Improves postural strength and control, which is important for many gross motor activities such as jumping, running and climbing.
Provides deep pressure proprioceptive input to the muscles and joints, which can be useful for regulation (to assist children to feel calm, alert and ready to learn).
Stimulates the vestibular system, which is also beneficial for emotional regulation.
This exercise can be trialled with children who are sleepy/bored due to the sensory input it provides.
Vertical vestibular input (bouncing, jumping) is typically the most accepted form of vestibular input and is very regulating since it involves a great deal of proprioception.
This exercise can thus be very useful for assisting children to achieve a ‘calm, alert’ state, ready for learning.
Combine it with other regulating exercises (e.g. Kangaroo Jump and Gorilla Squat) to support regulation prior to classroom activities.
Instructions
Stand with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders, and toes turned slightly outwards
Hang your hands in front of you
Bend your knees and reach your hips back
Squat down until your hanging hands touch the floor
Push your feet and hands into the floor to stand up straight
Lower yourself back down to the starting position, and repeat
Watch Points
Eyes looking forward
Back straight
Shoulders higher than hips
Knees kept wide (facing over your toes, rather than deviating inwards on the way up)
Modifications
More Challenging
Multi-Sensory
Ball Skills
Fine Motor
Do the Frog Squat with a sturdy chair just behind you. Squat down only until you feel your bottom touch the chair and then stand back up to the start position.
Do the Frog Squat jumping up instead of standing up. Land in the starting position softly and with your knees bent.
If you have enough space, try jumping along the floor like a frog.
Pretend there’s a tasty fly passing by, and use your powerful legs to push yourself up quickly to gobble it up. “Yum Yum!!”
In the Frog Squat position, try bouncing a ball. See how many bounces in a row you can do with both hands together, then with your right hand, then with your left hand. Keep your bounces small and controlled, and make sure to keep a good frog technique (knees wide, and back straight).
Do the Frog Squat jumping up instead of standing up. Land in the starting position softly and with your knees bent.