Bendy Brings The Letter E

ABC Kids Yoga For Ages: 2-5 years old

In this Bendy Bookworm Yoga video for kids, children will move-to-learn the letters of the alphabet. Bendy the Bookworm, our letter loving friend, brings the letter E for us to see, say, and sign!

Children will move-to-learn as they practice the following developmental skills-
Educational Skills: learning the alphabet, learn the letter E
Motor/Physical Skills: balance, core strength, flexibility
Emotional Skills: friendship, confidence, perseverance

You did it!! You learned the letter E! Here is your Coloring Sheet Award:

Learn The Letter D

ABC Kids Yoga For Ages: 2-5 years old

In this Bendy Bookworm Yoga video for kids, children will move-to-learn the letters of the alphabet. Bendy the Bookworm, our letter loving friend, brings the letter D for us to see, say, and sign! A special friend visits too!

Children will move-to-learn as they practice the following developmental skills-
Educational Skills: learning the alphabet, learn the letter D
Motor/Physical Skills: balance, core strength, flexibility
Emotional Skills: friendship, confidence, perseverance

You did it!! You learned the letter D! Here is your Coloring Sheet Award:

Learn The Letter C

ABC Kids Yoga For Ages: 2-5 years old

In this Bendy Bookworm Yoga video for kids, children will move-to-learn the letters of the alphabet. Bendy the Bookworm, our letter loving friend, brings the letter C for us to see, say, and sign! A special friend visits too!

Children will move-to-learn as they practice the following developmental skills-
Educational Skills: learning the alphabet, learn the letter C
Motor/Physical Skills: balance, core strength, flexibility
Emotional Skills: friendship, confidence, perseverance

You did it!! You learned the letter C! Here is your Coloring Sheet Award:

B is for Bendy!

ABC Kids Yoga For Ages: 2-5 years old

In this Bendy Bookworm Yoga video for kids, children will move-to-learn the letters of the alphabet. Bendy the Bookworm, our letter loving friend, brings the letter B for us to see, say, and sign!

Children will move-to-learn as they practice the following developmental skills-
Educational Skills: learning the alphabet, learn the letter B
Motor/Physical Skills: balance, core strength, flexibility
Emotional Skills: friendship, confidence, perseverance

You did it!! You learned the letter B! Here is your Coloring Sheet Award:

Bendy Brings The Letter A

ABC Kids Yoga For Ages: 2-5 years old

In this Bendy Bookworm Yoga video for kids, children will move-to-learn the letters of the alphabet. Bendy the Bookworm, our letter loving friend, brings the letter A for us to see, say, and sign!

Children will move-to-learn as they practice the following developmental skills-
Educational Skills: learning the alphabet, learn the letter A
Motor/Physical Skills: balance, core strength, flexibility
Emotional Skills: friendship, confidence, perseverance

You did it!! You learned the letter A! Here is your Coloring Sheet Award:

Bubblegum: Kids Sing Along Bubblegum Song

Kids and Toddler Yoga For Ages: 2 years old - 8 years old

In Bendy Bookworm Yoga motion sing along song for kids, children will move-to-learn as they practice the following developmental skills-
Educational Skills: visual processing (mirroring movement), memorization, saying the words in their heads without speaking them out loud
Motor/Physical Skills: rapid motion changes
Emotional Skills: confidence, silliness, imagination

Lyrics:
There was some bubblegum (open and close hands)
And it got in her hair (pat head)
A pair of scissors (arms move out and in)
and a pile of grass (wiggle fingers down)
a bunny (bunny ears)
a kitty (kitten paws)
a bacon-y, noodle-y mess (wiggle arms around)
da na na na na na, da na na na na naaaa

Each time you repeat the song, drop a line: complete the hand motions without words

Want to practice MORE Bendy Bookworm Yoga?

