Variations: 

• Create sequences of figures of 8, repetitions and alternating direction.

• Increase balance challenge by passing ball around waist in single leg stand.

• Try with your eyes closed.

Stars and Hearts (Strength) 

Aims: 

• Improve muscle strength.

• Increase endurance of tummy muscles.

Instructions: 

• Sit with your legs out straight, hands behind your back to support you, shoulders back and down and sitting tall.

• Lift one leg keeping knees straight, pulling toes towards you, trying to keep up tall.

• Draw heart with heel.

• Draw star with heel.

• Repeat on other leg.

Variations: 

• Trial different shapes.

• Try and do more repetitions to challenge endurance.

Racing cars (Strength) 

Aims: 

• Increase core muscle strength activation.

• Encourage creative play in movement.

Instructions: 

• Sitting with your knees and feet hip distance apart, knees flexed and feet flat on floor.

• Use the circle as a steering wheel.

1. Sit tall “driving up a hill”.

2. Slump “driving down a hill”.

3. Side bend left “turning a corner left”.

4. Side bend right “turning a corner right”.

Variations: 

• Add your own twists and turns in road.

• Combine directions e.g. downhill and corner left/right.

Aeroplanes (Strength)

Aims: 

• Increase muscle strength and activity at bottom, back and shoulders.

• Improve mobility of spine.

• Improve standing posture.

Instructions: 

• Lying on tummy to start.

• Point through feet and toes, then lift your legs up, away from floor.

• Pause in this position and slowly lower back down.

• Try to stretch long through your head and neck as you lift your shoulders and arms away from floor reaching through fingertips.

• Pause in this position and slowly lower back down.

• Try to combine movement of legs and upper body at the same time.

• Repeat.

Variations:

• Challenge endurance by adding holds in each position. 

Pass the ball (Strength) 

Aims: 

• Improve dynamic balance.

• Stretch leg muscles.

• Practice hand-eye coordination.

Instructions: 

• Start down on one knee, with your shoulders back and down.

• Use a small ball to throw and catch against a wall or with a partner, trying to keep your balance.

• Repeat on other leg.

Variations: 

• Challenge shoulder strength with a heavier ball.

• Challenge coordination with one hand throw/catch only.

• Challenge balance by using cushion under front foot or back knee to create unstable surface.

‘V’ Sit challenge (Stability) 

Aims:

• Strengthen tummy muscles.

• Improve balance.

• Improve posture in more challenging positions.

Instructions: 

• Sitting with your knees and feet hip distance apart, knees bent and feet on floor, ball in hand.

• Sit tall through back and chest, slowly lift feet away from floor.

• Balance here for 5 seconds.

Tips: 

• “Imagine a piece of string lengthening you to the ceiling from the crown of your head/ponytail”.

• “Make sure you stay sitting on the boney bits of your bottom”.

Variations: 

• Challenge core stability by adding throw and catch against wall or with partner.

• Family challenge, all try this move whilst passing ball around to each other.

• Challenge tummy muscle strength by tapping ball lightly on floor to left and right.

• If it’s too hard, make it a little easier by keeping feet on floor.

• Make it harder! Try straightening legs out keeping back and chest tall.

High fives (Stability) 

Aims: 

• Improve core strength.

• Improve balance and spatial awareness.

Instructions: 

• Lie on your back with your legs bent, and if you have one, place soft ball/cushion under your bottom, keep shoulders back and down, chin gently tucked.

• Keeping your legs bent, lift one leg into the air, followed by the other leg.

• Try to keep your balance whilst lifting one arm to high five.

• Repeat on other side.

Variations: 

• Challenge balance by closing eyes.

• Challenge core stability by lifting both arms and both legs to give “ten”.