Great article on imagery boosting performance. We use lots of guided imagery in kids yoga! Maybe they'll be in the Olympics twenty years from now! Guided imagery for kids can be found in my new book, Imaginations: Fun Relaxation Stories and Meditations for Kids
(Picture from TakePart.com)
Namaste,
Carolyn
Interview with another Yoga Teacher
I thought this was interesting to hear an interview with another children's yoga teacher, especially one working specifically with teens.
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A collection of read-aloud relaxation stories for kids accompanied by guided imagery that allows them to close their eyes, imagine, relax their bodies, and focus their minds.
This book provides stories to help children learn to calm their bodies and relax their minds. Teaching children the ability to consciously relax the body and clear the mind can also help address larger issues such as:
Wildly imaginative and full of whimsical joy, Imaginations: Fun Relaxation Stories and Meditations for Kids imparts to children a life lesson as important as any other they will ever learn: relaxation makes your body feel good, your mind calm, and it's fun!
Here's a preview of the pictures inside:
Purchase this gift for your children, grandchildren, neices, nephews, students and any other children in your life here.
I’ve recently discovered Pinterest. I’ve been spending more time on it than I’d like to admit, but it’s been giving me lots of creative inspiration for new things in the new year. Especially new fun things to teach in my kids yoga classes. I’ve been joking with my husband that I need a "Pintervention". He made me this:
I like that he "put a bird on it", as a nod to Portlandia's funny skit. Now I'm off to pin it...
Carolyn
People ask me all the time what they can get a child as a yoga-themed present. Because of this, I have a web boutique called RedYogaMat.com. It's a one-stop shopping experience where you can find:
Have fun shopping at http://www.redyogamat.com/shop/
The longer I teach yoga to kids, the more I look for fun ways for children to experiment and enjoy moving their bodies. Creative movement is such a wonderful way to make exercise and stretching fun! Here are some of my favorite creative movement activities (and although they aren't all exactly yoga poses, they are mind/body exercises):
A find that "creative" time is a good balance to poses that require some attention to alignment (Like the warrior poses and Triangle). Reward attention paid to alignment with some creative time afterwards... Or, use creative time to release some energy before moving into poses that require some stillness.
Have fun!
There are always days when it seems like the last thing the kids in my yoga class want to do is.... yoga! So this is when it takes patience and creativity to get the children's attention. These are some of my tricks that I use depending on what feels right in the moment:
I switch up these various tools to keep my students' attention (and my own sanity). Have fun and don't forget to keep your sense of humour!
It's fun to make a treat together in yoga kids classes. I found this fantastic idea on Blonde Designs:
http://blonde-designs.squarespace.com/blonde-designs-blog/2009/11/20/blessings-mix.html
Some of the things in it aren't the healthiest (Bugles...), but I like to teach nutrition with the idea of everything in moderation!
I can't wait to make some!
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/13/kids.yoga/index.html This is a great article and video on yoga for kids! check it out!
If I’ve learned anything in my teaching, it is to keep things fun and new (for myself and the kids!) I Nothing seems to spruce up a yoga class better than some new props! Sometimes I feel like I have to spend lots of money on expensive, fun props, but sometimes the cheapest really are the best… Here are some great, inexpensive props all under $20 and some for free:
1. Pom-poms -
Use them to have kids do breath work. Put them on the ground and blow them, or blow at them through a straw. My preschool kids go bananas for these!
2. Bubbles - Great breath play, and you can usually get a package of bubbles at a party supply store or at Oriental Trading Company.
3. Paper plates- A paper plate can be a steering wheel in Car Pose, a shell in Turtle Pose, a plate in Table Pose, a sun for sun salutations, a dish of milk in Cat Pose, a bowl of Dog Food in Dog Pose, and on and on… Decorate them with markers as a fun craft- make your own mandalas. For less environmental guilt, get them at Whole Foods where they are biodegradable or recycled.
4. Easter Egg Shakers-
Take large dried lima beans and put them in plastic easter eggs- viola! Musical egg shakers to dance and move with.