Sleep Sleep My Baby : Kids Lullaby Sing Along

For Child Ages: 18 months- 8 years old

In Bendy Bookworm Yoga motion sing along song for kids, children will move-to-learn as they practice the following developmental skills-
Educational Skills: visual processing (mirroring movement), ASL
Motor/Physical Skills: crossing the midline, wrist fine and gross motor skills from mirroring movement Emotional Skills: comfort and rest

Lyrics :
Sleep, sleep, my baby (self hug)
Sleep, sleep, my love (self hug)
Fall asleep my little dove. (“flap wings”)
Dream of the ocean, dream of the stars (ASL waves, ASL star)
Rest your head in my strong arms

Sleep, sleep, my baby (self hug)
Sleep, sleep, my love (self hug)
Fall asleep my little dove. (“flap wings”)
Dream of the whales, dream of the fish (ASL whale, ASL fish)
Don't forget to make a special wish (hands to Anjali Mudra)

Sleep, sleep, my baby (self hug)
Sleep, sleep, my love (self hug)
Fall asleep my little dove. (“flap wings”)
Dream of the mountains, dream of the trees (ASL mountain, ASL tree)
You will always, always, be with me.

Want to practice MORE Bendy Bookworm Yoga?

Quack Quack Quack: Kids Duck Song

For Child Ages: 18 months- 8 years old

In Bendy Bookworm Yoga motion sing along song for kids, children will move-to-learn as they practice the following developmental skills-
Educational Skills: visual processing (mirroring movement), memorization, spatial awareness ("up high/ down low/ in the middle")
Motor/Physical Skills: crossing the midline, wrist flexibility
Emotional Skills: confidence, silliness, imagination

Lyrics (Tune- Do Your Ears Hang Low):
Wave your hands up high (wave hands above head)
Wave your hands down low (wave hands low)
Wave your hands in the middle (criss cross arms across midline)
and wiggle just so (wiggle fingers)
Stick your elbows in the front (hands to shoulders, touch elbows in front/at midline)
Stick your elbows in the back (hands stay at shoulders, draw elbows behind)
Bring your hands to your sides (twirl wrists before bringing them, palms facing out, to sides)
and Quack Quack Quack

Want to practice MORE Bendy Bookworm Yoga?

If this Book was a Pose: All Tied Up

Bendy Bookworm Yoga for Kids Pose: All Tied Up
Cowface Pose with Eagle Arms or Gomukhasana with Eagle Arms

Physical movement promotes children’s education. When you add a kids yoga pose to the reading experience, you're creating a physical memory of the book which promotes the learning process. Read the book, try the pose, and watch how movement and play supports a child’s education!

Move to this book with me:

Toddler brains are wired to use slow, stretched out, musical sounds to build early brain connections and memorization skills. While this Polar Bear song, from the Bendy Bookworm Video “A Polar Bear in Snow”, is JUST FOR FUN, watch how quickly your child will have the words AND the hand motions memorized! You can use this sing song principle by teaching a rhyme or song to help them learn something new, retain the information, and later recall it.

Sing Along to the Bubblegum Song with me:

Make a Cat craft with me:

Hug Yourself: Kids Motion Meditation

Hug Yourself: Kids Motion Meditation
For Ages: 18 months- 8 years old

In this motion meditation for kids video, children will move-to-learn as they practice the following developmental skills-
Motor/Physical Skills: crossing the midline, shoulder/neck stretch
Emotional Skills: self-love, compassion, affection

Directions:
Reach your arms out wide, parallel to the ground.
Wiggle the right fingers, across the body, to touch the left shoulder.
Wiggle the left fingers, across the body, to the touch the right shoulder.
Hug yourself.
Turn the head to the left shoulder and kiss the right hand.
Turn the head to the right shoulder and kiss the left hand.

Want to practice Bendy Bookworm Yoga in your own home?

Snowball Fight: Kids Motion Meditation

Snowball Fight: Motion Meditation
For Ages: 18 months- 8 years old

In this video, children will move-to-learn as they practice the following developmental skills-
Educational Skills: memorization, repetition, focused attention
Motor/Physical Skills: body part recognition, moving isolated body parts
Emotional Skills: releasing pent-up feelings, using motion to re-focus

Want to move with me?
Watch a Bendy Bookworm Video NOW:

If this Book was a Pose: Polar Bear

Bendy Bookworm Yoga for Kids Pose: Bear Pose
Upright Seated Angle Pose or Urdhva Upavishta Konasana

Physical movement promotes children’s education. When you add a kids yoga pose to the reading experience, you're creating a physical memory of the book which promotes the learning process. Read the book, try the pose, and watch how movement and play supports a child’s education!

Move to this book with me:

Toddler brains are wired to use slow, stretched out, musical sounds to build early brain connections and memorization skills. While this Polar Bear song, from the Bendy Bookworm Video “A Polar Bear in Snow”, is JUST FOR FUN, watch how quickly your child will have the words AND the hand motions memorized! You can use this sing song principle by teaching a rhyme or song to help them learn something new, retain the information, and later recall it.

