New
New
Year 1

Narrow movements

I can create a variety of narrow movements and balances on the floor and apparatus.

New
New
Year 1

Narrow movements

I can create a variety of narrow movements and balances on the floor and apparatus.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Move: moving and balancing in a narrow way requires the body to be stretched out long and thin.
  2. Move: combining narrow with high and low will increase the variety of the movements and balances created.
  3. Think: performing in narrow ways that are high and low on a variety of body parts shows creativity.
  4. Connect: sharing ideas with others and communicating them clearly shows empathy.
  5. Feel: creating and trying your ideas on apparatus shows self-belief and develops confidence.

Keywords

  • Narrow - actions we perform to make the body appear long and thin.

  • High - to move while reaching upwards vertically from the ground or surface

  • Low - moving close to the ground or surface

Common misconception

Narrow actions are always vertical. Pupils perform gymnastics actions in silence to be well-behaved. Pupils show empathy to others only by saying that they like their movements and balances.

Narrow actions can be vertical or horizontal. Pupils perform gymnastics actions in silence to show good control. Encourage pupils to say why they liked others' gymnastics and to suggest improvements or new ideas by communicating kindly with respect.


To help you plan your year 1 physical education lesson on: Narrow movements, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Apparatus list is for guidance only. Ladders and monkey bars would be beneficial for incorporating hanging balances. Display key learning points, keywords, and important words. When children are pretending to be sleepy in their cool down on the apparatus, they should keep their eyes open for safety
Teacher tip

Equipment

mats, benches, gymnastic tables, climbing frames or wall bars, tambourine

Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - physical activity

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

4 Questions

Q1.
What actions do we stretch our arms and legs out for?
small
thin
Correct answer: wide
Q2.
Why do we move silently in gymnastics?
Correct answer: to show control
to show confidence
to show creativity
Q3.
How do we move when we travel below the apparatus?
around
over
Correct answer: under
Q4.
What do we do with our fingers and toes in gymnastics?
bend them
Correct answer: point them
wiggle them

4 Questions

Q1.
What is the opposite of wide?
high
Correct answer: narrow
over
Q2.
What body parts do we point in gymnastics?
Correct Answer: fingers and toes, toes and fingers, hands and feet, fingers and feet
Q3.
What do we use to develop new ideas?
Correct answer: creativity
empathy
bravery
Q4.
What do we develop when we are creating and practicing gymnastics?
Correct answer: confidence
empathy
trust