Full text of Good Posture in the Little Child, Bureau Publication No. 219

View original document

The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.

GOOD POSTURE

MineLime gmb

P u b lic a tio n N o . 219

U nited States Department o f Labor
Children’s Bureau
1933

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

U N IT E D ST A T E S D E P A R T M E N T O F L A B O R
F rances P erkins , Secretary
CH ILD R EN ’S BUREAU

G r a c e A b b o t t , C hief

GOOD POSTURE
IN THE LITTLE CHILD

Bureau Publication No. 219

U N ITED STATES
GOVERNM ENT PR IN TIN G OFFICE
W ASHINGTON : 1933

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D.C.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Price S cents

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

CONTENTS

Good posture and health..........................................................................................................

How habits of good posture develop.............................................................................

From babyhood into childhood......................................................

Learning the habit of good posture........................................................................

How parents can help children to develop good posture.....................................

Care of the general health.................................................. ..............................
Clothes and shoes.......................................................................... . ..................

o
IO

Bed and bedclothes............................................................................................

Chairs and tables................................................................................................

Toys and play apparatus...................................................................................

Games that help to develop habits of good posture..................................... . .............

Games played lying down........................................................................................

Paper dolls pasted on the floor.........................................................................

The book.............................................................................................................

The rubber m an.................................................................................................

The bicycle m an.................................................................................................

R oly-poly............................................................................................................

Games played standing in good posture...................... , ........................................

Paper dolls pasted on the w all..........................................................................

Trees........... ........................................................................................................

Giants..................................................................................................................

Fairy wishes........................................................................................................

Bean-bag ta g ..............

Balloons...............................................................................................................

The very straight m an.......................................................................................

The jumping ja c k ..............................................................................................

Games that help to keep theshoulders flat.............................................................

T he windmill..................................................................

The duck.............................................................................................................

T he seal...................................................

T he crab..............................................................................................................

Games to strengthen the abdominal muscles........................................................

T he bicycle m an.........................................................................................

The rabbit....................................................................................

T he m u le...................................................................................

The scissors...........................

Games to strengthen the leg and trunk muscles...................................................

See-saw ...........................................

The elephant.................................................................................

T he crane.............................

Games to strengthen the muscles that support the feet........................................
T he tight-rope w a lk e r .........................................

24
24

Walking the ridgepole.........................................

Sand pile..................................................................
Picking up marbles......................................

24
25

Marble r a c e .......................................................................................................

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Good Posture in the Little Child
GOOD POSTURE AND HEALTH
T h e CH ILD who is well nourished and rosy cheeked, who
is alert and vigorous in play, is likely to be the child who
holds his body well poised or balanced.
The child who is thin, pale, listless, and “ always tired” is
likely to be the child who stands in a slouchy, drooping position
such as is commonly called the “ fatigue posture.”
This does not mean that every child with good
posture will be healthy, nor that every child who
has an illness will have bad posture. But it does
mean that there usually is a close relation be
tween the child’s health and the way he holds
his body.
Good posture is much more than merely
“ standing straight” ; it is the use of all parts of
the body with proper balance, with ease and
grace. This proper use of the body is called good
body mechanics. The body is in some ways like
a machine; its parts are accurately adjusted to
one another, and if any part is out of correct
position the machine does not work perfectly.
For example, if the feet are not in good position, the balance of
the whole body may be changed.
When the body is out of balance, some part is likely to be
pushed or pulled out of its normal place or to work under a
strain. When the body is in correct balance, all its parts, in
cluding the internal organs, are held in good position.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

PO STU R E

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

F ig. i . G O O D P O S T U R E
Does your child stand like any o f the children in figure i ?
all are in good posture, but they do not all stand alike.
types o f body build.

These children

T h ey have various

Each one looks healthy, alert, and full o f energy.

F ig. 2. P O O R P O S T U R E
Does your child stand like any o f the slouchy, tired-looking children in
figure

These children all have poor posture.

weary look.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Note their drooping,

GOOD

PO STU R E

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

In order to realize more clearly the differences between good
and poor posture, look at the diagrams below. (Each of these
represents a child about 5 years old.) It must be remembered
that few children, especially younger ones, hold their bodies
exactly like the diagrams; some children, especially little ones,
have more prominent abdomens; some have slightly more
curve in their backs.

This child stands at his full height,
with his weight on the balls o f his
feet.

This child stands in a slumped
position, with his weight on his
ankles and heels.

H e holds his head high, with his
chin in.

H e holds his head forward, with
his chin out.

