Yoga Poses for AFTER your Toddler Falls

Kids fall.  I don’t have to tell you this.  We talk a lot about getting back up after a fall. But the emphasis always seems to be about the getting back up part.  For me, it’s less about getting back up and more about facing that thing again.  Kids are tough. Most of the time they’ll get back up… but will they want to try it again? These poses are meant for AFTER the fall, after they’ve gotten back up, and after you’ve dried their tears and calmed their wailing.  These 4 Yoga poses are for what comes next: the moment when they have to choose to face that damn hard thing again or avoid it.

Lion Pose

…..for bravery.  It takes some serious bravery to try something after you’ve already gotten hurt, failed, burned, etc.  Lion Pose is perfect for facing that challenge and roaring in its face. Roaring is empowering, it’s the “I got this!” yell that comes after the “Shit that hurts” crying.  Have your toddler sit on their heels. Raise their hands and curl their fingers into fierce lion claws. Stick their tongues out (no child can stick their tongue out and NOT giggle) take a deep breath in and ROAR that breath back out! AS LOUD AS THEY CAN!  Repeat as many roars as needed to feel ready to charge that challenge.

Tabletop (child’s bridge) Pose

…..for finding ways to cross the gaps.  Sometimes it’s less about force and more about imagination.  Frustration can be just as disheartening as a face plant. Practicing bridge pose is perfect for teaching them to try a different way of tackling the problem (tying shoes, getting their jacket on, and brushing their teeth are all frustrating skills that can create an opportunity for bridge pose problem solving).  Have them sit on their bottoms, plant their hands on the ground (on either side of their hips), and step the soles of their feet down on the ground. Count to three and have them lift their belly buttons up to the sky (lifting their bottoms off the ground). Lower back down.
***For an extra challenge, lift one foot up towards the ceiling (repeat with the opposite foot). 

Explorer Pose

….for staying curious. Teaching curiosity will help combat self defeatism and doubt.  It separates the child from the problem so that the child’s identity does not become mixed up in the failure.  I know the dreaded “Why?” can be frustrating when asked over and over. BUT encourage it! “Why?” creates endless possibilities. Ending the “Why?” forces unnecessary conclusions (like “It’s my fault” “I’m not good enough” “I can’t do this”).  Have your toddler begin on their hands and knees. Guide them to reach one foot back and lift the leg up, parallel to the ground. Repeat on the opposite side!
**For an extra challenge, have them reach the opposite arm out in front  (parallel to the ground) and if they really want to try something hard: have them bring their hand to their eye like they are looking through a spyglass)!

Bird Pose

….for flying. This pose is to remind them of their own strength and the freedom of flight (success).  Avoiding a problem keeps them grounded and stuck; accomplishing hard things brings them freedom and choice.  Have them stand tall with their arms lifted out to their sides like wings. Drag one toe back and tap the ground three times.  Then begin to lift that back foot up (parallel to the ground). Once the foot is lifted, flap the arms like wings. Lower the foot and arms before repeating the pose by lifting the opposite foot.  

If you’d like to practice more poses to build resilience with your toddler, watch and move to my FREE toddler yoga video: “Good Morning!” Just fill out the form below, receive the link and press play!

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Clap-and-Rub Motion Meditation

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This Motion Meditation is my go to for focusing attention, releasing excessive energy, task transitions for the classroom or moving from one activity to the next with your toddler. This motion meditation can work for pretty much any scenario; it’s super easy for a caregiver to execute and works so well with toddlers because it hits some key elements for engagement:
#1. Movement: moving the hands from out wide to a clap, to rubbing, to rest on a body part keeps their attention engaged because it is constantly changing movement.
#2. Counting: I usually have the children count to three as they reach their arms wide; triggering the learning skill of counting (for older children there’s comfort in the repetition of counting).
#3. Memory: Repeatedly using this meditation helps with order memory: “What body part comes next?”

Involving those engagement skills makes it such a successful motion meditation! Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Reach arms out wide to the side, wiggle fingers as you STRETCH wide, and count to three.
Step 2: Clap hands together and rub to create warmth between the palms. I rub until they tell me their hands are warm.
Step 3: Place hands on bellies and take a deep breath in and release the breath out.
Repeat the Steps moving the hands from the belly, to the head, and finally resting on the heart.

