Month 1: Building a Habit

Serafina's Stretch Routine Journey

Embark on a playful and consistent stretching adventure with Serafina, designed to build habits and introduce gentle movements.

 

🌞 Morning Routine (Before Daycare) – 10 Minutes

Theme: “Wake Up and Get Ready to Move!”
➡️ Goal: Gently wake up her muscles and prep her body for the day.

1️⃣ 🐸 Frog Jumps (Warm-Up, Leg Mobility) – Jump like a frog 5 times!
2️⃣ 🦋 Butterfly Stretch (Hip & Inner Thigh Stretch) – Sit and flap wings while counting to 20.
3️⃣ 🚀 Toe Stretch & Foot Massage (Foot Flexibility) – Pretend her toes are rocket ships! Stretch them up and blast off!
4️⃣ 🏰 Standing Heel Drops (Calf Stretch & Balance) – “Let’s stand tall like a castle!” Hold onto a chair and drop heels down slowly.
5️⃣ 🎵 Dance Party (Full-Body Movement) – Pick a fun song and move around for 1–2 minutes!

🔹 Pro Tip: Use a timer with sounds (like animal noises) to make transitions fun!

🏡 After School Routine (Playful Movement) – 15 Minutes

Theme: “Let’s Go on an Adventure!”
➡️ Goal: Encourage active movement after sitting during daycare.

1️⃣ 🌊 Cat-Cow Stretch (Spinal Flexibility) – Pretend to be a stretching kitty and a mooing cow!
2️⃣ 🛳️ Towel Scrunch (Ankle Strengthening) – “Move the ocean waves!” Scrunch a towel with toes.
3️⃣ 🚜 Seated Towel Slides (Foot & Toe Mobility) – Pretend feet are bulldozers pushing the towel.
4️⃣ 🐒 Side-to-Side Trunk Twists (Core & Hip Mobility) – “Swing like a monkey” and twist from side to side!
5️⃣ 🏆 Balance Challenge (Standing on One Foot, 10 Seconds Each Side) – Can she balance like a flamingo?

🔹 Pro Tip: Turn this into a story—maybe she’s a jungle explorer, an astronaut, or a pirate on a ship!

🌙 Evening Routine (Before Bed) – 10 Minutes

Theme: “Time to Relax and Wind Down”
➡️ Goal: Stretch tight muscles, calm the body, and prepare for sleep.

1️⃣ 🧸 Hamstring Stretch (Leg Relaxation) – Sitting with legs out, reach for toes like grabbing a teddy bear!
2️⃣ 🐢 Slow Calf Stretch (Foot Drop Prevention) – Pretend to be a slow turtle stretching its legs.
3️⃣ 🌜 Gentle Trunk Twists (Core & Hip Relaxation) – “Let’s stretch like a sleepy star!”
4️⃣ 🛏️ Gentle Foot Massage (Toe Relaxation) – “Tickle the toes” while giving a relaxing foot rub.
5️⃣ 💤 Deep Breathing (Final Cool Down) – Take deep belly breaths together—blow out pretend birthday candles!

🔹 Pro Tip: Make this part of bedtime storytelling—each stretch is part of the nighttime journey (e.g., stretching like a cat before curling up to sleep).

🌟 Month 1: Getting Comfortable & Making It a Habit

➡️ Goal: Build consistency, introduce movements, and keep it playful.

Week 1-2: Start Simple & Fun

  • Keep stretches short (15-20 sec) and fun (songs, stories).
  • Focus on gentle holds & basic movements.
  • Introduce a reward system (stickers, high-fives, or a stretching “adventure” story).

Week 3-4: Slightly Longer Holds & More Reps

  • Increase hold times to 20-25 sec per stretch.
  • Repeat key stretches twice per session.
  • Add a new balance game (like standing on one foot for 5 seconds).

💪 Month 2: Strength & Control

➡️ Goal: Improve flexibility, add more active movements.

Week 5-6: Longer Holds & Foot Strengthening

  • Increase holds to 30 sec per stretch.
  • Add more reps to dynamic stretches (e.g., do 10 towel scrunches instead of 5).
  • Introduce tippy-toe walking for a few steps.

Week 7-8: Incorporate More Movement

  • Add gentle ankle resistance exercises (light push against the foot).
  • Increase standing balance time to 8-10 seconds.
  • Introduce a fun obstacle course (walking between pillows, stepping over toys).

    ⚡ Month 3: Active Strength & Balance

    ➡️ Goal: Add more coordination-based movements.

    Week 9-10: More Dynamic Play

    • Hold stretches while moving (e.g., swaying side to side in a butterfly stretch).
    • Start gentle toe raises while holding a chair.
    • Add playful step-ups on a small platform.

