Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Row Your Boat PoseHave you ever rowed a boat? If not, give it a try right now! Rowing takes strength and coordination. You use your tummy, back, arm and shoulder muscles. Your body works hard, yet the oars just dip gently in the water without making too many waves. Put on your life jacket and get ready for a ride!

 

Instructions

  1. Begin in an L position. Place both hands alongside of your hips. Press them to the floor. Lengthen the arms and spine.
  2. Lean back. Lift your legs upward. Balance on your sit bones. Extend your arms forward. Palms face each other. Breathe strongly.
  3. Row your arms forward. Sing a verse of Row Your Boat.
  4. Row backwards. Repeat the verse.
  5. To rest, separate the legs slightly. Bend forward at the hips. Take a few deep breaths to renew. Can you row your boat forward and back 2 more times?

 

Note to Parents and Teachers

In the beginning, the back and stomach muscles might feel very weak. Over time, rowing your boat will strengthen the stomach and back muscles, as well as tone the organs of the intestines, kidneys and liver. You will notice when you sing and row, you can actually be in the pose longer than when you stay stationary without singing.

 

Activity Ideas for Home and Classroom

Musical Musings
Sing Row Your Boat. Do as many verses as you can while your practice the pose. If there are 2 or more rowers, come in at different intervals.

Here are the lyrics:
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream.

If you know this song in other languages, sing it.

Visual Vignettes
Make boats with origami paper. Place them on your tummy as you row. You can use a toy boat too.

We All Win/Laughing Language
Sit next to one another. Hold hands. Row together in unison. Synchronize your breath. Go on a boating adventure. Take turns leading the travels.

For example:
We’re in Alaska. The waters are very cold. The waves are big. Our boat is strong and we have life jackets. We see seals and polar bears and whales.

 

 

What Makes Us Different

YogaKids in Roller Coaster Pose

We often get the question, “What makes YogaKids different?” After all, there are a lot of kids yoga training programs out there — so it makes sense to ask the question.

One of the tenets of our YogaKids philosophy is We All Win. As such, we honor every individual working to bring the gifts of mindfulness and yoga to children. The more people joining in this important mission, the more children we can collectively support, uplift, and empower.

Part of what makes YogaKids unique is that we are the original kids yoga training program. Marsha Wenig founded YogaKids 30 years ago and has trained many of the YogaKids grads who have gone on to create their own kids yoga programs [e.g. Next Generation Yoga, Global Family Yoga, Karma Kids Yoga, Grounded Kids Yoga, etc.].

YogaKids does not take any of the money a Certified YogaKids Teacher (CYKT) makes from their classes and workshops. We do not have a franchise because our trainings give teachers the tools and support needed to empower the children of our world through mindfulness and yoga — but we respect that every teacher is going to use these tools in a unique way. We honor this natural passing down of wisdom and experience, and we celebrate the collaboration. As such, you will see many newer programs being created with YogaKids at their roots.

YogaKids is educationally-based. Marsha developed the YogaKids program based on the work of educational theorists Maria Montessori and Howard Gardner. At YogaKids, we see the Whole Child. We cultivate and nurture a world where EVERY child of EVERY ability is recognized, honored, and celebrated. In addition, YogaKids has been endorsed by Dr. Deepak Chopra, Dr. Andrew Weil, & Jean Houston, Ph.D. Our videos and products have been recognized three times by the Parents’ Choice Awards.

When you become a YogaKids Teacher, you join a global community working to spread education, health, compassion, understanding, empowerment, and peace around the world. You have the collective support of this community and the ongoing resources of an entire YogaKids behind-the-scenes team to coach you and guide you every step of the way. Given the strength of our YogaKids community, you may find it the most helpful to hear the answer to your question directly from our YogaKids graduates:

* Vickey Foster holds a Masters in Education and teaches at a school for children with emotional and behavioral disorders: www.facebook.com/YogaKids/videos/10156138920021738

* A collection of words from YogaKids graduates: www.facebook.com/YogaKids/videos/10154363805986738\

* Written words from YogaKids graduates: yogakids.com/testimonials

If you have any additional questions or want to chat directly with one of our YogaKids Teachers or YogaKids Trainers, please let us know and we’d be happy to put you in touch.