Sing the Polar Bear Song with me:

For more move-to-learn videos for your toddler, click the button:

Let’s go on an adventure!

“Let’s go on an adventure!”: A felt video for practicing balance.
For Ages: 18 months- 8 years old

In this Mini Adventure video, we bring out our Bendy Bookworm Adventure Felt Kit and use them together!!

Children will move-to-learn through yoga as they practice the following developmental skills-
Cognitive Skills: Auditory processing (listening and following directions), Visual processing (mirroring movement), and Matching
Motor/Physical Skills: Balance, Balance, Balance
Emotional Skills: Resilience

Want to purchase your own Bendy Bookworm Felt Kit?

The Bendy Bookworm Yoga Method

Children are their own initiators. They WANT to explore; they are insatiably curious observers and are eager to learn. It’s our job as care-givers, teachers, and parents to provide them with the tools necessary in order for them to master their own actions and emotions. At Bendy Bookworm Yoga, we believe children are anti-fragile and deserve to be seen, taught, and supported with these tools: balance, breath, and bravery. The Bendy Bookworm Yoga Method harnesses their innate need to explore and applies it towards learning and practicing these tools to nurture their growth, development, and learning.

*The Bendy Bookworm Yoga Method teaches Hatha yoga; directing intentional movement on different cognitive skills such as balance, focus, and body awareness/control.

*We use story adventures to practice higher level thinking/processing and language/emotional development.

*We teach challenging poses that train perseverance and patience.

The combination of yoga and literacy/education is a seamless pairing; both provide ample opportunities for cognitive skill drills, ignite children’s imagination, and supports emotional understanding. The physical poses of yoga are an integral part of the learning process.

The Bendy Bookworm Yoga Method creates an opportunity to move the body and simultaneously work the mind. The children that participate in Bendy Bookworm classes are learning through play because above all, making the classes fun and interactive is what we’re here for!

WANT TO TRY THE BENDY BOOKWORM YOGA METHOD?
CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW AND TAKE A CLASS TODAY!

Learning Through Play

Infants and children are their own initiators. They WANT to explore; they are insatiably curious observers and are eager to learn. It’s our job as care-givers, teachers, and parents to provide them with only enough help that is necessary for them to master their own actions. This process is most obvious in the progression of play. It’s become a bit of a buzzword in education: “Learning Through Play”… but just because it’s getting its due NOW, doesn’t mean it’s a new concept.

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, PLAY IS SERIOUS LEARNING. Play is really the work of childhood.”- Fred Rogers

Learning through play is at the base of every nursery rhyme a child memorizes to help them complete a new skill (like tying their shoes or putting on their jacket), each movement and imagination game, each youtube video about making bath bombs or crazy animals. We retain information more readily when we experience it. Take a moment to think of your own years of play; all the years of playing sports, riding bikes, climbing trees, creating elaborate Barbie Doll sagas, bug hunting, book reading, rhymes and songs, cookie baking….

My bet is your memory just recalled a whole list of lessons and skills that you can directly link to learning through play. Play supports emotional development and social and cognitive skills practice. Bendy Bookworm Yoga embraces the learn through play model by story telling, rhyming, and moving.

…AND NOW by introducing Bendy Bookworm Yoga’s Learning Story Kits!!

Your child will be able to engage with Bendy Bookworm books and videos using this tangible, tactile play element!

Each kit includes a set of felts and an interaction card. The interaction card includes an Adventure script that you can read together (highlighting moments to pause for felt and poses), pictures of the poses specific to each script, and specially curated rhymes and songs to go along with each kit! Children will also be able to use their kits with my videos; finding and placing felts on the board WITH ME in their own homes (How cool is that?!?!)!!!

The kits are created for flexible play; use them with the script or without, build their vocabulary through word and felt association or just simply allow them to enjoy the tactile feel of the felts in their hands!

Visit the Shop and Purchase Bendy Bookworm Yoga’s Learning Story Kit by clicking HERE!

You can even use this kit with Bendy Bookworm Yoga’s “Luna’s Map” HERE’S HOW. It’s the perfect way to have your little yogi moving, reading, and learning through play with Bendy Bookworm TODAY!