    Week 11-12: Small Challenges

    • Try walking heel-to-toe in a straight line (like a balance beam).
    • Introduce gentle bouncing in stretches (controlled movement).
    • Use visual cues (stickers, lines on the floor) to encourage foot placement.

    🤸 Month 4: Building Coordination & Strength

    ➡️ Goal: Improve stability, coordination, and endurance.

    Week 13-14: More Balance-Focused Play

    • Increase one-leg balancing to 15 seconds.
    • Encourage walking on uneven surfaces (pillows, grass).
    • Try a mini hop (if comfortable).

    Week 15-16: Full Routine with More Independence

    • Encourage Serafina to do some stretches herself (with guidance).
    • Hold stretches without support for short periods.
    • Try fun movement games (Simon Says, Yoga Poses).

    Next Steps & Adjustments

    This is a flexible plan—if something feels too hard, we slow down. If she enjoys certain activities, we build on them!

      the goal of the stretching plan should be to:

      • Improve ankle dorsiflexion (to help with foot drop).
      • Reduce muscle tightness and spasticity in the calf and hamstrings.
      • Promote better knee and hip movement to support balance and gait.
      • Encourage full range of motion in her joints.

      Here’s a basic daily stretching plan to start with:

      1. Calf Stretch (to help dorsiflexion)

      Goal: Loosen the calf and Achilles tendon to reduce toe walking.

      • Have Serafina sit with her legs straight and gently pull her toes toward her body using a towel or your hands.
      • Hold for 20–30 seconds, repeat 3 times.
      • Alternative: Do a standing calf stretch against a wall if she tolerates it.

      2. Hamstring Stretch

      Goal: Prevent knee locking and improve leg flexibility.

      • Sit her on the floor with legs extended. Encourage her to reach toward her toes (or help her gently stretch).
      • Hold for 20–30 seconds, repeat 2–3 times.

      3. Hip Flexor & Quad Stretch

      Goal: Keep the hips flexible and prevent overuse of the quads.

      • Have her lie on her belly and bend one knee. Gently bring her foot toward her bottom while keeping her hips flat.
      • Hold for 20 seconds, repeat 2–3 times per side.

      4. Ankle Mobilization (Active Stretching)

      Goal: Encourage proper foot placement and flexibility.

      • Sit her with legs extended and have her practice pointing and flexing her toes.
      • Repeat 10 times per foot.

      5. Toe Stretches & Foot Massage

      Goal: Help relax tight foot muscles and promote movement.

      • Gently stretch her toes backward and massage the arch of her foot.

      Additional Notes:

      • Try to make it fun (singing, counting, or using toys).
      • Morning and before bedtime are good times to stretch.
      • You can modify based on how she responds—gentle movements with no pain.

      6. Butterfly Stretch (Hip & Inner Thigh Stretch)

      Goal: Improve hip mobility and reduce stiffness in the inner thighs.

      • Have Serafina sit on the floor, bring the soles of her feet together, and let her knees gently fall to the sides.
      • You can encourage her by pretending she’s a butterfly flapping her wings!
      • Hold for 20–30 seconds, repeat 2–3 times.

      7. Seated Towel Slide (Ankle & Toe Mobility)

      Goal: Improve dorsiflexion (lifting the foot) and strengthen ankle control.

      • Place a small towel under her feet while she sits in a chair.
      • Have her try to pull the towel toward her using her toes (like a “scrunching” motion).
      • Repeat 10 times per foot.

      8. Gentle Side-to-Side Trunk Twists (Core & Hip Mobility)

      Goal: Improve trunk rotation, balance, and posture for better walking mechanics.

      • Sit Serafina on a chair or the floor with her legs straight.
      • Have her twist her upper body to touch one hand to the opposite knee (help if needed).
      • Hold for 5 seconds on each side, repeat 10 times.

      9. Standing Heel Drops (Calf Stretch & Balance Work)

      Goal: Stretch the Achilles tendon and encourage proper foot positioning.

      • Have her stand on the edge of a step (holding onto something for balance).
      • Slowly lower her heels down to stretch her calves.
      • Hold for 10 seconds, repeat 5 times.

      10. Cat-Cow Stretch (Spine & Core Flexibility)

      Goal: Loosen the spine, promote core strength, and encourage full-body movement.

      • Have her go on hands and knees.
      • Arch her back up (like a scared cat), then lower her belly down and lift her head (like a cow).
      • Hold each position for 3 seconds, repeat 8–10 times.

      How to Fit These Into Her Routine:

      • Mix and match exercises to keep it engaging.
      • Try incorporating play elements (like pretending to be different animals).
      • Continue monitoring how she responds—adjust the difficulty if needed.