If you’d like to practice more motion meditations with your toddler, watch and move to my FREE toddler yoga video: “Good Morning!” Just fill out the form below, receive the link and press play!

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Foodie Books For Kids

These are some of my favorite all about food picture books; different tastes, different recipes, different cultures… ALL ONE TUMMY, Yours! Read these books with your child and try the recipes included in some of them! Don’t forget to share your experiences with me! Which recipe was your favorite?

Bilal Cooks Daal by Aisha Saeed

For Ages: 4-8

Little Taco Truck by Tanya Valentine

For Ages: 3-7

Bendy Bookworm Free Story Time Video: Little Taco Truck

Freedom Soup by Tami Charles

For Ages: 5-9

Green is a Chile Pepper: A Book of Colors by Roseanne Greenfield Thong

For Ages: 3-5

Gazpacho for Nacho by Tracey C. Kyle

For Ages: 5-9

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett

For Ages: 4-8

Thank you, Omu! by Oge Mora

For Ages: 4-8

Octopus Stew by Eric Velasquez

For Ages: 4-8

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Bendy Bookworm Story Time: Perfect Square by Michael Hall

LOVE THIS VIDEO AND WANT MORE!! Click here- http://bendybookworm.com/opt-in Bendy Bookworm Yoga teaches cognitive, social, & emotional skills to children thr...

“Perfect Square” by Michael Hall

A perfect square is changes himself over and over to live his life beyond the four equal sides of this square book.

In this video, children will move-to-learn through yoga as they practice the following developmental skills-
Cognitive Skills: colors, order/ sequencing, prediction
Motor/Physical Skills: crossing the midline, core strengthening, balance
Emotional Skills: emotion recognition, imagination, changes, re-invention

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Bendy Bookworm Story Time: Sophie Johnson, Unicorn Expert by Morag Hood

A Yogi's spin on traditional story time: toddlers interact with stories and build literacy skills by practicing yoga poses! @thebendybookworm www.bendybookwo...

“Sophie Johnson, Unicorn Expert” by Morag Hood

Sophie is a unicorn expert. She should know, she lives with them! But living with enchanted animals can be tricky business. And Sophie is so caught up in teaching others that she fails to notice the magic right under her nose.

In this video, children will move-to-learn through yoga as they practice the following developmental skills-
Cognitive Skills: vocabulary, following directions, focus, broadening vision
Motor/Physical Skills: balance, core strengthening, body control
Emotional Skills: magic, caring, humor

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Bendy Bookworm Story Time: Can I keep it? by Lisa Jobe

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“Can I Keep it?” by Lisa Jobe

One summer day, a boy ventures into his backyard on a mission to find the perfect pet. When he asks to keep the animals that happened to “follow” him home, his mom points out that where they truly belong.

In this video, children will move-to-learn through yoga as they practice the following developmental skills-
Cognitive Skills: prediction, vocabulary, following directions
Motor/Physical Skills: balance, spine flexibility, muscle control
Emotional Skills: curiosity, friendship, caring

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Bendy Bookworm Story Time: The Little Taco Truck by Tanya Valentine

LOVE THIS VIDEO AND WANT MORE? I GOT YOU. CLICK HERE: http://bendybookworm.com/opt-in A yogi librarian's twist on traditional story time: toddlers interact w...

“The Little Taco Truck” by Tanya Valentine

Little Taco Truck serves up tasty treats to the hungry workers on Union Street . . . until one day, Miss Falafel shows up and parks right in his space. The next day, Miss Falafel is there again, and this time she's brought more food trucks.

In this video, children will move-to-learn through yoga as they practice the following developmental skills-
Cognitive Skills: counting, vocabulary, cause and effect
Motor/Physical Skills: flexibility, core strengthening, balance
Emotional Skills: determination, friendship, emotion recognition

To Purchase:
Amazon Link- Little Taco Truck by Tanya Valentine

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Want to practice more move-to-learn rhymes, songs, and poses like the Video above? Join me for my weekly Yoga Class for Kids on Zoom!