Luna's Map: The ONLY Yoga Kids Book You'll Need

Oh my heavens, I WROTE A BOOK!!!! Okay so if you have been able to guess by my bio, my blog, or just having ANY type of conversation with me: I’m pretty obsessed with books. Not only do I teach yoga to kids but I’m a children’s librarian so yeah… books are important to me AND a huge central part to my methodology. It’s like peanut butter and jelly or peanut butter and Oreos or peanut butter and ice cream.. they just stick together to make something super yummy. In the beginning, when I was first starting out I turned to my books because “When in doubt, go to the library.”

Discover & share this Book GIF with everyone you know. GIPHY is how you search, share, discover, and create GIFs.

But the problem was that all of the Yoga books for kids were… ALL yoga. Don’t get me wrong, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Some of the books taught beautiful sequences; they had lovely illustrations, simple instructions, and creative poses. But they weren’t stories. 

So get ready here’s the peanut butter…..

Discover & share this Food GIF with everyone you know. GIPHY is how you search, share, discover, and create GIFs.

I wanted a kids picture book that was STORY first, then yoga. Not yoga at the expense of the story. And so, voila, “Luna’s Map” was written with these key instructions in mind:

Before the story begins, there are two pages with pose illustrations and then …it’s an ACTUAL story (gasp!). 

Luna is a little yogi who is super excited to meet-up with her friends for a picnic on the other side of the river. So she grabs her map and a pair of binoculars and then she's off on an adventure!  Little yogi’s will join Luna as she follows the directions from her map to meet her friends!

Not only is this kids yoga book an actual picture book, it also allows your little yogi opportunities to practice the cognitive and developmental skills (the signature sauce of what we do at Bendy Bookworm Yoga.. the peanut butter if you will) that are super important and also super easy to incorporate! Why? Because Interactive learning is ALWAYS a helpful tool. And because books can offer so much passive learning possibility. So here it is:

In this book, Luna’s Map by Danielle Fisher, children will move-to-learn through yoga AND a story. They will practice the following developmental skills-

Cognitive Skills: vocabulary, visual processing (mirroring movement), following a sequence, and memory 
Motor/Physical Skills: coordination, muscle isolation, strength building, and balance 
Emotional Skills: self reliance, friendship, and accomplishment 

Visit the Shop by clicking HERE to Purchase "Luna’s Map" for your little yogis or any little yogis in your life! And start moving, reading, and learning the Bendy Bookworm way TODAY!

For paperback and International purchasing click HERE!

Reading Best Practices for Kids Studying at Home

Back to School 2020 is looking different than in years past.  It’s looking more like Back to the Dining Room Table 2020; Back to Virtual Learning 2020.  I know this isn’t ideal for some children, but I want to point out that others might actually be excelling.  All children learn differently; some learn through reading (visual), some through hearing (audio), and some through experiencing (tactile).  Ideally we want to teach through a bit of all these methods but virtual learning obviously makes that more challenging.  I want to point this out because while some children may struggle without the classroom atmosphere and the in person interaction, others may actually like learning virtually. 

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Just like how not all children learn the same, not all children read the same!  This is an important distinction to make; providing your child space to explore different reading materials and methods may be the difference between cultivating a love of reading or not.  I always ask parents to question what the motivation is:

To work on reading skills simply for word count or page count?

Or to build imagination?  To find enjoyment and be entertained?

If you find yourself pushing your child into “challenging” books, ask yourself why?  Chances are they are already receiving age and skill appropriate material in school (they’ve got the word count and SAT words covered).  I’m going to let you in on a little secret… Your child can learn imagination, empathy, and comprehension while reading AND enjoying it- you just have to give them permission too.  I have one more little secret for you: just because they CAN read that 500 page book with High School level words DOESN’T mean they should (or have any emotional understanding of what they’re actually reading).  

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These “Best Practices” are similar to the flexibility of learning methods mentioned above; one may work extraordinarily well in your home while another… just doesn’t.  But my hope is that these Reading Best Practices for Kids Studying at Home will help them to continue to enjoy learning AND reading, even if it looks a bit different.  Give them a try:

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1. Reading Scales- re-reading books is to readers as practicing scales is to a pianist.  A few years ago a tutor once gave me this example: “Just because you can make Thanksgiving dinner, would you want to every single night?”  Just because a child can read at a certain level does not mean that they want to or need to read every book at that level (or higher).  So often I see parents picking out books with their kids and I hear, “that’s too easy for you, pick something harder”  or “you’ve already read that one, pick something new”.  And then they complain to me that they can’t get their kid to read!  If YOU’RE not cooking Thanksgiving dinner every night, don’t make them. (If you are, PSA: Mac and Cheese is delicious too!).  Let them reread books they love as many times as they want!  Let them read the easy ones! Because these books are the scales of reading.  These books will foster the love AND prepare them for the challenge books.  I read “A Day with Wilbur Robinson” every chance I get!