His chest is high, and his shoulder
blades do not stick out in the back.

His chest is flattened and sunken
and his shoulder blades stick out in
the back.

His abdomen is drawn in.
T h e curves o f his back are slight.

His knees are straight.

His abdom en is relaxed and sags.
T h e curves o f his back are too
great.
His knees are slightly bent.

T h e position o f the feet cannot be shown in the side view given in these
diagrams. For discussion o f feet, see p. 7 .

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

PO STU R E

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

HOW HABITS OF GOOD POSTURE DEVELOP
Parents must not expect the very little child to have the same
type of posture as his older brother or sister. As the little child
grows up his posture tends to change. For example, a little child
who has just learned to walk is at an age when his abdomen is
more prominent than it will be after he grows older. By the
time he is 5 or 6 years old the muscles of the abdomen should be
strong enough to keep it nearly flat.
The habit of holding the body in balance— in good posture—
is learned gradually as the child learns to control his body.
First, as a baby, he learns to sit up, then to creep, then to take
a few steps, and finally to walk. Throughout these stages he is
learning slowly how to hold his body in balance. All through
childhood he continues to learn this lesson. How well he learns
it depends largely on the strength of the muscles that hold the
body erect, and these muscles should be gradually growing
stronger as he grows older and as he uses them more and more
actively.
FROM

B A B Y H O O D IN T O C H IL D H O O D

The little baby gets his exercise by kicking, crying, waving
his arms about, and squirming. He needs all this exercise, and
he should be allowed to take it. Do not restrain him by dress
ing him in tight clothes, nor by wrapping him so that he can
not move freely and turn over when he becomes able to do so.
Change his position in the bed from time to time so that his
body will not be cramped and so that it will develop evenly.
Let the little baby lie on his stomach part of each day.
The baby gets some exercise when his mother holds him in
various positions, as she feeds him, dresses and undresses him,
bathes him, and plays with him. Twice a day, before bathing
the baby in the morning and after undressing him for the night,
let him kick and play on a firm, flat bed in a warm room. Ten
to twenty minutes of such exercise morning and evening gives
the baby added opportunity to develop his muscles.
By the time he is 5 or 6 months old the average baby is able
to roll himself over and may try to sit up. He tries to sit up by

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

PO STU R E

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

raising his head, by arching his back, by tightening his abdom
inal muscles, by pulling on the sides of the crib, by pushing with
his arms and legs. When his abdominal and other trunk muscles
are strong, he will be able to sit up easily and maintain a sitting
position well.
Let him be free to try as much as he likes, but do not try to
make him sit up until he shows by his own efforts that he is
ready for it.
Watch him when he has no clothes on and you will see his
abdominal muscles tighten each time he tries to sit up.
When a baby first sits up he should have his back well sup
ported from the shoulders to the hips. I f a strap is used to hold
a baby safely in a chair or baby carriage, be sure that he has
the proper support at his back, so that he will not have to de
pend upon the strap alone for support. He should not be left
to sway unsteadily or to sit hanging over the strap.
When the baby is 7 or 8 months old
he usually can sit up well by himself,
and the muscles of his abdomen, back,
arms, and legs should be strong enough
to let him creep on hands and knees or
on all fours. Creeping strengthens
muscles that will later help him to walk
and stand in good position. By the time the baby can sit up
well, he should be put into a play pen two or three times each
day, so that he can get up on his hands and knees or hands and
feet.
After a while the child learns to pull himself to his feet, and
to stand up, holding on to the side of the play pen or the crib.
Then he learns gradually to balance himself on his feet without
holding on to anything. A t last he takes a few steps. It is not
wise for parents to urge the baby to walk until he is ready to
try it himself. Too early walking may keep the natural bowing
of his legs from straightening out or may actually make him
bowlegged if his bones are not strong enough to bear his weight.
When the child finally learns to stand and walk, his muscles,
though stronger than they were when he was a baby, have
not yet learned to work well together. This makes his walk170528°— 33----- 2

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

PO STU R E

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

ing unsteady, and he holds his feet far apart
to help him to keep his balance. The unsteady
gait should not last very long. With practice
the average child quickly gains the ability to
control his muscles and thus balance himself.
A child who has rickets may be late in begin
ning to learn to walk, and when learning may
walk unsteadily for several months. The aver
age child gradually becomes more and more
expert in walking and balancing, and before
long likes to practice balancing himself by
the
curbstone or on a log.
walking along
L E A R N IN G T H E H A B IT O F G O O D P O S T U R E

