DPA - Cool Downs

Cooling down restores heart and breathing rates to normal and helps students’ transition back to non-active lesson time. Cool downs should be performed for 2-3 minutes.

• Primary/Junior Cool Downs
• Intermediate Cool Downs

Primary/Junior Cool Down Activities

1. Windstorm

• Have students walk around slowly pretending they are trees blowing in the wind, using their arms as branches.
• Students start in a big windstorm in which branches break, and finish as the wind stops blowing.

2. Ladder Climb

• Have students walk on the spot, with feet slightly apart.
• Ask students to pretend that they are climbing up a ladder to the sky for 20–30 steps.
• Then climb down the ladder at a slower and slower pace.

(Adapted from: OPHEA, H&PE Curriculum Support Document, Grade 2, 2000)

3. At the Beach

• Lead the students on an imaginary trip home from the beach and include some of these actions:
  • Walking through deep sand
  • Slowly walking home
  • Getting home and shaking sand off entire body

4. Heartbeat

• Have students join hands with you in a circle and walk slowly in one direction
• Call out “Heartbeat” - students stop where they are and face inside the circle
• Lightly squeeze the hands of the students standing to your left and right, and have those students lightly squeeze the hands of the students next to them.Continue until the “heartbeat” is passed around the entire circle in both directions
• Have students walk slowly in the opposite direction until you call out “Heartbeat” again.

5. Stretch Wave

• Students move slowly (e.g., in a slow jog, brisk walk) around the activity area.
• Have students form a circle
• Designate a leader, who chooses stretches
• Have students “pass” each stretch around the circle and hold it as others join in, creating a wave effect

(Cool Down Activities # 1,3,4,5 from Chapter 3, Daily Physical Activity in Schools, Resource Guide, Ontario Ministry of Education, 2005)

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Intermediate Cool Down Activities

1. Stretch Wave

• Students move slowly (e.g., in a slow jog, brisk walk) around the activity area.
• Have students form a circle
• Designate a leader, who chooses stretches
• Have students “pass” each stretch around the circle and hold it as others join in, creating a wave effect

2. Catch-up Run

• Have groups of 4 - 6 students move around the activity area in single file, slowly increasing their speed (e.g., walk, speed walk, slow jog, run).
• Have the last student in line hold a pinnie or marker and move to the front of the line
• Once the student gets to the front, he or she passes the pinnie or marker back until the new last student in line gets it and then this student moves to the front.
• Each time all the members of the group have taken a turn, the speed slightly increases.
• Continue for 2 - 3 minutes.

(Cool Down Activities # 1 and 2 from Chapter 3, Daily Physical Activity in Schools, Resource Guide, Ontario Ministry of Education, 2005)

3. DPA Moving on the Spot Activities

Slow March

• Slowly march on the spot
• Keep knees low and gently swinging arms for 30-40 seconds

Leg Stretch

• Stand with feet shoulder width apart, both feet pointing forward
• Step back into a lunge position, back foot facing forward
• Bend front knee over ankle ( BUT NOT BEHIND ANKLE)
• Press back heel into the floor
• Hold 15-30 seconds
• Switch legs and repeat

Stork Stretch

• Stand with both feet facing forward, holding onto something for balance
• Grasp your ankle, gently pull it towards your buttock
• Tilt hip forward, feeling thigh stretch
• Keep knees together, standing leg slightly bent
• Hold for 15-30 seconds, repeat with other leg

Side Stretch

• Stand with feet placed wide apart, arms by side
• Raise right arm over head
• Slowly slide the other arm down the side of the left leg
• Hold 15-30 seconds, repeat on left side

(Region of Peel, Moving on the Spot, 2006)

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