3 Yoga Poses To Get Your Toddler To PAY ATTENTION

Guess What? I don’t believe children are any less focused now than they have been in the past.  I believe they just have an unprecedented amount of information being thrown at them, that they have to constantly sift through.  They are bombarded by colors and sounds; all vying for their attention. Their physiology is addicted to the stimulation but they don’t have to be.  It’s not about trying to cut them off from it all, it’s about providing them with tools to practice the developmental skill: FOCUS. Focus, like any other skill, is learned and practiced.  It doesn’t always come naturally or easily, but that doesn’t mean your toddler is destined for a life of unfocus. Let’s be honest, we could all put a bit more practice into this skill! Here are 3 Yoga Poses to pull out when focus seems to be at an all time low: 

Binocular Twist

…for looking closer.  Sometimes we’re moving too fast to see what’s right in front of our faces.  Slow down. Look. Have your child kneel on their heels and lift their hands to circles around their eyes.  Twist all the way to the right (holding the “binoculars”) to their eyes. Then Twist all the way to the left (still holding up the “binoculars”).  What do they see?

Clap-it-Out

…to center distraction.  Unfocus can be the result of unorganized or excessive energy.  Take a moment to shake it out; the practice uses motion to anchor attention to a task which allows focus to recenter.  Prompt your child to reach their hands out to their sides (parallel to the floor).  Count to 3 and then clap hands together and rub; keep rubbing until hands warm up and then place them on a body part (i.e. head, tummy, etc).  Take a deep breath in. And repeat as many times on as many body parts as needed. I usually do it 3x: head, tummy, heart.  

Dolphin

…for turning your focus upside down.  It’s all about perspective. Focus can be limited when the task itself is a challenge.  Teaching your child to look at things from a “different angle” will help them learn that creativity supports focus.  When we can adapt, we can refocus! Have your child start in a tabletop position (hands and knees on the ground) and then have them lower down onto their forearms. Direct them to lift their knees off the ground, straighten their legs, and reach their bottoms up to the sky.    

Consciously finding moments to teach your toddler focus NOW will help them develop their own focus practices as they mature into the demands of the education system and later on into adulthood! Help them practice the ability to find focus by watching this FREE Bendy Bookworm Video!

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3 Tools for EASIER Task Transitions with Your Toddler

Make a Plan Together

It may sound tedious but begin the day by creating a “game plan”. When your child has an idea of the order of the day, transitions become a lot easier (i.e.- breakfast, reading time, grocery shopping, lunch, quiet time, library, dinner…).  They’ll know “what’s coming next”; it will no longer feel like an arbitrary list of events they are being dragged too but a day plan that they are apart of. Repeat the plan when moving from one event to the next (i.e. “we just finished reading now it’s time to go grocery shopping…”).  Creating plans will begin to teach them ownership of their own time. It may sound crazy to teach your toddler time management but if they are practicing the skill early, they may find it easier to create game plans when it actually becomes a life requirement.  

Count Your Breaths

A movement or breathe break in between different tasks allows the child to have a transition period.  Most of us move from one task to the next without a break and we end up requiring our children to do the same, is it any wonder that they rebel?  They are much more in tune to the need for an adjustment period in between task changes. Follow their lead! Take moments with them throughout the day to release excess energy, breathe, and regroup for the next task. Don’t condition them out of transition moments, EMBRACE them. Developing a healthy appreciation for small transitions will provide them with ease for the bigger life transitions that they will inevitably experience.   

Promote Autonomy

OKAY… I know this one may elicit cries of “I’m the F**ckin parent!” but just hear me out: I’m going to suggest that most parents would agree that the goal of child rearing is to raise a competent, successful, compassionate human adult. Right? Okay so we need to raise them to be that.  Too often we default to a controlling parenting style because they are too young to make decisions for themselves and then (at a random age) we decide “ENOUGH! GO BE INDEPENDENT.” I suggest we provide them with opportunities to practice independence as a developmental skill NOW: negotiate their options whenever possible, give them time to move from task to task on their own, etc.  It’s a fine line between promoting autonomy and indulging whims, I know, but trust that they can have a little independence and be better for it!