2. Add on Activities- Now this one is easier to do with younger children but I do it with my older kiddos too (a crafting Teen will even be down for a really great theme DIY).  There are millions of possible craft ideas on Pinterest that make theme crafting super easy.  Pick a book, do a craft.  For the younger children (early literacy: 18 months- 5 years old) this helps with vocabulary building and memory.  We read about an elephant, we make an elephant out of a paper plate (Elephant Craft and Story Time).  Learning and remembering: ELEPHANT.  With your Kindergarten- 1st graders, it promotes imagination and understanding of more abstract concepts.  We read about friendship, we explore what it means to be a friend or thinking about your friends (Nobody Hugs a Cactus Craft).  With older ones, the activity could be more creative: an opportunity to build a life connection to the book OR just a positive association (creating an experience that is tied with the book in memory).  I.E. Once for Dias de Muertos, we read Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega and then made Mason Jar Lanterns. 

   PRO TIP: TRY TO KEEP THE ACTIVITIES FUN NOT LESSONS.  Children get enough lessons; you don’t need to turn it into a learning experience, just let it be fun, creative, playful, and maybe even a bit messy!  **For More Story Time and Craft Ideas Click HERE!

3. Read Aloud Together- Don’t underestimate reading aloud and its influence on an early reader.  Before your child begins to read, reading aloud promotes language development and vocabulary word bank (hearing how words are said and learning new ones).  Both of which have a significant influence on the learning process.  Once a child does begin reading, reading aloud is still important.  Allowing them read to you helps them practice the words they already know, sounding out new words, and also working the speech muscles to improve pronunciation.  It also provides moments to practice comprehension (as you talk about what you’re reading). Giving them a break and reading TOO them is super beneficial as well; this is less about skill development and more about emotional support.  Reading to a child at any age,  creates a place where they can rest and enjoy books while receiving attention and affection (a bonding experience).    Yes, I love being able to read books on my own… BUT I truly believe that my love of reading began with the books my mom read to me as a child, the story times at the library, the books the school librarian read, and the chapter books my mom continued to read as I got older.  There’s a reason we continue to enjoy audiobooks, being read too is wonderful.  Don’t forget the influence reading to a child of any age will have on them! 

4. Read for Fun Means READING FOR FUN- Okay I know not every school assignment is going to be a great book.  Some books are torture.  Which makes it that much more important to make sure that any reading done outside of schoolwork is strictly for the love.  I teach my kids the Double-Your-Age-Rule: I ask them their age and then we double it.  Then I say, “Okay here’s my rule- You have to read (agex2) pages before you decide if you hate it or not.  Some books take a little getting into before they get good.  BUT if you get to that page and still hate it, CLOSE IT.  STOP reading.  And come back to the library.  We’ll find a new one to try.  There are waaaaay too many amazing, mind blowing books to ever read one that you don't like, when it’s supposed to be for fun.”  They love this rule because they are finally being given permission to hate a book AND it gives them hope that the right one is out there.  I think sometimes kids read one or two books they don’t like and they think, “Books suck.”  But when they’re told, “Yeah.  Some books do suck” they get excited to find the ones that don’t.  P.S. Sometimes the only books that don’t suck are graphic novels and comic books!  

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PLUS GUESS WHAT? I’M HERE TO SUPPORT THE READ ALOUD PROCESS!!!
JUST HIT PLAY TO ANY OF MY BENDY BOOKWORM VIDEOS AND YOUR CHILD WILL GAIN ALL THE BENEFITS OF A READ A LOUD STORY TIME PLUS PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT THROUGH MOVEMENT!

Using Kids Yoga to Combat Screen Fatigue

We are now on day 10,736 (ok I have no idea how many days but you get my point) of the global pandemic, Covid-19.  Many of us having been working in front of screens… okay so maybe some of us always did work in front of screens but it seems like now all we do is look at screens, no?  Our children are heading into the new school year which will continue to be fully virtual or some form of virtual/in person hybrid.  Maybe you’re feeling a little bit of parent guilt about all the screen time? I get it, it has been A LOT of screen time.  But here’s the thing…. STOP that guilt immediately!! 