All-around development, which is gained by strengthening
all the muscles of the body through active play— climbing,
throwing balls, running, jumping, skipping, shouting— lays the
foundation for good posture. But if the child is to learn the
habit of good posture he must not only gain all-around develop
ment but must also strengthen the muscles that have the most
to do with holding the body in good balance. These are: (i)
The muscles of the abdomen, (2) the muscles of the buttocks,
(3) the muscles of the shoulders and of the upper trunk, and
(4) certain leg muscles that hold the feet in good position.
The lower abdominal muscles should pull in and flatten the
lower part of the abdomen. When a baby first begins to walk,
his abdomen extends farther than his chest, but gradually, as
he grows older, his abdominal muscles should become stronger
and should pull in and flatten his lower abdomen more and
more, until finally his abdomen extends no farther than his
chest. Figure 3 (p. 3) shows in general how the abdomen
should be held by a child about 5 years old.
When the buttock muscles are well developed, they help to
straighten the lower spine and keep the child’s back from be
coming too hollow. As the child grows older he can learn to
use them in this way and to strengthen them.
The muscles of the shoulders and neck and those of the upper
trunk help to hold the chest high and the chin in. Many a child

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

PO STU R E

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

who has plenty of opportunity for free play does not use these
muscles enough because of the lack of fences and trees to climb
and bars to swing on. I f these muscles are to be strong enough
to hold the child’s chest up in good position, they must get
plenty of exercise.
Proper use of the feet is necessary if the child’s body is to be
held in good balance. When the feet are used correctly, the
child’s weight is on the balls and outer sides of the feet, the
toes point straight forward, and the inner sides of the feet are
parallel with each other. Wearing the proper kind of shoes and
keeping the feet parallel and pointing straight forward will
help to throw the weight correctly, but how well the feet do
their work depends largely on the strength of certain leg muscles
that hold the feet in the proper position. I f these muscles are
strengthened as the child learns to stand and walk and as he
becomes more and more active they will help to keep the whole
body in good balance. I f the muscles are not strong enough
or if the child’s weight falls on the inner sides of his feet so that
he walks with his toes pointing outward, the ankles may be
come turned inward and the long arch
of the foot flattened and the body may
be put in bad balance. This is what
may happen to a child who has the
habit of toeing out. This turning in
of the ankle results in what is called
“ pronation of the feet” and when
severe is described as “ flatfoot” or
£‘fallen arches.’ ’ Knock-knees are often
found in the child who has flat feet.
The muscles that keep the feet in good position are especially
strengthened by skipping, running, dancing, and going on
tiptoe.
Games and play that help the child to get the “ feel” of good
posture and to strengthen groups of muscles important in
maintaining good posture are described on page 15.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

POSTURE

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

What Brings About Good Posture?

What Brings About Poor Posture?

Good general health; good nutri
tion; freedom from fatigue; freedom
from repeated or long-continued in
fections and from diseases that bring
about deformities; good sight and
hearing.

Poor general health; malnutrition;
fatigue; repeated and long-contin
ued infections such as adenoid and
tonsil infections; deformities, such as
those caused by rickets, infantile
paralysis, or tuberculosis o f the
bones and joints; bad sight or hear
ing, which tend to make a child lean
forward or sideways in an effort to
see or hear better and cause him to
take other strained or awkward
positions.

A well-balanced diet, including
the foods that help to build bone and
muscle— milk, fruit, green vegetables,
eggs, and meat (and cod-liver oil for
the child under 2).

A poorly balanced diet made up
largely o f cereals, bread, or potatoes,
without milk, fruit, green vegetables,
eggs, meat, and cod-liver oil.

Plenty o f sleep and rest.

T oo little rest and sleep, resulting
in overfatigue.

Varied exercise outdoors— run
ning, jum ping, skipping, climbing.
Encouragement by parents to take
part in games and play that lead to
symmetrical development o f the
body.

Lack o f vigorous exercise out
doors; or lack o f variety in the exer
cise, so that the child develops one
set o f muscles rather than the whole
body.

W earing well-planned, well-fitting
clothes and shoes, which put no
strain on the bones or muscles or soft
tissues o f the child but let them de
velop naturally.

W earing wrongly planned or bad
ly fitting clothes and shoes, which
press or pull the bones out o f place
and force the child into unnatural
positions.

Sitting in
lower part
that is low
his feet flat

a chair that supports the
o f the child’s back and
enough to let him keep
on the floor.

Sitting too long in chairs that are
too large. A child who must sit in a
chair too large for him sits in a
strained position with his back and
feet unsupported.

