Cruising Down the River

Time

4 3 2 1 Mid Stages

Benefits

Participants

Group Activity

What you need

Your singing voices
‘Row, Row, Row your Boat’ lyrics (see "the activity" for the words to this)

Intro

Let’s go on a little journey down the river, singing ‘Row, Row, Row your Boat’ and doing a variety of arm and leg movements to go with it. This activity is great for people who can’t get outside easily but would benefit from stretching their limbs and loosening up their muscles.

A little physical activity is a great way to work up an appetite before lunch or dinner. Enjoy this activity as a 1-on-1 or in a group

Top tip

Encourage people to listen to their bodies and only do what is comfortable

The Activity

Sit opposite the person in a 1-on-1 or in a circle with a group
Explain that you’re going to do some gentle exercise to the song ‘Row, Row, Row your Boat’
"Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream, merrily merrily merrily merrily, life is but a dream"
Encourage everyone to follow your exercise moves
Get the person or group to sing the tune a few times before doing the moves
Sing the song twice more, while introducing rowing movements
Stop rowing and singing and tell everyone they’re going to imagine swinging their legs over the side of the boat and dipping their toes in the water
Now encourage everyone to lift up their feet and gently move each leg up and down
Tell everyone to imagine getting back into the boat and start rowing and singing the tune again twice
Stop and say they’re now going to pick some flowers from the riverbank
Encourage people to bend over and reach to the floor with their right hand to pick up a flower, then sit back up and repeat with their left hand – do this twice
Imagine hopping back into the boat and row again for 2 repeats of the tune
Stop and wave to your friends on the riverbank, telling each person to wave at the person opposite them – first with their right hand and then with their left
Jump back into the imaginary boat and row, landing at the jetty to get out and set up a picnic
Imagine you’re laying down a blanket, so ask people to throw their arms up and down a few times to get the blanket just right
Now imagine a glass in your hand and chink it with the person sitting next to you on either side
Hop back into the boat and row again, twice more, and tell everyone it’s time to go home