#1. We are in a pandemic.

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#2. We are using this fantastic technology (which we are super lucky to have available to us, by the way) that allows us to engage and teach in a way that would have never been possible even just a few years ago… so instead of feeling guilty, let’s all take a minute to be a little bit in awe!

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#3. There IS a huge difference between screen entertainment (video games, cartoons, youtube videos, etc.) and screen ENGAGEMENT! If your child is watching something educational, engaging, and interactive it is a learning experience.  It is necessary AND purposeful! So don’t be so quick to lump all screen time into the same category. Of course, there is even a place for screen entertainment (like when you really really really need a minute or 50).  Let’s be clear screen time like Coyote Peterson Brave Wilderness , Circle Time with Ms. Monica Circle Time with Ms. Monica , or Bendy Bookworm Yoga Bendy Bookworm Yoga (shameless plug), etc. are intentionally developed to educate and entertain; let your child learn and go give yourself a minute to answer some of those work emails that just keep coming in (it’s never ending, am I right?!?)

Okay okay so say you are okay with educational screen time but you’re looking at a foreseeable future with virtual school again and you’re thinking back to last spring and already reaching for the wine….

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I get that too. I have had screen fatigue.  I have turned off my phone for full days…. FULL DAYS… and I’m a millennial.  So I’m not going to pretend like screen fatigue isn’t a thing. And I’m not going to tell you it isn’t going to happen.  What I am going to suggest is: Yoga/ Movement CAN help your little ones handle their screen time.  What I’m suggesting is a few Yoga tricks that you can have in your Back 2 School- BUT Still At Home -And Trying Not To Hit The Bottle At 10AM- Toolbox.  So without further ado:

#1. If they still have some Zoom learning ahead but they are 100% unable to focus, you need a fast movement intervention!  Click off the screen, take a “bathroom break” (or maybe introduce the movement break idea to your teacher), step away from the screen and give your kid 5 minutes of Yoga Games, try:

Yogi Says- Just like “Simon Says”: call out a pose and have your child mirror the pose BUT only if Yogi Says.

Try these Yoga Games for 1st-3rd Graders or these Yoga Games for 5 year olds

OR

Sun Races (this is ideal for slightly older children, let’s say 6ish and up)- See who can do a Surya Namaskar faster.  I usually start this out slow; reminding the children of the sequence of poses and then we speed it up.  A simple race but effective in getting their heart rate up, getting their fidgets out, and releasing some pent up energy.  

#2. When they’ve had enough of using their eyes; they’re done reading and watching to learn.  Let them use their eyes for fun.  Here’s the thing switching from screen to books might work for some children but chances are they just don’t want to sit still anymore, try:

Walk and Name (this is ideal for kindergarten and first graders).  Go on a walk and play a little “I spy”.  When they identify the object, practice it’s yoga pose! (i.e. bird pose) This is a great way to play, move, and work on  vocabulary recall and word bank building! 

#3. When you want to target a deeper level of focus and concentration (maybe before a test or harder assignment) and they are just tapped out, try:

Motion Meditations such as Finger Taps and Clap and Rub:

The truth is we don’t know how long school will have a virtual element to it.  But the good news is, with these Bendy Bookworm Yoga tricks, you’ll be prepared to combat the impending screen fatigue AND teach your child some skills to have in their own Back 2 School- BUT Still At Home -And Not Old Enough To Hit The Bottle- Toolbox.

NEED TO ADD MORE MOVEMENT TO YOUR CHILD’S DAY? ADD IN BENDY BOOKWORM YOGA; MOVEMENT YOUR CHILDREN CAN PRACTICE ON THEIR OWN. THEY WILL GAIN ALL THE BENEFITS OF A READ A LOUD STORY TIME PLUS PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT THROUGH MOVEMENT!