Sleeping in a bed that does not
sag, with a firm, comfortable mat
tress and a flat spring; using no pil
low, or a very small one, so that the
child’s neck is straight.

Sleeping in a sagging bed, on a
mattress that is too soft; propping up
the head with a large pillow, which
forces the neck to bend forward.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

POSTU RE

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

H O W P A R E N T S C A N H E L P C H IL D R E N T O D E V E L O P G O O D
POSTURE
CARE O F TH E GEN ERAL H EALTH

Since the child who is healthy is likely to have the best
posture, parents who wish their child to have good posture
should pay attention to the things that bring about general
health. (See the Child from One to Six; his care and training,
U.S. Children’s Bureau Publication No. 30.) In their efforts
to keep their child well and active they should have the advice
of their doctor. A baby should be taken to the doctor once a
month during the first year for advice regarding his health and
hygiene and for a complete physical examination regularly at
least every 4 months. During the second year he should be
taken to the doctor at least every 3 or 4 months for advice and
examination and from his second birthday to school age at
least twice a year.
Since poor posture is very often found in the child who is
overfatigued and poorly nourished special attention must be
given to all those aspects of the child’s daily routine that insure
good nutrition and prevent fatigue. The muscles of a poorly
nourished, tired body cannot be expected to hold that body
in the erect position of good posture. An adequate, wellbalanced diet, long hours of sleep at night and a rest during
the day, outdoor exercise (but not too much) and sunlight are
all necessary to restore a poorly nourished, overfatigued child
to normal. A t the periodic visits to the doctor advice should
be sought as to ways of avoiding overfatigue and maintaining
the best nutritional condition possible for each individual
child, for by improving the child’s general health a better
foundation for good posture will be laid.
P e rio d ic h e a lt h e x a m in a tio n

A t the regular health examinations the doctor will see
whether the child’s posture is good for his age and he will look
for any conditions that might bring about poor posture, such
as rickets, malnutrition, or apparent overfatigue. He will
point out signs of the beginning of poor posture, which parents
would not be likely to notice. I f a habit of poor posture is
developing, the doctor will try to find out the underlying

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

POSTURE

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

causes and eliminate them. He may recommend a change in
the type o f clothing— especially shoes— worn by the child.
I f he finds certain deformities, he will probably recommend
that the child be taken to an orthopedic physician. He will
advise the mother as to matters of the child’s general hygiene,
such as sleep and rest, diet, exercise, and sunshine, all of which
have a direct bearing on posture.
C L O T H E S AND SH O ES

A child cannot develop good habits of posture unless his
body is free to develop normally without being pressed or
pulled into unnatural positions by wrong clothing. Clothing
should be planned so as to allow freedom for growth and for
muscle activity and should not exert too great pressure on any
of the child’s bones or soft tissues.
A baby’s diaper should not be pinned too tightly, and his
legs should not be forced apart by too bulky a diaper. I f a
band is worn, one of the loose knitted type with supporting
shoulder straps should be used. A tight abdominal band should
not be worn after the first few days of life since it tends to limit " V
the activity of the abdominal muscles and thus prevent them
from growing strong.
The little child’s shoulders are easily pulled forward into
bad position by hose supporters that put weight upon the outer
parts of them. For this reason the underwaist or whatever
garment the hose supporters are fastened to should place the
pull near the child’s neck, where it can be borne satisfactorily.
An underwaist with a “ built-up neck” does this and is much
more desirable than one with ordinary shoulder straps. A
supporter with wide shoulder straps crossed high in the back
also puts the weight near the neck and permits the child’s
shoulders to hold their natural position. Hose supporters
should be fastened at the sides, not in front or toward the front,
as the latter positions pull the shoulders forward and down.
They should not be fastened so tightly as to cause strain at
waistline or shoulders.
Night clothes should be loose, so as to allow the child to
turn and stretch in his sleep.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