Teaching your child routines and logical order will help transitions move more smoothly. Practice this Morning Routine for easier mornings!

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Best Books about Feelings for Children

The most important lesson I have learned about children is that they have feelings! I know, I know …DUH!! But here’s the thing, they have feelings BEFORE they develop logic. They have feelings BEFORE they have the vocabulary to express themselves. They have feelings right from the start. They have BIG feelings but what they don’t have is experience. They don’t know yet that others may feel the same, or how to talk about what they’re feeling, or the knowledge that the feeling may pass but sometimes it may stay. They don’t have the tools to process, to articulate, to build resilience. Last year we finally hit the jackpot of authors giving attention to the ability to feel different feelings. These are some of my favorite titles that came out recently, that start the conversation. That may begin to help your child navigate feelings:

Maybe Tomorrow? by Charlotte Agell

I’m Worried by Michael Ian Black
*part of an emotions series, all are wonderful!

The Color Monster by Anna Llenas

Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival

3 Yoga Poses for Neck Pain

From your kid, a fall down the stairs, or just carrying too much…

Puppy Pose

Begin in tabletop position (wrists in line with shoulders/ knees in line with hips).  Walk your hands towards the top of your mat (or if you don’t have a mat: farther out in front of you) so that your arms are extended, stretching forward.  Keep the length of the arms lifted off the ground while actively drawing your chest down to the ground. For a deeper shoulder stretch, rest the hands on a block or lower the forearms to the ground while keeping the upper arms elevated.  Rest for at least a minute.

Shoulder Stretch

Lay on your stomach with your arms stretched out in a “T” position.  Bring the right ear to the ground which brings your gaze towards your left hand. Walk the left hand in (closer to your face) and elevate the left elbow.  Use the leverage of the left hand to anchor your shoulder stretch as you lift the left leg up and back towards the right hand. Repeat on opposite shoulder.      

Neck Roll

Sit in easy pose and slowly draw your chin down towards your chest.  Rest the right forearm on the back of the head and allow the weight of the arm to draw the head down (roll the shoulders down and back away from the ears).  After several breaths, bring your right hand over to your left ear and draw the right ear towards the right shoulder. Reach the left hand out and down to the ground at your side. Repeat on the opposite side.  

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3 Reading Time Tools for 5 Year Olds

To Promote LONGER reading engagement for 5 year olds

Focus is a skill that requires practice. Being able to sit for long stretches of reading-time does not necessarily come easily to most toddlers and kindergartners. But developing the ability too, early-on, will become a huge advantage as they grow up and their studies require longer and longer periods of focus and reading retention. You can begin practicing reading focus by promoting longer reading-time moments (i.e. maybe trying to read three books instead of two). Allow it to be gradual and organic; forcing long stretches before practice would be the same as excepting yourself to play Beethoven the first time you sit down at a piano. Be gentle and flexible. Adding in the tools I describe below during reading-time will inadvertently practice their engagement and stamina!

Start with Finger Taps-

…for calm before a book. Sometimes a moment to refocus BEFORE the book helps to prepare them for reading time.  It is natural for their energy to be scattered and their ability to sit for reading will be limited by the amount of chaotic energy they feel.  Giving your child a moment to settle before starting a book will set them up for a more successful reading session. Practice this quick finger play: Take a deep breath in and exhale all the way out.  Bring the pointer finger to touch the thumb, them move the thumb to touch the middle finger, thumb to ring, and then thumb to pinky (counting one, two, three, and four with each touch). Start the sequence again with another deep breath; repeat the process at least 3x.

Pause for Poses-

While reading together, draw your child’s attention to the illustrations.  By expanding their vision from the words to the artwork, you are guiding them to widen their perspective.  Often the illustrations have their own story to tell. Draw their attention to an element of the illustration and then practice the yoga pose for it (i.e. cat pose, tree pose, or butterfly pose, etc.).

