Row Your Boat

What you need

• a bit of floor space, on a rug or carpet, away from furniture edges

How to do it

1. Sit on a rug facing each other, legs out, feet together, theirs touching yours.
2. Hold hands and sing "Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream", rocking forward and back to see what they do.
3. Lean back only a little, with a soft grip, ready to support their back if they tip.
4. Sing it again a little quicker, still gentle, then finish slowly.

Why it matters

The rowing is the song, so joining in means rocking along with you in time, and the back and forth is gentle enough to keep going for several rounds.

What they're learning

Moving to a song

Leaning back and forward in time with the words.

Moving together

Rocking as a pair means feeling when you lean and when they do.

Core strength

Sitting up and leaning forward and back works the tummy and back.

What to look for

Notice them rocking along with you as the song begins.

A tip

Let their own lean make the movement and keep your grip soft, so nobody is pulled by the arms. Stay on a rug or carpet, well away from furniture edges.

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