PO STURE

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

I f a child is to learn to stand well, his shoes and stockings
must fit properly so as to permit his feet to develop normally.
A child’s feet are easily injured by poorly fitting or badly
shaped shoes and by stockings that are too small.
Shoes should follow the natural shape of the feet. Before
buying shoes for a child make a careful tracing of his foot on
paper, with the child standing. Select shoes one-fourth inch
wider than the tracing and one-half to three-quarters inch
longer.
Laced shoes of the “ blucher” type (having the tongue and
the toe continuous) and straight along the inner side are
best. Shoes with the moccasin type of upper are satisfactory
if they have soles and are laced. Soles should be firm, flat,
moderately flexible, and not slippery. Although heels are not
advisable, the sole should be somewhat thicker at the heel and
under the arch; a perfectly flat sole is undesirable. The
shank of the shoe should be narrow, the heel close fitting, the
upper full and soft over the child’s toes, and the toe of the shoe
broad so that his toes can move easily.
Great care must be taken that when shoes are repaired they
are not made shorter or narrower or the shape changed. Care
ful watch should be kept to see where the wear comes on the
child’s shoe. A child who wears his shoes down very unevenly
should have his feet examined by a doctor.
I f a child has flatfoot, he must have his shoes specially ad
justed. Ask your doctor about this.
Stockings should be bought large enough for free toe action
and should be well shaped to fit the feet. After shrinking, the
foot of the stocking should be one half to three fourths inch
longer than the child’s foot. When stockings are outgrown
they must be discarded.
BED AND BED CLO TH ES

The child should sleep in a bed by himself, and the bed
should be large enough for him to have plenty of room to turn
and move in his sleep. The springs and mattress should be
firm and flat, so as to enable the child to lie perfectly flat. A

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

POSTURE

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

sagging bed throws the body into poor position. No pillow, or
a small flat one, should be used, as a large pillow forces the
child’s neck to bend instead of being straight. The bedclothes
should be light in weight and not too tight.
C H A IR S A N D T A B L E S

A little child needs a low chair, even
if it is made at home out of a soap box.
It should be of such a height that his
feet can be placed flat on the floor.
The seat of the chair should be shallow
enough to allow the lower part of the
child’s back to touch the back of the
chair while his feet are flat on the floor;
that is, it should not be longer than the
child’s thighs. A low table at which the child can sit com
fortably in his chair should be provided, and he can use this
for eating meals and for many kinds of play. / i
T O Y S AND PLA Y APPARATUS

Simple home-made apparatus that will help children develop
their muscles can be had even in a small yard or on a porch.
Climbing is one of the best exercises to develop shoulder and
other muscles that hold the body in good position. A horizon
tal bar fastened securely to uprights and placed at a height that
the child can grasp when standing on tiptoes, or a set of-climb
ing bars with crosspieces at various heights gives children the
opportunity to climb. A small ladder, securely fastened, can
be used for climbing. To put up a ladder for swinging, place it
in a horizontal position supported by uprights just high enough
for children to grasp the rungs with their hands over their
heads and swing from rung to rung. A slide not too high,
built with a ladder leading up to the platform at the top, gives
opportunity to learn sureness of step and balance. Boxes and
boards that can be pushed and pulled around and used for
building give children opportunity for good exercise. Such
things should be examined carefully to see that no nails are
sticking out of them.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

PO STU R E

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

A tricycle suited to the child’s size, which he operates by the
use of pedals, exercises the feet correctly,
for the child must keep his feet in good
position in order to put the right pres
sure on the pedals. It is dangerous,
however, to allow a little child to ride a
tricycle in city streets. In a back yard,
or even on the sidewalk, it is usually
safe if some responsible person is watch
ing the child.
Some kinds of toys and play apparatus, instead of helping
to develop the child’s body normally and symmetrically, either
force him into wrong positions or lead him to use one side of
his body while the other is neglected. A toy car that is pushed
with one foot may cause one-sided development. A toy car
that has too wide a seat may force the child’s legs apart and
bring about a deformity of the thighs.
“Jumpers” , “ baby walkers” , and other such apparatus
should not be used in teaching a baby to walk, as these force
him to walk on the inner parts of his feet, with the legs spread
apart. Such apparatus, besides, overtires the child, for it keeps
him too long in one position.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

PO STURE

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

When your child is of school age, which
of the following pictures would you
rather have him look like?

Fio. 5.

F ig. 6.

G O O D PO STU R E

BAD P O ST U R E

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GAMES THAT HELP TO DEVELOP HABITS OF
GOOD POSTURE
[For c h ild r e n a b o u t

2 to

6 y e a rs old]