Wishing you a day filled with much beauty and peace! 


Begin your YogaKids journey today!

Dragon Breath

Dragons are said to breathe fire, and so can you (sort of) when you do this pose.

Instructions

  1. Sit comfortably in any of the seated postures.
  2. Place your hands on your belly.
  3. Breathe out through your nose with a strong snort as you gently push your belly back towards your spine.
  4. Focus on your breath as it goes out. A little bit of air will naturally sneak into your nose after each outward dragon breath, so you don’t need to think about inhaling, it will happen naturally.
  5. Do the Dragon Breath 3-6 times. Then breathe in and out normally.
  6. Repeat.
  7. Add more dragon breaths and rounds as you feel comfortable. You will notice that your dragon breath will get stronger and longer with practice.

 

Notes for Parents and Teachers

This breathing pose is a really good belly toner. It’s also excellent for aiding your child’s elimination system, especially for constipation. Only do this breath on an empty stomach. If you get lightheaded, it’s just because you’re getting more oxygen than you’re used to. If this happens, breathe in and out normally and rest.

 

Activity Ideas for Home or Classroom

Awesome Anatomy
Our intestines absorb nutritious elements from our food into our bodies. Dragon Breath helps us clean the walls of the intestines. It loosens undigested particles that can clog things up, and helps move them out. The intestines are about 20 feet long, but they are coiled up so they can fit inside our bodies.

Musical Musings
As you snort in the Dragon Breath use different rhythms. Snort fast. Snort slow. In music terms, staccato means faster. Adagio means slower. Mix up your adagio and staccato dragon breaths — make a pattern and play your belly like a musical instrument.

Laughing Language
The yoga word “prana” means energy, vitality, life-force. When you practice breaths like the dragon, which make you feel awake and alive, that is the prana. Can you whisper the word “prana” as you exhale and snap your belly back in the Dragon Breath?

 

 

Tarzan’s Thymus Tap

child doing tarzan poseGo ape! Pound your chest. Howl like a monkey. Stay happy, healthy and energized with this fun YogaKids pose.

 

Pose Instructions

  1. Stand in mountain or sit in lotus or on your knees. (This pose can be done in many positions.)
  2. Make two fists and pound your chest. Pound and tap under your arms too.
  3. Howl and yowl and yodel.

 

Note for Parents and Teachers

When you or your child feel tired or cranky (yes, of course grown-ups get cranky too), this pose will stimulate the thymus gland and send a steady flow of oxygenated blood through the carotid arteries to the brain. It’s a great pick-me-up and the whole family will feel better.

 

Activity Ideas for Home or Classroom

Awesome Anatomy
Feel the collar bone (clavicle) that runs between the shoulders at the front of your chest. From the center of the clavicle draw a line down your chest. This is your breast bone (sternum). Run the fingers along your ribs. These are the bones in your upper body.

We all Win
Play the game we call Monkey Me – Monkey You.

  1. Face one another.
  2. Make faces and sounds for your partner to mimic.
  3. Take turns being the leader.

Nutrition Notes
Bananas are one of monkeys’ favorite foods and children love them too. They are rich in potassium, help to balance the sodium (salt) in our bodies and reduce stress. Bananas are a great substitute for cookies and other high fat sweets. Bananas also have lots of natural fruit sugars that help reduce those late afternoon sugar cravings.

Green leafy vegetables support the Tarzan Thymus Tap blood flowing to your brain. Broccoli, kale, spinach, collards, mustard greens, and broccoli rabe also strengthen the blood and the respiratory system. Greens are high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and vitamins A, C, E and K. They are filled with fiber, folic acid ,many micronutrients and phytochemicals.Eat your greens, tap away stress, and become a powerhouse of health. YES!

 

 

Take 5

“Take 5” is an expression that means “take a short break.” Take 5 breath gives you a quick rest whenever you  need it. If you get angry, tired, nervous or frustrated — just breathe and Take 5. Before tests or while you’re studying, Take 5 breath will help you focus and concentrate. This pose can be done anywhere, at any time. Breathe in for 5 seconds and breathe out for 5 seconds.

