Animal Crossing: New Horizons — How to do Group Stretching

If you're looking to get some more exercise in your life, you can now do group stretching in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. This is a new activity introduced in the 2.0 update during the October 2021 Animal Crossing Direct. If you want do take part in this group activity, here's how to do it.

What is group stretching?

This activity makes its return from the Nintendo GameCube game, Animal Crossing: Population Growing, and is based on a Japanese tradition called "Radio taisō", which was first introduced in 1928. People are encouraged to exercise with Radio taisō, where special music is played on the radio every morning at 6 a.m. and participants engage in calisthenics exercises. You won't need to wake up at 6 a.m. to participate in group stretching in New Horizons, so both early birds and night owls can take part in the stretching! You can even earn Nook Miles by participating in group stretching.

How can I do group stretching?

Here's how to do group stretching with your villagers and special characters on your island!

1. Head to Resident Services.
2. Press A to interact with the radio to the right of the entrance.

3. Select "Let's stretch!"

4. Select your controls. You can participate in group stretching with button inputs or by using your Joy-Con controllers.
   • Remember to make sure you have enough space to move around if you use your Joy-Con!

5. Follow the instructions! Don't worry if your timing is a bit off. You aren't penalized if you aren't perfect. Remember to have fun and stay hydrated!

Can I stretch with friends?

Yes! As long as you're best friends with a player, you'll be able to stretch with them. The steps are the same, but you'll be able to do it alongside a friend. You also aren't locked into using whatever control scheme your friend is using, so you can use buttons or motion controls if you'd like.

Move ya body!

Animal Crossing: New Horizons provides a great experience on the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo has always tried to incorporate health-conscious activities in their game lineups, and now you can bond with your villagers by stretching with them. These immersive experiences are what makes New Horizons one of the best games on the system.