3 Yoga Poses for Quarantine Quiet Time

Is cabin fever turning your children into crazies? As each week passes we seem to be simultaneously struggling AND adapting; that means that there are moments when your children are overflowing with built up energy and emotions.  While there should be moments for being LOUD, for tons of movement, and for wild release, your child will also benefit from calm, quiet moments; to settle in and rest.  Hopefully these poses will engage certain muscles to create a release of some built up, frustrated energy and guide them to find some moments of peace: 

2 Options for Tree Pose.

Have your child start by standing strong with both of their feet planted firmly on the ground.  Direct them to begin to place more weight on their left foot (balancing on the left foot).  As they bend their right knee and bring the sole of the right foot to rest on the inside of the left ankle (for now, keep the right toes anchored on the ground).  As they gain confidence in their balance, they can begin to raise their right foot higher: first to the inside of the left calf and then all the way up to rest on the inside of the left thigh.  Have them fix their gaze gently on one, unmoving point in front of them as they reach their arms overhead (like the branches of a tree).  Repeat on the opposite side.   

Forward Fold with Clasped Fingers

Start with your child standing up with their feet parallel and about hip-distance apart.  Have them bring their hands together behind their back and interlace their fingers.  Direct them to take a deep breath in and look up at the sky. Then release into a forward fold; bending at the waist and letting gravity drop their head towards the ground.  Once in forward fold, help them reach their interlaced fingers up towards the sky, pulling the fist up and away from their ears. 

Rabbit Pose with Clasped Fingers

Have your child start this pose by sitting on their heels.  Next, have them lace their fingers behind their back (as they did for the forward fold).  Direct your child to slowly lean forward until they are able to gently rest the top of their head on the ground in front of their knees.  Help them to reach their interlaced fingers up towards the sky and away from their ears.  When they want to come back up, have them lower their arms first, before slowly returning to their original kneeling position.

More Movement may also help release some of the pent up energy and emotions! Why not have your child try one of my weekly Kids Yoga on Zoom Classes?

4 Yoga Poses for Quarantine Meltdown Moments

How are we all doing? ….. Our best.  Your little ones have had their lives flipped upside down (you have too).  And while it’s easy for us to sometimes forget just how intuitive our children are, the truth is they are 100% aware of the right now stress of our global community.  They can feel YOUR stress and they have some of their own: Why can’t they see their favorite Aunt or Grandpa?  Why can’t they go to the park? When the hell will it stop raining?  Why is this sibling (that used to go away all day) now suddenly in their space ALL THE TIME?  Yeah, their lives are super challenging right now.  As they process, they’ll express all the emotions you feel as you process.  So focus might be off, peace might be off, and meltdowns might be happening with much more frequency AND MUCH MORE CHARGE! Try these poses when a meltdown needs soothing:

Clap-It-Outs for Refocus

Have your child reach their arms out to their sides (parallel to the floor) and wiggle and reach their fingers as wide as they can.  Count to 3 together and then have them clap their hands together and rub; make sure they take their time with rubbing their hands together.  When the friction of the hand rubbing has created warmth, have them place their hands on a body part (i.e. head, tummy, etc); with hands resting on the body part, take a deep breath in and release.  Repeat as many times and on as many body parts as needed.  I usually do it 3x: head, tummy, heart.   

Bee Pose for Calm

Have your child start this pose by sitting on their heels.  Next, have them reach their arms back behind them and wiggle their fingers like fluttering wings.  Direct your child to take a deep breath and slowly lean forward until they are able to gently rest the top of their head on the ground in front of their knees, as they lean have them release their breath in  an audible “Buzzzzzz”.  When they want to come back up, have them lower their arms first, before slowly returning to their original kneeling position.

Ladybug Hugs to Receive Self Love

Have your child reach their hands out to their sides (parallel to the floor).  Stretch the arms out as wide as possible then have them wiggle their right fingers to their left shoulder. PAUSE. Wiggle their left fingers to their right shoulder. Once each hand is on a shoulder (or as close to as they can manage), have them twist and give their right hand a little kiss.  And then have them twist and give their left hand a little kiss.

Butterfly Kisses to Receive YOUR Love

For this pose, ask them to sit on their bottoms and bring the soles of their feet together.  Begin to gently lift and lower the knees, like butterfly wings flapping.  When they have tried this, ask them to tickle their shoulders with their fingers and then have them pause (keeping their fingertips resting on their shoulders).  Now direct them to lift and lower their elbows (just like their knees).  Have them try to lift and lower their elbows AND knees AT THE SAME TIME.  Do this exercise with them, sharing a moment, and giving them your full attention. 

More Movement may also help release some of the pent up energy and emotions! Why not have your child try one of my weekly Kids Yoga on Zoom Classes?