Play acrobatics

There are three main acrobatics games you will learn in Standard IV:

• Crab walk
• Hand walk
• Tower building

Crab walk means walking on your hands and feet like a crab moves.

Steps to follow:

1. Warm up — Run slowly for 2 to 3 minutes and stretch your body.
2. Get ready — Lie on your back with your legs folded and your arms on the ground in front of your head.
3. Push up — Lift your body upward using your legs and arms. Your body should face upward.
4. Keep position — Keep your head looking backward. This helps you not to fall.
5. Move carefully — Keep your feet close together to stay balanced.
6. Walk — Without changing your position, walk forward, then backward, then to the left, then to the right.

Tip: Practice with a friend nearby to help you if you lose balance.

Hand walk means walking with your hands the same way you walk with your feet. You must keep your body balanced to avoid falling.

Steps to follow:

1. Warm up — Run slowly for 2 to 3 minutes while stretching your body.
2. Get support — Stand on your hands. You can use a partner or a wall to help you at first.
3. Balance — Keep your body in good balance to avoid falling. Look ahead, not down.
4. Start walking — Walk with your hands forward, backward, left, and right.
5. Practice — Try to walk without support as you improve.

Safety tip: Always practice on a soft surface like a mat or carpet.

Tower building means working together with your friends to create different shapes using your bodies.

Types of tower shapes:

• Get up or get lifted with hands — One player lifts another using their hands.
• Carry each other by hands — Players hold each other and carry a friend.
• Wooden stretcher carry — Two players hold a stick or their hands to make a stretcher, and a third player sits or lies on it.
• Stand on thighs and shoulders — One player stands on the thighs or shoulders of another player.

Steps to follow:

1. Work in a team — Get into a group of 3 to 4 players.
2. Plan your shape — Decide which shape you want to create.
3. Help each other — Stronger players should support weaker ones.
4. Practice safely — Always have someone spot the player on top to prevent falls.

To perform acrobatics well, remember these important points:

• Practice regularly — The more you practice, the better you become.
• Warm up first — Always run slowly and stretch before doing any acrobatics.
• Keep your balance — Look ahead and keep your body steady.
• Work with teammates — In tower building, help each other and communicate.
• Stay safe — Use mats or soft surfaces. Have a friend nearby to help.
• Start easy — Begin with simple moves, then try harder ones as you improve.

Try this with your friends:

1. Have a crab walk race across the classroom or playground.
2. Practice hand walking with a partner standing nearby to catch you if needed.
3. In groups of three, build a tower shape and hold it for 10 seconds.

Remember: Acrobatics are well performed when you can do the moves smoothly, keep your balance, and work well with your team.

Acrobatics helps you develop strength, balance, and teamwork skills that are useful in everyday life. For example, if you are playing with friends at a school sports day or a community event in your village, you can use these skills to perform entertaining acts. Strong balance also helps you in activities like climbing trees to pick fruits, carrying water buckets on your head, or riding a bicycle on rough roads.