Stretch and Play

Our main activity is work with children aged between 2 and 12. We work in crèches, nursery schools, primary schools, community and recreation centres with groups of children.

What is 'Stretch & Play'?

Stretch & Play classes use yoga-type stretches, storytelling, games, music and relaxation to encourage the development of strong and healthy bodies and to build up confidence and self-esteem.

For young people aged between 13 and 25 we do pilates and yoga classes which have an element of stress management and personal development work involved in them. These classes can be based on either the informal youth work curriculum or on the formal PE or PSHE curriculum.

Evidence shows that regular practice of the yoga techniques used in Stretch & Play can keep children and young people healthy by boosting their immune systems and can help them develop strong, flexible bodies, better balance and co-ordination, a feeling of confidence in themselves and a gracefulness in their movements.

What's special about 'Stretch & Play'?

Stretch & Play is unique in what it offers children, young people and adults (a combination of health related yoga-type activities as well as techniques honed from Victoria’s drama facilitation experience and her personal development training) and in its organisation (where it was set up as a limited company with charitable status and which relies on the generosity of its voluntary management committee and its dedicated full-time worker and founder).

• Stretch & Play is a social enterprise based in an area of high deprivation.
• It works to provide holistic services to children, young people and adults using yoga, drama and personal development workshops.
• It provides fun classes for 2 -12 year olds to encourage active self-expression through a combination of stretches, storytelling, games, music and relaxation.
• It provides fun classes for young people to encourage healthy recreational activity and body awareness using pilates, yoga, drama and personal development techniques.

The organisation has three main strands:

• Training (including Training of Trainers) which advances the social capital of the area as well as improving the health and well-being of the children, young people and adults who are trained;
• Delivery of Programmes which use yoga, stress management, drama, youth work and personal development techniques;
• Consultancy which develops programmes, provides feedback to other agencies through evaluations, assists in marketing and fundraising using associate staff.

More information

Contact us at info@stretchandplay.co.uk or call us on 08454 799 259.