BREATH WORK & CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: Breath Work is one of the most important skills and limbs of Yoga. "Teaching children to focus on and control breathing can help them become less reactive and more reflective when feeling anxious or stressed." This class we use extended breathing technique whereby we inhale for 3 counts and exhale for 4 counts.
The Theme for this term is using our breath to inhale what serves us well and using our breath to exhale what does not serve us. We call it Breathing in the Big Me and Breathing Out the Little Me.
To date we have completed a reflection on what are those positive statements we can say to ourselves that help us feel better in a situation. Example, I am strong when doing the yoga class or any other activity that challenges our strength.
ASANAS/POSES: Students have been practicing various yoga poses while also developing their visualization skills as we journey to Australia. Last class we took a short trip to the Great Barrier Reef and explored some beautiful aquatic life as we transitioned through our poses. This is a wonderful way to help kids develop their imagination, build knowledge about another country all while doing yoga poses!
STRENGTH: We will be working on building strength in our shoulders and upper body over the next few classes. I have been guiding the children though an L shaped handstand against the wall, so we can safely build strength and endurance. Be sure to ask them what count they are currently working towards.
RELAXATION: This is another branch of Yoga that we practice every class and can be quite challenging for many children. We have been using breathing buddies to help us relax our minds and bodies at the end of every class.
MINDFULNESS: We have been working on setting a foundation for developing our mindful listening skills. "Research suggests that children become more focused and responsive to their enviornment by participating in mindful listening activities. "
Interesting Read:
4 Exercises to Teach Your Kids about Mindfulness and Compassion
http://www.chopra.com/articles/4-exercises-to-teach-your-kids-about-mindfulness-and-compassion
*Source: Mind-Up Curriculum, Pre K-2.
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