Skip to content

Strengthening exercises for children

Published: 09/12/2024
Last edited: 09/12/2024
Code: 01045

A guide about strengthening exercises for children

These activities should be easy. The goals are…

• perfect position
• no wobbling
• hold the position for at least 30 seconds.

Bridging

Basic position:

• Lie on your back, with your knees bent and arms crossed, behind your head, in front of you or in the air.
• Lift your bottom up as high as possible and hold the position for as long as possible.

Advanced position:

Once the basic position is easy, try doing it with one leg straight out in front.

Hold ________  Repeat ________

Superman

• Evenly distribute your weight on your hands and knees.
• Gradually lift your leg.
• If you are able to do this 15 times without wobbling, while holding for 30 seconds on each side, then lift your leg and opposite arm together.

Hold ________  Repeat ________

Clam-gluteal strengthening

• Lie on your side, with your hips and shoulders straight. No twisting.
• Bend your knees at about 90 degrees and keep your feet in line with your bottom.
• Keep your ankles together and raise and lower your knee.
• Do not let your hips roll back.
• Move in a slow and controlled manner.

Hold ________  Repeat ________

Frog jumping

• Bend your knees and squat all the way to the floor (like a frog).
• Jump as high as you can from the frog position.

Hold ________  Repeat ________

Single knee squat

• Take one foot off the floor.
• Bend one knee and leg to seated position.
• Try to keep your knee over your second toe and your hip stable.
• Move in a slow and controlled manner back to standing again.

Hold ________  Repeat ________

Wall squat

• Stand with your bottom, shoulders and head touching the wall.
• Point your feet straight ahead and a little out from the wall.
• Gently squeeze a ball between your knees.
• Slide down the wall to a seated position (never lower than this).
• Hold for five seconds.
• Gently slide back up to the starting position.

Hold ________  Repeat ________

Double heel raise

• Stand facing the wall.
• Put your hands flat against the wall to steady yourself.
• Go onto tip-toes, keeping your legs straight (it is important to go all the way up).
• Gently lower yourself back down.

Hold ________  Repeat ________

Single heel raise

• Stand facing the wall.
• Put your hands flat against the wall to steady yourself.
• Take one foot off the floor (and keep it off the floor).
• Go onto tip-toes, keeping your leg straight (it is important to go all the way up).
• Gently lower yourself back down.

Hold ________  Repeat ________

Peroneals

• Put the exercise band around your foot.
• Turn your foot outwards with the toes pointing up slightly (as if you were looking at the sole of your foot).

Hold ________  Repeat ________

Penguin walking

• Turn your feet outward, so your heels are touching.
• Walk with your feet in this position. Start indoors and slowly build it up.

Toe tapping

• Cross your legs while sitting on a chair.
• Tap the foot which is hanging up and down to some music.

Hold ________  Repeat ________

Balance

• Stand on one leg.

Hold ________  Repeat ________

Advanced position:

Once the basic position is easy try:

• closing your eyes and holding the pose for 30 seconds
• going up onto tip-toes without holding on and hold the pose for 30 seconds
• picking things up from the floor while on one foot.

Contact us

0300 123 6756

Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm.

For referrals please complete our Podiatry self referral form, or download our paper-based Podiatry self-referral form and email to kentchft.podiatryreferrals@nhs.net.

Should you wish to cancel your appointment please phone 0300 123 6756 or email kentchft.podiatrycancellations@nhs.net.

#service-comments { content-visibility: hidden; } .pf-primary-img.flex-width.pf-size-medium.blockImage { content-visibility: hidden; } .pf-primary-img.flex-width.pf-size-full.blockImage { content-visibility: hidden; } .page-back-link { content-visibility: hidden; } .download-header { content-visibility: hidden; } .leaflet-header { content-visibility: hidden; } #reciteme-launch { content-visibility: hidden; }