Wiggle Breaks-

…in between books.  Let’s get serious, we all have limited attention.  We can practice growing that span of time but we may also need to use alternative methods.  I’ve learned that my attention span greatly increases if I switch up the material (switching between subjects to be able to study longer or switching between a few books to read for longer stretches).  As your child matures and begins to develop their own learning and focus process, you can support their distraction by incorporating wiggle breaks. Give them a chance to move around: move through ALL of the poses practiced with the illustrations or practice them freeze dance style.  Once they’ve gotten their wiggles out, move on to the next book!

WANT TO GIVE YOUR CHILD MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO PRACTICE EXPANDING THEIR FOCUS? GET MY FREE VIDEO “GOOD MORNING” NOW

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3 Steps to Toddler Reading Engagement

As many story time librarians will tell you: promoting reading engagement is the focus of the story time program.  Developing early reading engagement is a practice. Anyone who has sat down with a toddler to read knows that not every book captures their attention, their attention doesn’t always last long, and sometimes they're more interested in turning the pages than hearing the story (this makes perfect sense given that motor curiosity is BIG in early development).  Everything I do in my story times is centered on the notion that reading engagement is not only possible but much easier than we think. You see, we often try to teach our children based on how we learn as adults. We try to read a story straight through and expect them to follow along diligently. When they have no interest in reading like that, we throw our hands in the air, give into their rapid page turning, and sigh about them being “too young”.  In most cases reading engagement takes practice. And guess what? It probably won’t happen in school when academic learning requires measurable proof of ability. The time to develop reading engagement is NOW. At Home. When it’s less about structure and more about curiosity and love. Here’s how to practice reading engagement with your toddler NOW:   

Point Out- Use the illustrations to teach new words and add to your child’s word bank.  By pointing out objects in the picture you are providing context for the story, drawing their attention to look at the bigger picture (widening their perspective), and giving them the opportunity to hear new words and practicing words they already know.      

Ask Questions- Whether or not your child has the vocabulary to answer back, begin to teach relate-ability and empathy.  Focus less on quizzing (“what color is this?” “what animal is this?”) and more on the overall context (“How would you feel if…” “Do you think you’d like…”).  I struggle with this. I over quiz my nephew. I’m excited to see his vocabulary expanding and frequently engage with quiz questions. It’s natural but probably incredibly frustrating to them.  Would you wanna be quizzed all the time? Use the questions to relate the story, the characters, and the illustrations to them and their world. Use the questions to directly engage the child with the story. 

Define New Words-  Make sure to be aware of words that haven’t been learned yet.  Understanding the words leads to understanding the story; provide content for new, unknown words.  When they begin to understand the meaning of the words their focus, engagement, and interaction with the story with visibly increase!  Who pays attention when they can’t follow what is being said? No one. Remember that whenever your child seems to lack focus. It may be that they genuinely don’t understand the words being spoken. 

*Try to make reading time less about a linear structure and more of a page by page exploration; a learning experience of new words and understandings.  They WILL engage with your guidance!

Want to give your Toddler more chances to practice engagement?
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Yoga for Crossing the Midline

Crossing the midline is the ability to move an arm or leg across the middle of the body in order to perform a task.  It’s an important developmental skill that establishes using both sides of the body together; promoting coordination and communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. 

Crossing the midline affects a child’s ability to perform coordination tasks such as: writing, cutting, reading, fine motor tasks (small movements with fingers and wrists, etc.), gross motor skills (whole body movement), etc. When a child avoids crossing the midline, skills such as writing and reading may be delayed or more difficult to learn.

Yoga Poses are a great for playful cross-the-midline practice because it provides opportunities to exercise body awareness, balance, and muscular strength; while developing the necessary brain communication. Try out these poses for some crossing-the-midline fun:

3 Poses for 3 year olds

Hug Yourself- My favorite midline self-love pose.  Prompt your child to 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.

Side bends- This pose can be practiced standing or sitting! Perfect for standing in grocery store lines, sitting in car seats in the pick-up line, or anywhere else your toddler might start getting antsy! Have them reach one arm up and over the head reaching as far as they can to the opposite side.  And then switch. Simple and effective. Make sure they are practicing both sides and not only bending with their dominant side.  