Instructions

  1. Make a fist and breathe in through your nose with an inhalation. Have someone count out loud for your or count it out in your mind 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
  2. Next, put up your hand with 5 fingers spread wide.
  3. Breathe out through your nose with an exhalation. Exhale and count: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Put one finger at a time down with each count– thumb (5), index finger (4), middle (3), ring (2), pinkie (1).
  4. Repeat 1 to 3 times.

 

Activity Ideas for Home and Classroom

Family Benefits
Take 5 with each other and make it a family practice. You can use it anywhere: In the car, at the dinner table, when tiredness or crankiness sets in for anyone in your family. Children love to remind their parents to Take 5 when they see them stressed or anxious. When things get wild just signal each other with an outstretched hand. Together you´ll learn to Take 5 automatically!!

Math Medley
Increase your breath in multiples of 5. Count 5, 10, 15, 20. Count backwards 20, 15, 10, 5, With practice, your breath span will naturally increase.

Quiet Quests
Begin your day with Take 5. Use it to help you fall asleep or anytime in between: at the dinner table, in the car, standing or sitting, anywhere-anytime.

Affirmations

  • “When I get upset, I take 5.”
  • “When I get frustrated, I take 5.”
  • “Before a test, I take 5 to quiet my brain and focus my mind.”
  • “I take 5 and feel calm.”

The Gift that Keeps Giving

Certified YogaKids Teacher Karen Martin with her Daughter

With ten minutes to go, I take a final glance at the soft blanket and pillow lying on the yoga mat in the uncluttered, “walkable” part of the room. This peaceful preparation is in each of my kids’ bedrooms, ready for their arrival off the school bus. Once home, my teens will get “down time” in this space, listening via ear buds to either their own music or silence (what I would call “blissful quiet”). This creative solution to after school stress? The result of my becoming a YogaKids instructor and my realization that teens (especially my teens) really, really need this yoga break!

Since becoming a CYKT, I have shared yoga with a variety of age groups. My teen teaching experiences always linger on my mind long after the class is over. They have a profound effect on me. I think it is because I identify with many of these kids who stumble through this awkward stage just as I did. And my own teens? Outwardly, they appear confident and controlled. Inside? Not so much. They can be just the opposite: conflicted, unsure, moody, and impulsive.

I felt gawky and out of place many times during my teen years. Figuring out who I was and what I wanted to be was tough. I wanted to fit in, yet didn’t wish to compromise my gradually emerging inner voice. I wanted to “feel comfortable in my own skin” but not at the expense of appearing too “different”. Oftentimes I wish I had been introduced to yoga back then, knowing now how grounding and self-affirming this practice can be.

There is a strong component of self-discovery and self-care with yoga. Teens can begin to recognize and listen to their inner voice and learn how it can steady them on rocky paths. Poses truly are pathways where each step in learning a posture can build confidence. Teens learn to modify asanas in regards to their own body’s response. They feel capable and self-assured.

Noticing the breath’s change in intensity and rhythm can provide more feedback to teens as to how they are feeling. Awareness of the breath can also open up possibilities allowing regulation in a positive way. Taking the time to notice the breath; to stop, pause, and think can help bring a moment of clarity to any situation, slowing impulsive responses.

With better understanding of themselves, teens can interact with greater empathy towards others. The realization that we all have different abilities, yet can partner pose successfully with others opens up more opportunities for cooperation and communication.

This post-school “Mini-Savasana” for my own teens is an important and highly anticipated part of our day. Relaxation offers a safe place for stillness, reflection and rest. Upon arising, they feel refreshed and better able to concentrate on homework and other activities. I hope they always continue to see yoga as a sweet and sustaining part of life — it will be the best gift I’ve ever given them.

 

Sit and Twist

Sit and Twist is a fun partner pose, so find a friend and get twistin’!

Instructions

  1. Sit cross-legged in front of your partner with your knees touching.
  2. Put your right arm behind your back, reach out with your left hand and grab your partner’s right hand. Breathe in and sit up tall.
  3. Breathe out, turn away from your partner, twist your spine, and look over your right shoulder.
  4. When you twist, rotate your spine gradually from the tip of your tail to the top of your head. Take your time and fee the stretch. Inhale as you lengthen your spine and exhale as you twist.
  5. Sit and twist for 5 breaths. Change sides.