T h e FO LLO W IN G games are planned to strengthen the
muscles that hold the body in an erect position and to give the
child the “ feel” of standing and sitting correctly, even though
he is not yet conscious of how he does it. The games should
help the child to form the habit of using his whole body well
when he is doing the ordinary things of life such as sitting,
standing, and walking. To teach a young child to use his body
well is not difficult if appeal is made to his imagination and
love of imitation.
I f exercises are presented as games, the little child will take
part eagerly, and he will take more interest in the games if
■ ^ several of his playmates— brothers and sisters or other children—
join him in the games. Most children like to act a part or
to “ make believe.” Pretending to be a paper doll or a giant
is more interesting than doing an exercise. Also it is easy for
a little child to understand that to be a paper doll he must
flatten his back, and that to be a giant he must stretch himself
up to his full height. By means of such imitative games he can
learn how to stand well, to pull in his abdomen, to raise his
chest, and to stand and walk with his feet parallel and toes
pointing forward.
Games that have to do with the posture of the body as a
whole and games that strengthen different groups of body
muscles are given. Let the children play games of different
types so as to use various sets of muscles. The games played
standing and those played lying down, which teach the child
the “ feel” of good posture for the whole body should be alter
nated with the more active games, which tend to strengthen
special groups of muscles. By such alternation of games the
exercises can be kept from being too strenuous.
15

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

PO STU R E

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

Do not tire nor bore the child by having him play the games
too long. Ten to fifteen minutes of supervised and interesting
play is better than a longer period of half-hearted play; and
a daily short period is better than an occasional long period.
GAM ES PLAYED

L Y IN G D O W N

(These games teach the children how it feels to pull in their
abdomens and flatten their backs while lying on the floor.)
PAPER D O LLS PA STED ON TH E FLOOR

Each child lies flat, with arms stretched outwards and legs
held straight, pretending to be a paper doll lying on the floor.
By pulling in his abdominal muscles the child can make the
lower part of his back touch the floor. He may pretend to
need more paste in the hollow of the back to fasten this part
to the floor.
TH E BOOK

The children lie on the floor with arms at their sides and
legs close together, each pretending to be a closed book. Each
tries to lie as flat as a book, pulling in the abdomen and press
ing the back flat against the floor. The following lines are said:
Jack laid his book upon the floor.
H e opened the leaves, O n e, two, three, four.
H e closed the leaves, Four, three, two, one.
W h en the book was closed, he said, “ T h a t’s done.”

While the words “ One, tw o” are being said the child raises
his arms shoulder high, one at a time. While the words
“ Three, four” are being said he moves his legs outward, one
at a time. When both arms and both legs have been stretched
out, the “ book” is open.
While the words “ Four, three, two, one” are being said,
each child returns his legs and arms to their original position,
one at a time. When the child’s arms are close to his sides
and his legs are close together, the “ book” is closed. Through
out the game the abdomen should be held in.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

PO STU R E

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

TH E RUBBER M AN

Lying on the floor with arms raised above his head, chin in,
and back flat against the floor, each child pretends he is
made of rubber, and stretches himself out so as to be as

children expand their' chests and stretch their arms and
legs while the following lines are being said:
W atch this funny long rubber man.
See him stretch as far as he can.
U p go hands and down go feet.
N ow relax and then repeat.
T H E B IC Y C L E M AN

Each child lies on the floor, his hands
over his head and his chin drawn in.
The children move their feet as though
pedaling a bicycle, while the following
lines are said:
Riding, riding, pushing his feet,
The bicycle man comes up the street,
Sometimes fast and sometimes slow,
It’s really a pleasant w ay to go.
Sometimes slow and sometimes fast
Then he stops to rest at last.
R O L Y -P O L Y

The roly-poly is a tumbling man who
cannot be upset, and to imitate him the
children lie on the floor with hands
clasping their ankles. Their knees are
drawn up over their chests. Each rOlypoly rolls back and forth from lying to sitting position and from
side to side. Finally he brings himself up to the sitting position
again. This game tends to make the spine flexible.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

POSTURE

GAM ES PLAYED

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

S T A N D IN G IN G O O D P O S T U R E

(These games help the children to hold their chins in, to
raise their chests and stretch their trunk muscles, and to pull
in their abdomens and flatten their backs while standing.)
During these games it is easy for the mother to show each
child now and then how to pull in his abdomen, by placing
one of her hands on the lower part of his abdomen and one
on his buttocks and then pressing upward with the hand on
his lower abdomen and downward with the hand on his
buttocks. The child will respond by pulling his abdomen in
and his buttocks downward. Touching the lower part of the
abdomen may make the child draw it in and thus show him
how to contract these muscles. Little emphasis need be put
on this, but if it is repeated from time to time the child will
learn to do it by himself.
PAPER D O LLS PA STED ON TH E W ALL

This game lasts only a minute or two. The children join
hands and stand against the wall with heels 3 or 4 inches
away from the wall. With head, shoulders, and hips against
the wall and chin in, each child tries to flatten his back by
pulling in his abdomen until the lower part of his back touches
the wall. The object of the game is to see who can be the
flattest paper doll.
TREES