5. Tulle- A long streamer of tulle (sp?) is a fun dance streamer. Fun for music and creative movement.
6. Dry erase paperboard- Use these over and over, for drawing crafts, visual displays, card games, etc…
7. Music- Download a fun song or two off of I-Tunes, or get a CD that you know you will use all of the songs over and over again to get your money’s worth (like Kira Willey’s Dance for the Sun on redyogamat.com, or any of the Laurie Berkner CD’s)
8. Library books- lots of fun books can be found at the library, and they are free! Just remember to return them on time (I seem to have trouble with that…)
9. Nature- Go on a nature walk at the beach, in the woods, etc. Gather anything that you might want to use in a yoga class as a prop. Rocks are fun focuses for balances and can be used to create worry stones or inspirational paperweights (decorate with words like “peace”, “love”, “Namaste”.) Or simply gather some flowers, feathers, driftwood, etc that would make a nice altar for the class. Of course, be respectful with what you take and use… Also, a bouquet of gerbera daisies are one of my favorite props. They cost only a few bucks, and can be wonderful for gazing meditations, or a gift at the end of a yoga class for each child. There is something magical about yoga and fresh flowers combined!
10. Stickers- Print your own or find fun packs. Use them as rewards at the end of class, as focus points for balancing, or use them on hands and feet for right and left.
Have fun!
Namaste,
Carolyn Clarke www.sdyogakids.com www.redyogamat.com
This is the first summer that I'll be offering a summer yoga camp! I hope that your child can join us! My friend, Amanda Perez, a social worker specializing in children, and I will be co-leading the camp at Point Loma Assembly. We'll have lots of time to do yoga and fun summer activities. Call me if you have questions about it at 858-752-2950.
Monday July 27th - Friday July 31st, 2009 1pm-4pm Ages 5 and up Point Loma Assembly Building, 3035 Talbot St, San Diego Cost: $150 (includes all materials and a healthy snack!) Bring a yoga mat or a towel. Yoga, Breathing, and Relaxation! Games! Creative Movement! Theater Games! Journaling! Arts and Crafts! Cooking Healthy Snacks! Music!
I'm super excited to announce RedYogaMat.com, a new online children's boutique ! It's been a big project creating an e-commerce site, but we are up and running! Here are some of the great things you can find at RedYogaMat.com:For the young yogi:
1. Natural Rubber Kid-Sized Yoga Mats! 2. Relaxation Eye Pillows! 3. Fun Music for Yoga Practice! 4. The Yoga Garden Game! 5. YogaKids Silly to Calm DVD!
For your child's elementary or preschool teacher:
1. YogaKids Toolkit (Yoga flashcards for the classroom) 2. The Silly to Calm DVD for rainy days (ages 3-6) 3. Fun Music for the Classroom
I know that many people's holiday shopping budget's are tight, so each gift needs to be that much more meaningful and special. Kids are feeling the stress of the times right now, too, and yoga inspired toys combine play AND relaxation, two things great for kids! Why not give kids the gift of well-being through yoga!
So start shopping at www.redyogamat.com!
I haven't been posting a whole lot lately... Wanted to share what's been taking up my time and keeping me from writing on this blog...
Making Friends with A Tree Imagine that you are walking through a magic forest. Any tree you can imagine is here in this forest. Apple trees, maple trees, palm trees… Sycamore trees, banana trees, orange trees… Even imaginary trees are here in this magic forest, like candy trees and trees that grant wishes. Now pick any tree that you like, and imagine walking over to it. Touch its bark. How does it feel? Sniff its leaves. How do they smell? If it has fruit, take a bite and see what it tastes like. Now imagine yourself climbing its branches. When you reach the top look out and see all of the trees in this forest. Now climb back down and sleep in your tree’s shade. Take some time to enjoy being with your new tree buddy. Trees breathe out what we breathe in. So, take a deep breath full of oxygen, And then slowly let it out so the tree can breathe too.
So that's it in a nutshell... It's been an exciting time, and I've been writing lots and lots for my book and my new website, but I haven't been writing here. Didn't want you to feel neglected!!! I'll keep you posted on everything... Tomorrow I have a photo shoot for the book and website, so I'll try to post some pics soon!!!
Namaste,
Carolyn
In August and November of this year, San Diego had its first YogaKids Tools for Schools workshops! Education pioneers from across the county joined me at 3 hour workshops that showed how to use yoga in the classroom, and how to integrate yoga into their existing curriculum. It was inspiring to see how enthusiastic these teachers were to bring yoga back to their classroom, and everyone seemed to agree that stress relief is such a necessary part of school today...