Staff Twist-  Have your child sit on the floor and reach both of their legs straight out in front of them.  Step the right foot in and then over the left leg (that is still stretched out on the floor). Return both legs to stretch out and repeat on the opposite side by stepping the left foot in and then over the right leg.  The child can also be prompted to twist in the opposite direction (when right foot is over left, child looks to the right). But that may require more direction and help from the caregiver.

3 Poses for 5 year olds

Windmills- The thing you’ll notice most when prompting your child to cross the midline is that it seems as if there’s an invisible wall separating the left from the right side of their body.  When practicing this pose your child will want to touch his right toes with his right hand. Try and direct him to move the hand across the body (bringing it to the opposite first before reaching down for the toes) without physically moving his hand for him. Have your child stand with feet spread wide apart. Prompt your child to reach their hands out to their sides (parallel to the floor) and then wiggle their right fingers down to touch their left toes.  Return back to stand with arms wide and wiggle left fingers down to right toes.

High Knee Standing twist- This one is going to challenge balance, so try to keep it light and giggly!  Once your child is standing on their feet, have them lift the right knee high (to a high knee position) to the waist or even a bit higher than the waistline.  Next, have them place their left hand on their knee. If the child wants an extra challenge, they can try twisting towards the right in order to look over their right shoulder! 

Eagle pose- Eagle pose is a difficult pose! But your child is more than up for the challenge!  Have them practice the Hug Yourself Pose in order to bring their arms into position...  
Option 1: Cross one foot over the other, while keeping both feet on the floor.
Option 2: Lift the right knee waist high, cross it over the left leg and bend the left knee into a squat position (this creates a shelf for the right leg to rest, crossed over the left).  Bring both feet back to the ground before trying the pose on the opposite side (lifting the left knee to the waistline).

Crossing the midline is challenging; it's a rigorous movement for their developing mind so it makes it the perfect pose to try when you need to “re-wire” ANY moment (antsy-ness, out of control energy, etc.)

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5 Yoga Poses to help CALM a toddler meltdown

Plow Pose- all the benefits of an inversion (upside down poses) while keeping the child grounded on the floor.  This pose calms and relaxes the nerves, brain and heart while still being more active than motionless.  It’s a unique shape which might be the simple change your toddler’s body needs.  

Clap it out- the best motion meditation; requiring just enough changes to draw in your toddler’s attention and refocus excessive energy.  Prompt your child to reach their hands out to their sides (parallel to the floor). Count to 3 and then clap hands together and rub.  Keeping rubbing until hands warm up and then place them on a body part (i.e. head). Take a deep breath in. And repeat as many times on as many body parts as needed.  I usually do it 3x: head, tummy, heart.  

Wish candle- a quieter meditation; bring hands in prayer position in front of the heart.  Prompt your child to think of something happy or offer them a happy thought. Take a deep breathe in and blow the happy thought out (blowing out the candle with their happy wish).     

Happy Baby- Once the child has grabbed their feet, I gently nudge them side to side. Rock them all the way over to one side then gently knocked them over to the other and let the giggles begin.

Hug your knees and rock- NEVER underestimate a good hug and rock.  For toddlers simply allow them to rock side to side or simply lay there hugging their knees to their bellies.  For older children, allow them to rock up and down (forward and backward) along their spine. It’s like the yoga version of a nice rock in a rocking chair. 

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3 Yoga Poses to help your 6 year old finish their homework

Boat Pose- Start a homework session with boat pose.  It’s a challenging pose that requires strength and balance by engaging the core muscles.  Sit on your bottom and lift both feet off the ground then both hands. Move your hands side to side like rowing a boat.  Before the pose remember to speak out loud “I can do hard things!” and then hold the pose for a single verse of “Row Row Row your boat”.  It will amp up and focus your child’s energy, setting them up with confidence to tackle all of their assignments!

Wish Candle- Hands come together at heart center while taking several deep breaths in and out.  This pose is perfect for calming down emotions after homework mistakes or frustrations.  After a full day in school, homework in general can be challenging because they are just tapped out! They want to rush and finish; rushing generally produces mistakes.  Wish candle is a great practice to remind the child to slow down. It can also be used as a refocusing tool between subjects. After one assignment is complete practice a few breaths before diving into the next.

