MATERIALS
- Blank sunshine coloring sheets
- Markers, crayons
- Stuffed animals/Breathing buddies
- The Yoga Garden Game
- Hula-hoops
- Marbles
- Fake flower decorations (optional)
SHORT DESCRIPTION/TOPIC
Students will have fun in the sun this class! With uplifting sun music, a sun salutation, and interactively playing in our yoga garden.
DISCUSSION POINTS
- Sun, seasons, how plants grow, photosynthesis
- Patterns (in explaining sun salutations) for 2-6 age group
CONNECTING CIRCLE
Students begin by lying down with legs spread in a V with feet touching, connecting around the circle with arms overhead. Students make a sun, each representing bright rays of… SUNSHINE! Bridge of Diamonds
POSES AS PATHWAYS TO LEARNING
Transformer Series/Sun Salutation – Sun salutations are poses linked together to form a pattern. Have student share examples of patterns. Show patters perhaps with colorful flowers or other items. The sun is very healthy for us! It gives us Vitamin D which helps prevent many diseases including: Type 1 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. The sun also gives us energy and happiness! Math Medley, Body Benefits, Ecological Echoes, Musical Musings
Play Reach for the Sun (YogaKids Fitness Fun Tunes) and do the following flow:
- Mountain
- Reach for the Sun (4 or 5 rounds)
- Exhale into Rag Doll
- Inhale/Step back into Down Diggety Doggy Down
- Exhale into Lizard
- Inhale into Cobra/Snake
- Exhale onto all fours
- Inhale into Moo and Meow
- Exhale into Moo and Meow
- Inhale/Push up into Down Diggety Doggy Down
- Exhale/Walk the dog up to Mountain, ready to repeat!
Mountain – I am strong, I am stable. The sun is shining bright. What could grow? Affirmations, Ecological Echoes
Acorn to Tree – Trees grow as a result of sun and water. This is called photosynthesis, from the Greek phōs, “light”, and synthesis, “putting together”. Trees convert light energy from the sun into chemical energy that can be later released to fuel the trees activities (energy transformation). Ecological Echoes
Root and Rise – Our roots keep us connected to the earth, and grounded – just like a tree. Feel your roots, and reach your branches tall towards the clouds and the sun. Ecological Echoes, Bridge of Diamonds
Walking with My Animal Hat – Play Walking on Sunshine or other inspirational music. This pose helps us improve our balance, posture, and concentration. Body Benefits, Musical Musings
Circle of Friendship Flowers –What type of flower are you (for older group) or what color is your flower (for younger group)? We All Win
Marble Toes – Plant seeds in the yoga garden. Set up hula-hoops around the room as the flowerbeds. Play Hula Hoops by Omi. We All Win, Musical Musings
Play The Yoga Garden Game (if time allows). We All Win
VISUAL VIGNETTES
Have the students color sun coloring pages, or have students create their own.QUIET QUEST
QUIET QUESTS
Savasana and Peace Breath – Close your eyes. Relax your body. Feel how comfortable it is to relax your body on the comfort of your own mat, or your wonderful sunshine that you walked on today. Soak up the sunshine, soak up those rays, and enjoy the heat, energy, life and love the sun provides you. Breathe your belly up and down. Take a deep breath in, and breathe out and whisper peace. As you say peace, feel all the peace that fills your body. Sense all the peace that is filling the room. Send peace to the animals, the tress, the plants, and the beautiful flowers in our world. Send peace to your family and friends and everyone you love. Always remember to enjoy the peace and sunshine in your life.
CLOSING CIRCLE
Re-create the connecting circle sunshine created at the beginning of class. This time, ask students to shine their rays even brighter, and reach-reach-reach their arms all the way to the back of their mats.
Namaste