The teachers went home with a Teacher's Manual with lesson plans to use in their classrooms, along with pose cards that have a picture of the pose along with classroom integration ideas. Many teachers said that they planned on punching holes in the cards and putting them on an O ring so they could easily use them throughout the day.
Future workshops are planned for 2009, so keep an eye out for registration information on http://www.sdyogakids.com/tools.html
I am a bit behind on getting all my posts up on my blog... Went on an amazing yoga retreat in September in Tuscany Italy. We were at Il Borghino villa, outside of Lucca. Surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. Lots of wonderful food, amazing wine, and of course fantastic yoga! I was really able to deepen my own practice and commit to daily yoga. It can always be a challenge to squeeze in my own yoga when I'm focusing on bringing yoga to others, but it is SO important. I was inspired to do some fun Italian themed yoga with my kiddos in class too: Pizza Pose (Sit on floor with your legs open like a wedge of pizza!)
Spaghetti Pose (Wiggle your body, make it loose and floppy like Spaghetti)
Leaning Tower of Pisa (Crescent Moon Pose!)
Making "Grapejuice"
Curl your body up in a ball- we're all bunches of grapes!
Now act like you plucking grapes from the vine- pile them up in the center of your mat
Grape smashing with your feet (Imagine that you are squeezing grapes with your toes- helps stretch out your toe muscles)
Duomo Pose- Lots of cities in Italy have a duomo- Extended Mountain Pose
City Wall Pose- Lots of Italian cities are walled, like Lucca! Join hands as you do various standing poses- Mountain, Tree Pose, Warrior 3, etc
Tree Pose- At the top of a tower in Lucca, there are trees growing!
Have fun with these, and Ciao!!!
Carolyn Clarke http://www.sdyogakids.com
I'm always looking for things to do with yoga mats once they are no longer in good enough shape to take to my classes. Here's a video someone made about making flip flops out of yoga mats!!! I can't wait to make my first pair. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAFoNy2-nF8
Happy Crafting!
Carolyn
I recently formed a group on Facebook called Yoga in the Classroom. If you are a member of Facebook, you should join it! It's in its infancy right now, but I plan to put regular info on the site about how to use yoga in the classroom, so it's a perfect spot if you are a teacher and you have a facebook account. If you don't, it's a free social networking site. You can join and then become members of groups where people have common interests (like yoga in the classroom!). You may also find some old friends that you have lost touch with... Here's the link to the site, and don't forget to join the Yoga in the Classroom group!
There’s something so appealing about the book’s title, How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and How to Listen So Kids Will Talk. As soon as I saw the book, I knew that it would be helpful during yoga teaching. I can’t count how many times it has felt like I was talking to the walls during class…
This book has several topic-based chapters filled with advice, scenarios, quick summaries, and even cartoons. I have found many of the recommendations helpful, so here are some bits and pieces from the book and how I have used them in class.
Dealing With Feelings
A basic premise of this book is that we need to accept and respect children’s feelings. This can be done by listening quietly or acknowledging their feelings with a word or two- “Oh, I see….” You can also do this by naming the feeling for them- “That sounds upsetting/frustrating/like it hurt your feelings etc.”. Another option is to give children their wishes in a fantasy world (“I wish I could take a magic wand and create another yoga mat, but since there aren’t enough for everyone, you’ll need to share!”) The book explains that all feelings can be accepted, but actions can be limited. “I understand how angry you are that she stole the Beanie Baby, but you need to tell her that in words, not with your hands.”
Engaging A Child’s Cooperation
I am always looking for ways to get children in class to cooperate. Although the book gives many ideas that are particularly helpful for parents, the suggestion that I have used most as a teacher is to say what you are asking for in a single word. I get tired of hearing my voice explaining to the same kid over and over that they need to participate with the rest of class, go back to their mat, etc… So now, when I feel like I have repeated myself over and over to Little Johnny, I say, “John… Mat…” and I point his mat. It’s been helpful, and it has kept me from going hoarse.
Punishment Alternatives
This book also has a chapter on punishment alternatives. My favorite is giving the child a choice. “You can do yoga poses with the rest of the class or you can sit out and Take 5. You decide.” Another suggestion is to state your behavior expectations. “I expect you to walk to a mat quietly and sit in Pretzel Pose until class starts.” This has worked well for me when I am talking to the whole group instead of a single child.