Lion Pose- Celebrate each achievement (completing a particularly tough question or finishing up all the assignments) and Roar out your success!  Lion pose is so great for feeling empowered and confident. Sit on the heels of your feet and bring your hands up like lion claws. Stick your tongue out, take a deep breath, and ROAR the breath out. It’s loud and wild and a great way to celebrate getting all of that homework done.  It’ll remind your child of how much they are capable of achieving!

WANT MORE PEACEFUL MORNINGS? CHECK OUT MY FREE GOOD MORNING VIDEO AND START PRACTICING A NEW MORNING ROUTINE NOW!

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How to Fire UP Your Child's Brain

The heat in my part of the library has been broken. So it’s been cold. Like COLD for weeks… I’ve been sitting at my desk with the space heater blowing a wind burn onto my right cheek avoiding any task that takes me away from my one little circle of heat.

I haven’t really wanted to work. I haven’t really been creative. I just sit there drinking my tea as fast as I can before the refrigerator that is my room cools it down to iced tea… I’ve been blaming the cold for my lack of motivation, I actually think it’s my lack of movement that’s been slowing me down. As the room gets colder, I move less…. Ok not less… I DON’T MOVE AT ALL because I don’t want to be away from my space heater.

Movement and motivation/ learning are intrinsically linked. We know that exercise shapes the muscles, heart, lungs, and bones. But it also strengthens the keys areas of the brain (including the basal ganglia, cerebellum, and corpus callosum); it fuels the brain with oxygen AND feeds it neurotrophins that increase the number of connections between neurons. Basically movement/ exercise is essential to continual brain development and optimum health.

NO MOVEMENT= STAGNANT LEARNING AND LOSS OF MOTIVATION
because the brain isn’t getting what it needs to fire up!!
When your child practices yoga and gets moving, they are giving their brain its required fuel!

Children may not understand their desire to move around, wiggle, or express emotions during the learning process (at home or at school) but these are just components of the brain and the body processing together (which is REALLY what we want when learning).

Creating moments of movement in the home and classroom WILL improve behavior and academic performance. But you can’t play tag in the classroom and you can’t always make it to the park. My videos make it easy to add some movement and exercise into your child’s day. Perfect for smart screen classroom use and living rooms, the Bendy Bookworm videos are 10- 15 minutes of active physical participation. They’ll get the movement their brain is craving and you’ll get the benefits of a child’s brain well fed!! Just press play to give your child movement EVERYDAY!

Want a move-to-learn video to practice a morning routine? Watch my NEW FREE video “Good Morning”!

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Lunar New Year Story Time Craft

The Chinese New Year falls on Saturday, January 25, 2020. Do you have a Story Time planned? This New Year’s Dragon is a wonderfully fun and simple craft to add to your classroom or library’s Lunar New Year Celebration. Ideal for ages 6-9 years old to create independently but simple enough for younger children also, with the help of a care-giver.

Materials: 
Paper plate
Scissors 
Washable tempera paint or Crayons
Noisemakers
Hot glue gun
Googly eyes
Craft pom-poms

Step One: 
Make a hole in the center of the paper plate with scissors (use a pencil to round out the circle).  Then paint both the outside and inside of the paper plate.  (if short on time or with a younger group of children, I suggest just coloring both sides with crayons).

Step Two: 
After the paint has dried, glue the googly eyes to two bigger pom-poms before glue-ing them to the paper plate.  Glue two smaller pom-poms for nostrils.

Step Three: 
After the eyes and nostrils have dried, insert the noise maker through the hole.  

Pair your Chinese New Year Dragon with: 
“Nian, The Chinese New Year Dragon” by Virginia Loh- Hagan
“Ruby’s Chinese New Year” by Vickie Lee

HOW is Yoga good for your kid?

You know that yoga is good for your kid.  There’s all these benefits ...stuff about your kid being stronger emotionally, physically, and mentally.  But how?

Yoga’s benefits are subtle changes that happen almost imperceptibly.  It happened in my own practice which started out simply because it felt good.  But has become the root of my lifestyle; inspiring and guiding most of my daily experience.  I’ve watched it work in a similar way in the lives of the toddlers I practice with.

