Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes

Requirements

• Small indoor or outdoor space free of obstacles

Instructions

1. Teach your child the song “Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes”.
2. Show your child the movements that go with each of the words.
3. Touch each body part named in the song with the fingertips of both hands.
4. Make sure your child bends their knees deeply when they go down to touch their knees and toes.

Variations

• After your child has learned the song and the movements, try remaining silent for one body part each time you sing the verse – for example, “Head and [silence], knees and toes”
• Try singing the song and doing the movements at fast speeds and slow speeds
• Words:

Head and shoulders, knees and toes Knees and toes, knees and toes Head and shoulders, knees and toes Eyes, ears, mouth and nose

Benefits

This activity develops coordination of legs, arms and torso, plus dynamic balance. These skills transfer to sports and activities that involve dynamic balance and coordination for lifting and lowering objects (e.g., weightlifting as a sport, and all daily lifting activities in general, plus combative sports such as wrestling and judo).