Yoga & Mindfulness Resources

Yoga and Mindfulness

Yoga and mindfulness have been shown to:

YOGA AT HOME:

 Books and resources available for purchase:

5 FRIENDLY BREATHING EXERCISES TO BRING CALM AND FOCUS TO YOUR STUDENT'S BUSY LIFE:

#1: LOVING KINDNESS BREATH

Choose a standing or comfortable upright position such as sitting in a chair, sitting cross-legged, or sitting on your heels. Close your eyes if that is comfortable and begin to tune in to the sound of your breathing. Take a deep breath in then slowly exhale for five counts. On your next exhale, think of filling yourself with love. Imagine the color red enveloping your body. On the next exhale, think of sending love and kindness to someone close to you. Then as you exhale, send loving kindness to someone you are having a difficult relationship with at the moment. Then send love and kindness out to the world around you: the animals, the trees, your neighbors, and your city. Lastly, send out love and kindness to the world. Finish your loving kindness breath by coming back to breathing naturally. When you are ready, open your eyes. This breath is great for Valentine’s Day celebrations or when you need to slow down to express more love to yourself and those around you.

#2: FLOWER BREATH

Choose a standing or comfortable upright sitting position such as sitting in a chair, sitting cross-legged, or sitting on your heels. Close your eyes if that is comfortable and begin to tune in to the sound of your breath. Imagine you are holding a flower. Imagine the color and smell of that flower. Then take in a deep breath, pretending to smell that flower. Then exhale and pretend to blow the flower petals. Repeat the cycle of a strong inhale and gentle exhale for a couple of minutes, if possible. You could pretend to smell a different flower each time you inhale. You could also imagine yourself sitting in a meadow of fresh flowers. This flower breath is an easy way to help children become aware of their breath. You could also pretend to smell hot chocolate then blow the hot chocolate to cool it down. During fall, you could pretend to smell the fall air (inhale) and then blow leaves (exhale).

#3: WOODCHOPPER BREATH

Stand tall in Mountain Pose and take a few deep breaths. Then take your feet mat-width apart (a little wider than hip-width). Clasp your hands together in front of your body. Take a long breath in while raising your hands above your head. Then, on a vigorous exhale with your mouth open, forcefully take your hands down between your legs. Hang your head and completely let go of all the tension in your body. Close your eyes, if that feels comfortable, and repeat the steps: long exhale with hands overhead, followed by vigorous exhale while bringing your hands down between your legs. Pretend to be a woodchopper cutting a log for a campfire. Repeat this breathing technique a few times, allowing the children to find their own rhythm and become aware of their breath. Stand tall in Mountain Pose again and come back to breathing naturally. Let the children feel the effects of this energizing breathing technique. Instead of a woodchopper, you could pretend to be an elephant drinking water from a lake with your trunk (clasped hands) then swinging your trunk over your head to spray water over your back. This is a great breathing exercise for releasing stress and extra energy.

#4: BEE BREATH

To practice bee breath, come to sitting comfortably with a tall spine and your shoulders back. Close your eyes or gaze gently down in front of you. Take a few deep breaths to calm your mind and body. Come to the present moment. Breathe in and out through your nose with your mouth closed.

As you exhale, keep your mouth closed and make a long “mmm” sound, pretending to buzz like a bee around the garden. Then inhale through your nose, keeping your mouth closed. Repeat the bee humming sound on the next exhale. Continue in this way with an extended inhale, followed by a humming exhale for a few minutes or as long as it feels comfortable. When you are ready, open your eyes and breathe naturally. Notice if you feel any differently after practicing bee breath. You could also cup your hands over your ears to intensify the “mmm” sound.

#5: DEEP BELLY BREATH

This one is also known as “yogic breathing.” To practice this deep belly breath, choose a comfortable upright position such as sitting in a chair, sitting cross-legged, or sitting on your heels. Or come to lying on your back in a resting position. Place your right hand on your belly and your left hand on your chest. Take a deep breath in for four counts then exhale through your nose for four counts, with your lips closed. Feel the rise and fall of your chest and belly. If you’re on your back, you could place an object, like a stuffed animal, on your belly to help feel (and see) the rise and fall of your belly.

Do this deep belly breathing for a few minutes. Give your child a few times to get comfortable with this style of breathing. You could use a Hoberman sphere as a visual cue to show your children the inhaling and exhaling action. Children can think of different things that they are grateful for during each inhale and exhale.

Yoga for School:

Positive Affirmations:

af·firm·a·tion

/ˌafərˈmāSH(ə)n/ noun

One of our top priorities as educators is to foster kind humans.  

Humans that are self-aware, educated, loved, respected, and supported emotionally. Instilling positive affirmations in your little one is possibly the easiest way to set them on a path to success. Not sure where to start? Below are a few questions and answers along with 20 affirmations you can use to create positive thoughts and feelings of self-worth in your kiddos while helping them build resilience that will serve them well during times of struggle.

Why do positive affirmations matter?

We all determine our self-worth and belief systems from the people, situations, and environments surrounding us. The things we engage with online, at school or work, and at home have the power to build us up or tear us down. This is where the value of creating positive affirmations comes in – by establishing words of affirmation for your little one to say daily, or during times of doubt, you are providing them with the building blocks that they need to motivate themselves, combat stress and anxiety, and boost self-esteem. 

Where do I start? How old should my child be?

As soon as your kiddo can talk and understand what they are saying – you can start! No matter when you choose to begin, be patient and encouraging. Experts suggest having your little one look in the mirror to promote self-focus and then having them repeat after you. Pick 2-3 affirmations to start and keep those consistent for a few days while your kiddo gets the hang of it. 

