Review of Luke's Beach Day
In case you missed it on Amazon.com, here's what I had to say about Luke's Beach Day by Giselle Shardlow:
"Luke's Beach Day, by Giselle Shardlow at KidsYogaStories.com, teaches children's yoga and environmentalism with a sweet story and easy-to-follow yoga pose pictures on each page.
The story follows Luke and his friends at the beach, discovering sea life, boats, and litter! Luke is bothered by the trash and makes sure to put it all in the garbage can, setting a good example and teaching readers to do the same. The book includes a list of all of the poses used in the book, including Kangaroo pose (fun!) and Sun Salutations. There is also a list of tips that are helpful for people who have never done yoga with kids (it is definitely different than doing yoga with adults!).
I love all the books from Kids Yoga Stories, especially this one that has the corresponding poses listed on each page. I love that as I read a story to my classes, the kids automatically go into the poses that they see in the top corner of the pages. It is much easier than trying to hold a book and to demonstrate a yoga pose at the same time.
Giselle Shardlow has created another invaluable resource for parents, teachers, and kids yoga instructors wishing to share yoga in a fun, healthy, and eco-friendly way."
I think it's a great book for kids yoga classes (enter the giveaway below!), so I've put together a lesson plan using it (this lesson plan was originally created for an OMazing Kids lesson plan constest last year). The lesson plan (below) includes a story from Imaginations: Fun Relaxation Stories and Meditations for Kids, too!
A Relaxing Day at the Beach Lesson Plan
Suggested materials –
Imaginations: Fun Relaxation Stories and Meditations for Kids book by Carolyn Clarke
Luke’s Beach Day by Giselle Shardlow
Shell collection displayed inside of yoga mat circle
Cardboard laminated suns
Hobermann Sphere
Ocean wave music
Printed pictures of sand sculptures chosen from:
Cat http://tinyurl.com/9tujuck
Cow http://tinyurl.com/8qmh4sc
Dog http://tinyurl.com/9crw6n8
Tree http://tinyurl.com/8ed6ua4
Sequence of Poses:
Breathing with the Hoberman Sphere
Rub Palms together and feel your own energy
Shell Meditation (Pass around shells and listen to the sound of the ocean)
Shoulder Rolls
Neck stretches (move head like yes and no)
Arms circles
Sand sculptures (Show pictures of sand sculptures and then mimic them with poses)
Cat Pose
Cow Pose
Dog Pose
Tree Pose
Dig a Hole (Standing Forward Bend to Extended Mountain with an imaginary shovel)
Jump the waves (Imagine you are jumping over waves staying on your yoga mat or have two kids hold the ends of a long piece of blue material for kids to jump over)
Sun Salutations
Beach ball game (Pass the ball around the circle with your arms, then lying down with your feet.)
Read Luke’s Beach Day and act out the story with the included yoga poses
Starfish Stretches (Arms, legs, and head are starfish arms. Sit down, open legs in a V. Stretch your arms overhead to one side, then the other side, stretch forward, and then stretch backwards until you are lying on your back.)
Kelp Forest (Lying back, arms and legs up in the air. Sway arms and legs slowly with the current. )
Cool-down Flow
Knees to Chest, Legs Up, Dead Bug/Happy Baby, Savasana/Relaxation Pose
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (tighten and relax each body part) followed by this story from Imaginations: Fun Relaxation Stories and Meditations for Kids:
A Day at the Beach
Imagine you are walking on the beach.
Feel the sand between your toes.
Is it wet or dry?
When you find your perfect spot, spread out your towel and lie down in the sand.
Feel the warm sun on your skin and a cool, refreshing breeze.
Listen to the waves crashing on the shore…
Children playing…
Seagulls singing…
And people laughing.
Listen to the sound of the waves.
A wave comes into shore, and then the wave moves back into the ocean.
Now, put your hand on your belly.
Feel it rise up when you take in a breath, and feel it fall down when you let out a breath.
Up and down, in and out.
Just like the waves in the ocean…
Enjoy lying here feeling your body relaxed at the beach.
© 2012 Carolyn Clarke from Imaginations: Fun Relaxation Stories and Meditations for Kids
Activities:
Choose any of the beach themed activities from the Pinterest board for A Day at the Beach
http://pinterest.com/relaxationstory/a-day-at-the-beach/
Enter the Giveaway
So now you are probably REALLY excited to have a copy of Luke's Beach Day of your own!
Enter the giveaway by Friday, August 2nd, 2013 at midnight PST to win a copy of Luke’s Beach Day and Imaginations: Fun Relaxation Stories and Meditations for Kids.
Rules of Participation:
- Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address.
- Employees or family members of Bambino Yoga are not eligible.
- Comments submitted via Rafflecopter may be copied & pasted into the blog posts on KidsYoga101.com, ImaginationsForKids.com, or Bambino Yoga.com.
- Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
- The winner will be chosen via a drawing of valid entries on Monday August 5, 2013.
- The winner will receive Imaginations: Fun Relaxation Stories and Meditations for Kids and Luke’s Beach Day. Luke’s Beach Day will be shipped separately by Kids Yoga Stories.
- The winners will be notified via e-mail, will be posted on the blog posts & will be posted on the ImaginationsForKids/Bambino Yoga Facebook page.
- Legal Info:This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook or Rafflecopter. You are providing your information to Bambino Yoga, not to Facebook. The information you provide will only be used for our internal purposes in relation to the administration of the giveaway. Your information will NOT be sold to any outside parties. Indemnification/Hold Harmless: By participating, entrants agree: (a) to the decisions of Bambino Yoga which shall be final in all respects; (b) to release, discharge, and hold harmless Bambino Yoga and its respective representatives and agents from all liability, injuries, losses or damages of any kind to persons or property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the acceptance, possession, misuse or use of a prize, or from participation in and/or entry into the Contest or any Contest-related activity and for acceptance, delivery, or use of any prize; (c) that the foregoing parties have neither made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation or guaranty, expressed or implied, in fact or in law, relating to any prize.
Namaste,
Carolyn
Carolyn Clarke
www.imaginationsforkids.com
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