Healthy Children

1. Healthy Children Fitness Fun for Everyone

2. Parents, please read : Notice: The following exercises are designed for healthy children. If your child has a disorder or disability which limits activity and movement, please check with your chiropractor or other healthcare expert to make sure this program is appropriate for your child’s specific needs. Your doctor may also help you adapt this program for your child’s use. If any exercise causes sharp or shooting pain your child should stop the activity and let an adult know that they have a problem with the exercise.

3. About: Straighten Up New Zealand is a 3-minutespinal health program designed to help children feel and look their best. The program is divided into three quick sessions: • the Star (warm up stretches), • the Flying Friends (posture pod), • the Core Balance (strength and balance). Through the help of two friends, Aroha and Dan, children can learn these daily exercises for promoting their spinal health, improving their posture and preventing spinal subluxations and disability.

4. Hi Boys and Girls ! We’re Arohaand Dan, and we’re excited to help you learn how to take care of your spine. We will show you some exercises you can do everyday, called StraightenUp Aroha Dan Always remember to stop if any exercise hurts.

5. First, Dan will teach you how to stand like an INNER WINNER: • Stand straight and tall with your head held high. • Put your ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles in a straight line like Dan. • Pull your belly button toward your spine.

6. ….and Aroha has an exercise you can do between the others, called TRAP OPENERS: • Breathe deeply and relax your tummy. • Let your head hang loosely forward and gently roll it from one side to the other. • Using your fingers, gently rub the back of your neck • Relax your shoulders and gently roll them backward. • Do all 3 together for a count of 15 !

7. Now let’s start part 1The Stars….and remember… HAVE FUN !!!!

8. SLOWLY tilt your Star to the other side. Relax at the end of the stretch and DON’T FORGET TO BREATHE IN AND OUT!! Repeat both sides 2 times ! Stand like an Inner Winner, like Dan ! Spread your arms and legs into a Star, like Aroha. Breathe air in as you slowly stretch one arm over your head like Dan…. 1. The Stars Tilting Star ….and slide your other arm down your leg.

9. Twirling Star • Stand like Aroha again! • While you are in the star position, turn your head to look at one hand. • Slowly twist your entire spine like Dan to watch your hand as it goes behind you. • Now twist the other way • Relax at the end of each stretch, and DON’T FORGET TO BREATHE IN AND OUT! • Repeat both sides 2 times.

10. Now switch to the other arm and leg Repeat this 15 times. Stand like Dan! Raise your arms in “hands up” position like Aroha Bring one of your elbows across your body while you raise the opposite knee towards it Twisting Star

11. TRAP OPENERS Now let’s do 15 seconds of trap openers like Aroha showed you at the start. • Let your head hang loosely forward and gently roll it from one side to the other. • Using your fingers, gently rub the area just below the back of your head on your neck • Relax your shoulders and gently roll them backward.

12. Aroha and Dan think you’re AWESOME !! Now for part 2, The Flying Friends

13. The Eagle • Stand like Dan! • Put your arms straight out and pull your shoulders together in the back. • Breathe air in and slowly raise your arms until your hands touch together over your head. • Breathe air out and slowly • lower your arms to your side. • Repeat 3 to 5 times. 2. The Flying Friends

14. The Hummingbird • Stand like Dan • Put your arms out to the side • Bend your elbows • Pull your shoulder blades together • Bend at your waist from side to side while you keep the circles going. • Keep it going while you count to 10! • Make small backward circles with your arms

15. The Butterfly • Stand like Dan! • Put your arms behind your head and gently pull your elbows backward, like Aroha. • Slowly and gently press your head against your hands while you count to 2, like Dan. • Relax and breathe. • Repeat this 3 times.

16. TRAP OPENERS Let’s do 15 seconds of trap openers again!! • Let your head hang loosely forward and gently roll it from one side to the other. • Using your fingers, gently rub the area just below the back of your head on your neck • Relax your shoulders and gently roll them backward.

17. Are you having fun like Aroha?!! Get ready for part 3, Core balance

18. Tight Rope • Stand like Dan! 3. Core Balance • Pretend the floor in front of you is a tight rope high in the air. • Take a step forward on the tight rope. • Keep your front knee over your ankle (not over your toes). • Keep it going while you count to 20 ! • Repeat with the other foot forward.

19. Stand like Dan with your feet wider than your shoulders. • Gently circle your body from side to side. • Let your arms flap back and forth and shift your weight from knee to knee. • Keep it going while you count to 15! Washing Machine

20. Stand like Dan • Now lean to one side like Aroha until your elbow can rest on your knee. • Breathe in air and slowly raise your other arm above your head so your body makes a triangle • Feel it stretch down your side!! • Count to 10 and then do the other side! The Triangle

21. The Shakes Count to 15 while you shake your hands & feet.

22. It's been fun and we are done! Check out www.straightenup.org.nzfor more about Straighten Up.