 

Activity Ideas for Home or Classroom

We All Win
Have your students/children help each other twist and lengthen to their “edge.’ In yoga, going to the “edge’ means that you practice the pose the best you can. Tell your students/children not to force the pose or strain their muscles, but to keep breathing and moving as deeply as they can. Have the students guide each other with gentle communication.

Body Benefits
Twists are beneficial in so many ways. They massage the internal organs and glands as well as energize the spine, hips, open the heart and release tension in the neck and head.

Laughing Language
Play with opposite words as you twist. For example, one person would say “dark.” Your partner says “light.” The choices are endless. Have fun. Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Silly/Serious
  • Happy/Sad
  • Sun/Moon
  • Morning/Night
  • Wet/Dry

Nutrition Tip
Just as you can achieve an even deeper twist with a partner, some foods help digestion when eaten together and yet other foods can give you an upset stomach or cause discomfort like gas and belching when eaten together.

Here are some examples of foods that are great food combinations for your body when eaten together and other combinations that make digestion more difficult.

Easy to digest

  • Grains with vegetables
  • Pasta with vegetables
  • Beans with vegetables
  • Fish with vegetables
  • Cooked/Raw fruit eaten alone
  • Melons eaten alone

Difficult to digest

  • Fruit or sweets with beans
  • Fruit with vegetables
  • Fruit with grain, dairy or meat
  • Grain with dairy or meat
  • Melons with anything

 

Snow Salutation

A sun salutation in yoga is a sequence of poses, linked together with your breath. They are a wonderful way to wake up in the morning, and celebrate the sun and how it helps give life to all living things. This winter, you can do a new version of this — a SNOW SALUTATION — and offer up some gratitude to this magical, festive season.

  1. Reach your arms up high and grab some snowflakes.
  2. Bend forward at your waist and pat the snow on the ground.
  3. Lift half way up to look up at the snow falling.
  4. Jump your feet backwards like a snowshoe rabbit. Keep your elbows hugging next to your ribs, and slowly lower your body down to the soft fluffy snow.
  5. Press your mittens into the snow and look up (Snake). Catch some snowflakes with your tongue.
  6. Roll over on to your back and make a snow angel.
  7. Roll back to your belly and take a little rest in Child’s Pose. You are a little mouse in the snow.
  8. Lift your bum up and press down. Now you’re a wolf in the snow (Down Diggety Doggie Down). Howl! 
  9. Bend your knees, look at your hands and jump forward like a snowshoe rabbit.
  10. Pat the snow on the ground.
  11. Stand up, and reach up for some more snowflakes with your mittens.
  12. Look up! Stick out your tongue and catch some!
  13. Bring your hands to your heart center in Namaste pose.
  14. Repeat!

Idea by: Certified YogaKids Teacher Kathleen Abell

Bringing Meditation into Education

Happy Child in Spring Field

“The quieter you become, the more you can hear.” – Ram Dass

Preparing fertile ground for learning can often get overlooked due to time constraints in reaching curriculum standards. But this preparation is a vital part of the process that can make reaching those standards much easier for students and teachers alike. Fortunately, the world appears to be waking up to this idea — as meditation programs become more and more prevalent in schools across the land.

Young lives – like ALL our lives — are noisy, filled with instructions, expectations, and modern distractions. Never-ending voices (both external and internal) create a constant stream of input, like a broken faucet that just won’t shut off. Meditation is the valve that stops the gushing water – and by doing so, sets the stage for optimal learning.

The purpose of meditation is often described as “quieting your mind” – and this can be a simple, effective definition for explaining meditation practice to children: “We’re quieting your mind before learning.” Other analogies can be useful as well: it’s like setting the table before dinner, or stretching your leg muscles before a vigorous run, or de-cluttering your desk before doing homework. Whatever language you choose, the idea remains the same: meditation becomes a precursor for personal growth.

The Space Between Our Primal Needs and Self-Actualization

Childhood development theorist Abraham Maslow suggested that we all have a “hierarchy of needs” – and that we must first meet our basic physiological needs (safety, shelter, food) before we can even think about goals of self-actualization (i.e. thinking and learning).