This feels weird, am I doing it right?

There is no wrong way to fill your kiddo up with praise. It’s perfectly okay for it to feel a little awkward at first but here’s a tip! Take a mental note of how you feel before saying positive affirmations with your kiddo and then take a mental note of how you feel afterward. Did you notice a boost in your mood or spirit? If yes, it’s working! Practice this same mental thermometer of sorts with your kiddo to help them realize that it’s working for them, too. The magic in leading your child through this process is committing to the practice and boosting them up with authentic praise and support – no matter what!

Ready to get started? Here are 20 affirmations you can try with the kids in your life:

Affirmations to build confidence

I can do great things

I am powerful

I’ve got what it takes

I believe in me

I am smart

I am going to have a great day

Affirmations to find peace and calm

It’s okay to have a tough day

It’s okay to not be okay

I am in control of my feelings

I have everything I need

Affirmations to cultivate bravery

I’ve got this!

I am brave

I am courageous

I’m not afraid to take a chance

I am surrounded by love

Affirmations to promote a positive body image

I am strong

I like myself

I am beautiful

I am unique

My body is strong

Remember that it’ll take practice to get comfortable with using affirmations. Your little one will more than likely be a shy to start but, with your guidance and positivity, they will soon be on the way to developing a positive foundation from which they can grow into the kind human you hope they become!

MINDFULNESS FOR CHILDREN AT HOME:

Adding mindful moments to your routine can be a great way to create calmness among the chaos.

In addition to this Mindfulness Safari, there are a variety of ways to practice mindfulness.  There are multiple mindfulness apps available that have kid versions: Breathe2Relax, Calm, DreamyKid, Happify, Headspace, and Stop, Breathe, and Think. There are a variety of breathing techniques anyone can practice: Balloon breath, bear breath, belly breath, candle breath, count to three breath, dragon breath, hot chocolate breath, volcano breath-- you name it, there is a breathing technique for it. Calming corners can be a safe spot for children to calm down and practice mindfulness. Calming corners may include calm down bottles, manipulatives, soft blankets or pillows, noise canceling headphones and anything else that can be safe for children to self-soothe. A calming corner is never forced or seen as punitive. Daily check ins can be done as a body scan to check in and see how the body is feeling, it can be a brief “how are you feeling today?,” or anything that allows the child a moment to check in and think about how they are feeling.   Sometimes moving our body is the best way to gain control of it. Yoga, simple stretches, balancing, going for a walk, and coordination activities are all great options.  On a rainbow walk, children look for things on their walk that are all the colors of the rainbow. On a five senses walk, children identify what they see, hear, smell, taste, and feel.   This is a great grounding technique that can be beneficial for anxiety. Five, four, three, two one: Have your child share (or journal about!) five things they can see, four things they can touch, three things they can hear, two things they can smell and one thing they can taste. Practicing gratitude is another fun and simple way to be mindful of the things in life that bring us joy. This can be done by writing, drawing, talking or just thinking about what makes us grateful. Teaching children about their brain functioning and why these mindfulness techniques create a healthy brain and body is a great way to increase understanding. Siegel (2020) created a hand model of the brain for a great visual.   Using imagination is a great way to introduce children to visualizations. Having children close their eyes or focus on something in the room (never force young people to close their eyes, it can be traumatizing) and imagine their happiest place, a trip to the beach, clouds, etc. The options are as endless as your imagination! Children can also practice mindfulness by listening, really really listening. Invite children to close their eyes or focus on something in the room and listen to all the sounds. By encouraging the children to really, really listen, they will hear things that they have never heard before. Try this exercise outside too!  Kindness towards yourself and others is at the heart of mindfulness. The loving kindness meditation is very popular with adults and perfect for children too. There are many scripts, videos and ideas out there. One of my favorites can be found at MakeTodayAwesome.org.     


These ideas are meant to make mindfulness with children simple yet effective.  By implementing mindfulness with children,  you just might find that it is beneficial for you too! 

MANDALAS:

Mandalas are truly one of the best mindfulness activities! You can choose to complete a mandala individually or as a group activity. What's a mandala? Well, it's a circular geometric design that's found in nature everywhere! Flowers, an orange cut in half, and the rings of a tree are all examples of a mandala. Can you think of others?

Creating, designing, and coloring mandalas with all kinds of various materials has long been a tradition in many cultures as doing so is often found to be relaxing, focusing and enjoyable! Following are several ideas you can try today and over the weekend, many of which are extra fun as a group family activity! 

Mandala Coloring Tips and Games

Download free mandala coloring pages, print and color with your favorite coloring tools such as colored pencil, crayons, markers or paint. These can vary widely in complexity so add 'for children' or 'for adults' to find the best fit for the colorer. There are also many wonderful mandala coloring books available (just google it!).

Try these tips:

1) Find a cozy spot to color.

2) Listen to soft, calming music.

3) Choose your colors - you might like to coordinate them.

4) Start from the center.

5) Use the same colors for any repeating patterns.

6) Relax and enjoy!

Create a Family Mandala Wall

1) Print one of the SAME mandala designs for each family member.

2) Color in your designs individually (no peeking!).

3) As you finish, sign them and post them up on a wall all together.

4) What do you notice? Observe and discuss.


Collaborative Mandala Game

1) Print a single mandala coloring page.

2) Each person chooses one or two unique colors.

3) Take turns adding to the mandala.

4) Optional: When it's your turn, see if you can find and color just one of the repeating patterns.

5) Add your group design to the Family Mandala Wall.

Chalk it out!