Encouraging Autonomy
I particularly enjoyed the section in this book about encouraging autonomy. We have so many opportunities to do this within a yoga class. It suggests letting children make choices. (“When you grow from your seed become a flower or a tree.”) It also recommends showing respect for the child’s struggle. (“Tree Pose can be hard to balance in. Try standing next to the wall and using your arm for balance if you need to…”). Another suggested way to encourage autonomy is to keep from rushing in to answer questions. So if Susie asks a question you can say, “Hmmm… What do you think?” This also gives you a little more time to think if it is a particularly challenging or uncomfortable question.
Giving Praise and Boosting Self-Esteem
How to Talk also gives some great recommendations on giving praise and boosting self-esteem. At times I feel like I robotically say, “Good job”, after every pose in a yoga class. I didn’t realize I how often I said it until I heard a little girl in one of my classes parroting back “Good job, good job.” The book suggests to describe instead of evaluate what you see. “I see long straight spines, arms on our sides, and I don’t hear any talking. Look at these strong Mountains.” Summing up good behavior with a word is also recommended. “John, you gave some of your marbles to Susie when she ran out. Now that’s what I call sharing! I’ve even starting teaching the yamas and niyamas with this technique. “Jane, you were happy with the purple flower even though your favorite color is pink. That’s what we call santosha in yoga.”
Freeing Children From Playing Roles
The book finishes with talking about how to get children to stop playing the roles in which they have been cast (by parents, teachers, etc.) I know that I’ve come to expect certain behavior from certain kids in my class, and they do tend to play the role of the troublemaker when I think that way. How To Talk gives lots of recommendations to help free kids from these roles. One way is to show the child a new picture of themselves- “You’ve been sitting quietly in Pretzel Pose after turning in your Beanie Baby.” Another is to put a child in a situation where they can see themselves differently- “John, can you collect all the ABC Yoga cards and put them in the basket?”. The book also suggests that you let children overhear something positive about them. I try to say something positive to a parent in front of the child if I have previously had some problems with them.
How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and How To Listen So Kids Will Talk is a book that I would highly recommend for a boost in classroom management ideas. I’ve pulled a few of my favorite tidbits, but I suggest picking up a copy at your local library and reading it from cover to cover. It’s a quick read, and I think you’ll end taking notes on the summary pages to easily remember some of the words of wisdom. You might even end up using it with adults… “Honey, the garbage!”
Last month, I held a Taste of YogaKids Workshop at San Diego State University. There were a variety of people there including yoga teachers, nutritionists, therapists, and school teachers. It was such a great group of people with diverse experiences, but the thing we all had in common was the joy in sharing yoga with children. The day started off with covering calming, quieting poses and breathing, and then moved into some more dynamic, energizing poses. We also talked about the YogaKids Elements, the part of the YogaKids program that truly sets it apart from other children's yoga programs. After a lunch break we covered ways to integrate music, language arts, science, visual arts, storytelling, and affirmations into a yoga session. Throughout the day we covered more than fifty yoga poses specifically geared for kids!
After a guided visualization, participants were sent off relaxed and empowered to share yoga with children.
I'm always so excited to teach these workshops and share all that I have learned since I began teaching yoga to kids in 2002. What is also so inspiring, is that I always learn from the participants as well. I love the idea sharing that happens!
If you are interested in attending a future workshop, let me know at carolyn@suntomoonyoga.com or keep checking www.sdyogakids.com for updates.
Namaste,
Carolyn Clarke www.sdyogakids.com
Found this interesting post on eco-yoga mats: http://www.idealbite.com/tiplibrary/archives/total_poser/
I plan on buying eco yoga mats the next time I make a bulk purchase, and I thought this was a great resource with a list of sources for eco yoga mats. When I do replace my mats, I don't want to just toss them, and it has a great link to ideas for reusing old yoga mats. The best idea for teaching was to cut up old yoga mats to make shapes and letters for kids games or stamps. You can use cookie cutters and an xacto knife, or just freehand it! For older kids, they could make their own stamps.
Here's a link to all sorts of cookie cutters to choose from:
http://www.cookiecutter.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=88
Have fun!
Carolyn
www.sdyogakids.com