The program lit a fire in them and got them engaging with their bodies and minds.  Watch your child’s yoga practice through the lens of these benefits and you’ll see subtle but persistent evidence of their progress in these skills: 

Focus and Concentration are skills that can be taught and practiced.  Bendy Bookworm Yoga provides multiple opportunities to practice these skills.  By engaging intentional interaction with a story and guided poses to engage their bodies, children are learning that focus happens physically and mentally.  They are given cues and questions to keep them present. You may find your child focusing on picture books at home or in an activity independently for longer and longer stretches of time.

Physical Awareness and Body Control is a skill that will deepen with the practice and become an important relationship as they age.  Yoga teaches how to move in the body; to be deliberate and controlled moving a specific muscle or body part.  Over time this teaches an understanding of the specifics of your individual body; how your body feels and works.  You may find it easier to teach inappropriate behavior (hitting, biting, etc.) with their deeper understanding of their personal body and the control they practice in yoga.  

Encourages Play, Curiosity, and Investigation. As they age, society will begin to press them for results.  Unfortunately our education system measures a child’s ability by their success at tests and grading.  It challenges a child to remain playful, curious, and interested in learning. Yoga reminds them of learning through play; trying new poses and doing their best.  They fall, they giggle, they don’t come anywhere near close to the pose… and none of it matters but it all matters. They are in their bodies and trying. You may find your child trying new things with more curiosity, less attachment to success, and more interested in investigating!  Finding more play in the process.    

Improves Balance, Coordination, and Strength.  A child uses their own body to achieve a yoga pose; as they learn to hold their body for longer periods of time and in different postures, their muscles strengthen and their balance improves.  Over time this body awareness translates into daily experience. You may notice your child falling less (being able to catch their imbalance with more ease), standing taller, able to carry more… all signs their physical health is supporting their growth.  

Confidence is a necessity for a child to grow happy and healthy.  Yoga present the perfect opportunity for them to experience achievement: when practiced regularly the child will continue to get better.  They will notice their own progress as it happens in their body (getting into poses that had been challenging). They are also able to move at their own pace.  There are no “levels” or getting left behind. Yoga will always require practice of the same poses, but their interpretation of the pose will change. This provides children the chance to excel in non-competitive, non-comparison environment, without fear of failure.  No one fails in yoga.

Want to watch yoga lit up your child’s potential? Watch this FREE Good Morning video and move-to-learn TODAY!

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What Early Readers SHOULD be reading!

It’s so important to STOP MOVING YOUR EARLY READER INTO BOOKS written for older children.  Here’s Why-

The thing with early readers is that just because they can read the words DOESN’T mean they understand the content.  I see a lot of parents moving their children into middle-grade novels because the books for their child’s age are “too easy”.  I always try to slow them down. At some point your child WILL know all the words. But the reason Middle Grade novels are challenging isn’t because they are teaching a ton of new words.  It’s because they are:

1. Longer; they require a more mature attention- focus that can follow a much longer storyline.

2. Filled with MIDDLE GRADE CONTENT; they have emotional depth and conflict- your child may not be prepared to understand or handle the story line of a middle grade novel.  YOU MAY NOT WANT THEM READING THE MATERIAL IN A MIDDLE GRADE NOVEL.

Just because your child knows the words in older selections does not mean they are prepared for middle-grade novels.  Let them read MORE of age appropriate material. Or …

Want to give your early reader an age appropriate reading challenge?

Your early reader is a developing reader that is progressing faster than they are aging and the books for their age are “too easy”. You don’t want to move them into middle-grade novels, so what do you do? Give them NON-FICTION options.  Non-fiction books are contextually challenging. Because they are fact-driven rather than emotion-driven, they can be harder to follow and harder to engage with.  I often suggest going down a level with choosing a non-fiction book because of the comprehension challenges non fiction presents. So if re-reading or simply reading more still doesn’t feel like enough, start introducing non-fiction to the pile.  It will also give you a better understanding of the different levels in which we can measure a child’s true reading engagement. How do you promote advanced reading with your child?