1. Warm-ups and stretches
  2. Gymnastics

Gymnastics Calm-Down Stretches, Ages 4 to 6

A 3-minute calm-down for gymnastics at ages 4 to 6 after play: slow breathing and animal stretches, each held for a slow count of 5.

By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026

Ages
4 to 6
Time
3 min
When
After training
Hold
slow count of 5

After training

  1. 01Walk slowly around
  2. 02Tall tree
  3. 03Butterfly
  4. 04Sleepy cat
  5. 05Snuggle
  6. 06Tell your grown-up
Gentle holds of a slow count of 5, no bouncing, never to pain.

The steps

How it goes

  1. Walk slowly around the space, breathing out like blowing out birthday candles.
  2. Tall tree: reach both arms up high, then fold forward slowly and let your arms hang like a rag doll. Count to 5 in each.
  3. Butterfly: sit with the bottoms of your feet together and flap your knees gently. Count to 5.
  4. Sleepy cat: on hands and knees, round your back up high, then let your tummy drop slowly, 3 times.
  5. Snuggle: lie on your back, hug your knees and rock gently side to side for a count of 5.
  6. Tell your grown-up your favorite part of today.

Coaching points

  • Slow and gentle: it should feel nice.
  • Big slow breaths, like blowing out candles.
  • Praise the trying, then ask about their favorite part.

Safety: Gentle: only as far as feels nice. Never push a child’s body further into a stretch.

Make it fun

Play it, don't drill it

Game version

Stretch and guess: hold a stretch shape and let your grown-up guess the animal, then swap.

Story

Bedtime at the zoo: each stretch puts one animal to sleep, ending with the sleepy cat.

Practice makes progress

Finish every session this way

In SSTracker every planned session starts with the warm-up for the child's age and ends with the cool-down, so the habit is built in.

Free for families and teams

Save the week with this routine built in, free

Sign up and the free gymnastics week opens in your child's planner, kept to healthy limits for the age, with progress your child sees against their own start. Coaches can send the same drills to the whole team as homework.

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