Showcase Your Contortion Moves!
Learn and practice simple, safe contortion moves with stretches, balance exercises, and a short performance routine to showcase flexibility and confidence, with adult supervision.
Step-by-step guide to Showcase Your Contortion Moves!
The Contortionist Science for kids | BENDY Body Parts | Experiments for kids | Operation Ouch
Step 1
Put on comfy stretchable clothes.
Step 2
Clear a safe space by moving toys and furniture away.
Step 3
Lay a soft mat or towel on the floor.
Step 4
Ask an adult to stay close for supervision.
Step 5
Warm up by marching or lightly jogging in place for 60 seconds.
Step 6
Gently roll your neck and shoulders for 30 seconds.
Step 7
On hands and knees perform 5 cat-cow cycles moving with your breath.
Step 8
Lie on your tummy and lift into Sphinx pose holding for 20 seconds.
Step 9
Sit and do a butterfly stretch holding your feet together for 30 seconds.
Step 10
Practice a gentle supported backbend by placing your hands on a low chair or couch edge and leaning back for 10 seconds while the adult spots you.
Step 11
Stand on your right foot and hold for 15 seconds to practice balance.
Step 12
Stand on your left foot and hold for 15 seconds to practice balance.
Step 13
Pick three moves you learned to make a short 30-second routine.
Step 14
Practice your short 30-second routine twice with a rest in between.
Step 15
Share your finished creation on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we don't have a soft mat or a low chair for the supported backbend?
If you don't have a soft mat use folded blankets or a towel on carpet, and for the supported backbend use a sturdy ottoman, bench, or the couch edge while keeping the adult spotting you.
I'm wobbling or my neck hurts during poses—what should I do to avoid injury or frustration?
If you wobble during the 15-second single-foot balances or feel neck strain in Sphinx pose, practice next to a wall for support, place a folded towel under your chest or knees, shorten the hold times, and keep the adult close during the supported backbend on the low chair or couch edge.
How can I change the activity for different ages or ability levels?
For younger children shorten the warm-up to 30 seconds, do 3 cat-cow cycles, hold the butterfly 15 seconds and pick two moves for a 15-second routine, while older or more flexible kids can increase warm-up to 90 seconds, add extra backbend time and add repetitions before making a 30- or 60-second routine.
How can we make the routine more fun or show it off when we share it on DIY.org?
To enhance the activity, add a themed playlist and costume, use scarves or a small pillow as props for Sphinx and the supported backbend, film your two 30-second practice runs, and edit the best clips to share your finished creation on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to Showcase Your Contortion Moves!
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Facts about flexibility and safe stretching for kids
⏱️ Short, consistent practice sessions are usually more effective and safer than occasional long sessions when building flexible strength.
🎪 Contortion has been a popular circus and performance art for centuries, dazzling audiences around the world.
🩺 Safety tip: adult supervision, proper warm-ups, and gradual progress are the best ways to avoid injuries while learning contortion moves.
🤸♀️ Contortionists train joints and muscles to achieve extreme flexibility — some perform backbends that most people can’t imagine.
🧘♂️ Simple daily stretches and balance exercises (10–15 minutes) can noticeably improve a kid’s flexibility over a few weeks.
How do I teach my child simple, safe contortion moves and create a short performance routine?
What materials and equipment do I need for a kid-friendly contortion practice?
What ages is contortion practice suitable for?
What safety tips should I follow when kids practice contortion moves?
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