According to Maslow, our physiological needs are not the only barriers to learning. Between the primal needs and the self-actualization goals exist even more needs that must be met prior to reaching our creative potential. These are defined as social needs (feelings of belonging) and esteem needs (feelings of worthiness). And this is where meditation comes in, providing a proven strategy for nurturing self-love and self-acceptance.

While Maslow’s theory has been criticized for establishing a definitive ranking of human needs (where one does not truly exist), his ideas nevertheless create a useful framework for understanding the relationships between our perception of reality and our abilities. In other words, a child with low self-esteem is still capable of learning challenging material. But a child with high self-esteem will have an easier time of it. After all, children learn best when they believe in their ability to actually do so.

The Science of Meditation

The benefits of meditation have been backed-up by science. Students who practice meditation experience increased focus and creativity, a reduction in stress and anxiety, greater self-esteem and self-love, and improved academic achievement and overall health. Setting the stage for learning with meditation practice allows children the space and freedom to know their inherent worth. And nothing breeds success quite like the expectation of success.


Learn more about the YogaKids program here.

Birthday Candle Series

Birthday Candle SeriesCelebrate your strength and courage every day with this fun and empowering series. Sing. Make a wish. Blow out the candles.

Pose Instructions

Step 1 (Rock ‘n Roll)

  1. Sit cross-legged.
  2. Take hold of your toes from the outer side of your knees.
  3. Breathe in and lift up your chest.Breathe out and tuck in your chin.
  4. Breathe in and out as you round your back and roll backward. Extend your crossed legs over your head.
  5. Roll forward, tuck your legs, and sit up again. Do this 2 or 3 times to loosen up your spine, back, and legs.
  6. Re-cross your legs the other way, then roll another 2 or 3 times. (Note: If crossing your legs is too challenging, I suggest you just tuck like a ball with your knees into your chest and roll back and forth.)

Step 2 (Plough)

  1. Roll backward. Let go of your toes, bend your elbows, and use your hands to support and lift your back.
  2. Straighten your legs and lift them past your head until your bent toes touch the floor. Squeeze your shoulders and elbows together. Breathe in and out for 30 to 60 seconds. (To relax in this pose, bend your knees and rest them on the floor on either side of the head.)
  3. Continue to let your breath flow in and out.

Step 3 (Birthday Candle)

  1. Lift the legs straight up towards the ceiling. Rest your weight on your shoulder blades. (Your weight should be on your shoulders, not on your neck.) Lift your chest.
  2. Your feet are the candle flames. Wiggle your toes to make the flames flicker.
  3. Tuck your chin to keep your neck relaxed.
  4. Sing “Happy Birthday.”
  5. Take a breath in and blow out your candles.
  6. Rest your hands at the back of your knees.

Note to Parents and Teachers

This might be a difficult pose series for younger children. Encourage them to do their personal best without any sense of perfection or “getting it exactly” right. Remember, they are just beginning. Encouragement, praise and patience is their best teacher.

 

Activity Ideas for Home or Classroom

Body Benefits/Awesome Anatomy
This child friendly version of the shoulder stand brings many gifts:

  • blood flow and energy to the brain
  • flexibility to the spine
  • relief for the valves of the legs; energizing the glands of the body.

Musical Musings
Sing the Happy Birthday song in this pose. Learn it in Spanish, “Cumpleanos Feliz.” Find other Birthday song versions and share them with your children.

Nutrition Tip
Create a sugar free Birthday Party. Refined white sugar is highly addictive. Over-consumption may lead to hypoglycemia and type 2 Diabetes, as well as drastic mood and activity swings. Try using these naturally occurring sweeteners* instead:

  • barley malt
  • brown rice sugar
  • date sugar, or even better, whole skinned and blended dates (tastes like brown sugar!
  • honey
  • maple sugar
  • molasses
  • stevia

Try this ice cream alternative!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups organic plain yogurt
  • 1 bag frozen organic strawberries
  • dash of vanilla
    1 tablespoon honey or 1 pack of powdered Stevia

For a dairy-free alternative, try using full-fat coconut cream. 

Directions

  1. Place in the food processor and puree.
  2. Put puree in the freezer for at least an hour and serve like ice cream, or just drink this combination right away as a smoothie.