Game version
Story stretch: a grown-up tells a story and you become each animal, then you tell one back.
Animal Stretch Story
A grown-up tells a story and you become the animals: stretching cat, cobra, butterfly, frog. Gentle and fun.
By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026
Set up
Cat: round and flatten your back on hands and knees.
Core: Full. Gentle only.
- Ages
- 5 to 10
- Time
- 8 min
- Players
- Just you
- Space
- Small room
- Bring
- Mat or rug
- Level · skill
- Beginner · Flexibility
The steps
How it works
- Cat: round and flatten your back on hands and knees.
- Cobra: lie on your tummy and gently lift your chest.
- Butterfly: sit with soles together and flap your knees gently.
- Hold each pose for 5 slow breaths.
Coaching point
Slow and gentle.
Safety: Move into a gentle stretch, never pain. Never bounce, and never let anyone push you deeper.
Make it fun
Play it, don't drill it
Challenge
Pick a level: Less (shorter), Core (full), More (add a new animal). Gentle only.
Story
You are the animals in a sleepy zoo.
My best
Beat your own count
Gentle only. Only your own number counts: today against last time.
Practice makes progress
Print it now, or save it free
Free for families and teams
Save this drill to your child or team, free
Sign up and the free gymnastics week for this age opens in your child's planner, kept to healthy limits. A coach can send this drill to the whole team as homework, and parents see every session logged.
14 days free for a family, no card · Running a team is always free
Does your child's coach know about this?
An email from you to the coach, with the words ready. Nothing is tracked and nobody is rewarded.