New
New
Year 3

Using props to balance in meditative balances

I can use a beanbag to help me focus when I perform each meditative balance.

New
New
Year 3

Using props to balance in meditative balances

I can use a beanbag to help me focus when I perform each meditative balance.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Move: balancing a beanbag on my body and holding a meditative balance requires being still and slow breathing.
  2. Move: linking our meditative balances together can help to extend our focus, combining different relaxation techniques.
  3. Think: whilst performing our meditative balances, we can notice how being still helps our mind and body relax.
  4. Feel: when linking our balances, showing self-motivation to keep practising improves our performance.
  5. Connect: supporting our partner if they find it difficult to balance the beanbag requires encouragement.

Keywords

  • Meditative - being very calm, quiet and focused

  • Focus - the concentration of attention and mental resources on a particular object, task or goal

  • Slow - reducing our speed or pace when completing a task

Common misconception

Once pupils start to link their mediative balances, they focus on creating a sequence of movements rather than the relaxation purposes of the process.

Explain that medatitive balances aren't the same as gymnastic balances and provide examples to support pupil understanding.


To help you plan your year 3 physical education lesson on: Using props to balance in meditative balances, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Remind pupils of the animal meditative balances and how animals form these shapes when they are in a relaxed state. Ask pupils to compare these to gymnastic balances and note how the focus is on deep breathing and stillness.
Teacher tip

Equipment

1 beanbag between 2, additional materials: meditative balance cards

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).

Prior knowledge starter quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
In what type of position do we hold a meditative balance still?
Correct answer: static
wobbly
loud
Q2.
How long should you be able to hold a meditative balance still for?
1 minute
1 second
Correct answer: 10 seconds
Q3.
What should your breathing be like when you are holding meditative balances still?
shallow
Correct answer: slow and deep
fast
Q4.
What are you using if you encourage others and provide helpful feedback?
Correct answer: excellent communication skills
poor communication skills
strength

Assessment exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
What is the purpose of linking meditative balances using melting?
to stop
to perform gymnastics
Correct answer: to relax
Q2.
How can we support our partner when we are working together?
Correct answer: encourage them
take over
lift them up
Q3.
What can help us to concentrate when we are performing a meditative balance?
melting
moving
Correct answer: focus
Q4.
What can self-motivation help us with?
resting
Correct answer: improving performance
shouting

Additional material

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