Each child tells what tree he would like to be, and then each
one plays that he is that tree, standing in the best possible posi
tion with his head and chest high, his chin in, the lower part of
his abdomen drawn in, and arms raised to represent the
branches. Different kinds of trees may be imitated. All the
trees together are a forest. The wind blows and sets the trees
swaying. When the wind stops and the branches are quiet, the
trees all stand still again in good position.
G IA N T S

A giant is very tall and strong and stands very straight. The
children all pretend to be giants and walk on tiptoe standing
just as well as they know how.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

PO STURE

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

F A IR Y W IS H E S

The children all lie flat, listening for fairies. All at once they
hear a fairy call. (The fairy may be an older child or the
mother.) Then they get up and gather around, and the fairy
promises to change each one into something very straight and
tall. Each child chooses what person or thing he wishes to be.
One would like to be a mountain, another a tower, and others a
big tree or a tall Indian or a giraffe. Perhaps all pretend to be
the same thing. The fairy waves her wand and gives each his
wish. Then each acts his part, standing on tiptoe in the best
position he knows, each one trying to be the straightest and
tallest.
B E A N -B A G T A G

The children all stand in a circle. One is chosen to be the
runner and another the chaser. Each of these two has a bean
bag on his head and must keep it there while he runs, without
using his hands. The two children run around the circle. If
the chaser tags the runner, they change places. Whenever the
runner wishes to, he puts his bean bag on the head of another
child standing in the circle and then that one becomes the
runner. I f the bean bag falls off, the game stops until it is re
placed and then the game begins again. The child who is the
runner must try to keep the bean bag from falling off his
head.
BALLOONS

Each child first blows up his own toy balloon.
Then all toss the balloons high overhead. The
object of the game is to see how long the bal
loons can be kept in the air. To keep the
balloons up the children must reach and stretch
up over and over again, sometimes using the
right hand, sometimes the left. Children enjoy
playing with balloons and usually can keep
them overhead for long periods.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

POSTURE

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

T H E V E R Y S T R A IG H T M A N

Each child tries to be just like the very straight man described
in the lines below. Each one should hold his chin in and his
chest high, pull in his abdomen, and be as straight as he can.
An older child or the mother reads or recites the verses and the
children may join in saying them. The children try to do what
the very straight man does.

W h o lives in a very straight house
Right under a very straight tree.
This m an takes a very straight walk,
This man takes a very straight skip,
A n d a straight ju m p , one, two, three.

ir rf

H e is straight when he lies on the bed,
H e is straight when he sits on the floor,
H e is straight when he kneels on his knee.
H e stands up straight by the wall,
H e reaches up straight toward the sky,
D o you know what is straight? Look at me.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

PO STU R E

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

T H E JU M P IN G J A C K

The children face the wall, and some one quickly passes
along the line with a piece of chalk making a mark on the
wall at the level of each child’s head. Next they all stand on
tiptoe, with chins in, chests high, and abdo
mens drawn in, and a new chalk mark is made.
Then each child is given a piece of chalk, and,
standing on tiptoe a little distance away from
the wall, he stretches first the right arm up
ward and then the left, to see how high a mark
he can make with each hand. Finally all the
children become jumping jacks, and each
child jumps to see how high a mark he can
make, first with his right hand and then
with his left. The children may be shown that
by pulling in their abdomens when reaching
upward they may be able to make a higher
mark on the wall. When the child is reaching
high his abdomen may sag and his back may
arch, unless some effort is made to prevent it.
GAMES

TH AT HELP TO

KEEP THE

SH OULDERS

FLAT

T H E W IN D M IL L

The children stand very straight, with abdomens in, chests
high, and chins in, and play that they are windmills. They
rotate both arms toward the right for a few minutes. Then
the wind is supposed to change, and the children rotate their
arms toward the left for a few minutes. The speed at which
the “ windmills” move may be varied as the wind blows
harder or slackens.
TH E DUCK

“ Let’s play duck.” Each child squats down,
buttocks resting on heels, head held high with chin
drawn in, chest high, fingers touching the tips of
the shoulders, elbows held back and close to the
sides, “ just the way a duck holds his wings.” Then
the mother calls, “ Let’s all waddle across the
barnyard.” While the child is holding the posi
tion of a duck his shoulders are very flat.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

POSTURE

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

TH E SEAL

Each child lies flat on his stomach like a seal with head and
shoulders raised from the floor (chin held in); his feet also are
raised from the floor and are held
close together. The arms are rolled
outward and held close to the body,
with palms toward the floor and
thumbs outstretched, so as to imitate a seal’s flippers.
The “ seal” then flaps his flippers by lifting his arms up
from the floor and lowering them again. As he does this
he tries to move from side to side. An energetic child may
actually succeed in making a little progress across the floor,
but this is not necessary for the gam<
TH E CRAB

The children first lie flat on their
backs on the floor. Then they raise
themselves up on hands and feet,
with abdomens up and backs toward
the floor. Last of all, they try to
walk sidewise “ just like crabs.”
G A M E S T O S T R E N G T H E N T H E A B D O M IN A L M U S C L E S
T H E B IC Y C L E M AN

This game has already been described among “ Games
played lying down.”
T H E R A B B IT

To play rabbit, each child gets down on
all fours and then hops and leaps forward.
TH E M ULE

The “ mule” lowers his head, and,
supporting himself entirely upon his
front legs, lashes out with his hind

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

PO STU R E

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

T H E S C IS S O R S

Each child sits against the wall with his legs
straight out in front, keeping his knees straight.
His legs are supposed to be the blades of scissors.
His hips, back, shoulders, and head all touch
the wall. First the child raises the left leg and
lowers it. Then he raises the right leg and low
ers it. His head and the lower part of his back
must touch the wall all through the game.
The following lines are said, at first slowly, later faster and
faster:
Here are great big scissors,
They go snip, snip, snip.
H ere are great big scissors,
They go clip, clip, clip.
I ’ll cut the cloth before I sew it,
I ’ll make a coat before you know it.
G AM ES TO STRENGTHEN TH E LEG AND TR U NK M USCLES
S E E -S A W

See-saw is a game for pairs of children of about equal height.
They sit down on the floor facing each other, with the feet
of one between the legs of the
other, just far enough apart so
that they can easily clasp hands.
As one child leans forward the
other pulls back with a long,
strong pull that carries his body
back to the floor. They con
tinue these see-saw motions, one child saying “ U p ” while the
other says “ Down.” Head, chest, and abdomen should be
held in good position throughout the game.
TH E ELEPHANT

The children walk on hands and feet,
keeping their legs straight, imitating
elephants. The knees must not be bent.
The head should be held high and the
chin in. The head may be swayed from
side to side in imitation of the way an
elephant swings his trunk.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

PO STU R E

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

TH E CRANE

The youngster who patterns himself upon
the crane faces a chair and stands on one
leg, while the heel of the other foot rests
upon the seat of the chair. Bending his
head forward, he tries to touch the knee of
the raised leg with his forehead. He should
then stand on his other leg and repeat the
game.
G A M E S TO STR E N G T H E N T H E M U SC L E S T H A T SU PPO RT
THE

FEET

[T h ese g a m e s sh o u ld be p la y e d barefo o t]
T H E T IG H T -R O P E W A L K E R

Use a chalk-line on the floor or a crack
between two boards to represent a tight
rope. The game is to walk this line with
great care and exactness. The “ tight-rope
walker” walks on tiptoe, with toes turned
in and heels turned out, and tries to grasp
the floor with his toes.
W A L K IN G T H E R ID G E P O L E

Nail together three smooth planks, each
about 10 feet long, to form a triangle
resembling the ridge of a roof, the peak
being about 6 inches from the floor. The
children practice walking along the ridge
with one foot on each sloping side. Their
toes are pointed forward. I f this game is
played barefoot, the child’s feet will cling
to the sloping sides.
SAN D P IL E

The child stands in the sand pile or sand box, dabbles his
feet in the sand, and scrapes up piles of sand with his toes.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

GOOD

POSTURE

TH E

L IT T L E

C H IL D

P IC K IN G U P M A R B L E S

x
^

Sitting in a low chair, each child tries to pick up a marble
under his bare toes and put it down again, using first one foot
and then the other. Then he tries to pick up two marbles at a
time, first with one foot, then with the other, then two marbles
with each foot, using both feet at the same time.
A more difficult stunt is walking across the floor holding a
marble under the toes. Later the child may try to walk across
the floor holding two marbles with each foot.
M ARBLE RACE

Each child sits in a low chair with several
marbles in front of him. A t the word of com
mand, each child picks up a marble under
his toes. He then crosses his foot over the
opposite leg in such a way that he can see the
marble he holds in his toes. He then uncrosses
his foot and without using his hands puts the
marble into a basket. Each child tries to be
^^first in picking up a certain number of marbles,
looking at them, and putting them into the basket. The feet
should be used alternately.

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Full text of Good Posture in the Little Child, Bureau Publication No. 219

FRASER