Jungle Story from My First Yoga makes learning yoga fun and easy for pre-schoolers.

I was thrilled to read and use in #kidsyoga class Abbie Davies most recent contribution to yoga books for kids. Building from her delightful first book My First Yoga: Animals Poses, Abbie now takes us on an active adventure through the jungle in search of a monkey.

Attracting and keeping attention throughout with the colorful, uncomplicated illustrations, readers are asked if each animal they meet along the way is a monkey. They respond ‘No’ and tell us what animal it is (lion, flamingo, elephant, etc), then perform the accompanying pose. The three step instructions for each yoga pose keep them simple enough for even the youngest yogi.

From one animal to the next, children are invited to ‘March, March, March’ while seated. Ingenious! Kids love watching the train of explorers grow as each new animals is added, smallest to tallest. They don’t even realize that they are building mental and physical health and wellness.

From a literacy and learning point of view, the deliberate rhythm and repetition found in the book are ideal for emergent readers and young children. This provides wonderful opportunities to echo and practice language skills, building a firm foundation of ability and understanding.

Kudos to My First Yoga on producing another sweet, vibrant and well thought-out children’s book that improves strength, balance, flexibility and focus. I’m looking forward to your next addition to my #kidsyoga library.

Here are two coloring pages to accompany the book: Lion  and Flamingo

How to Enter the Give Away

We’re giving you four ways to enter and win a copy of My First Yoga: Jungle Story.

1. Leave a comment below about your favorite place to go for a yoga adventure – already been there or hoping to go someday
2. Like My First Yoga on Facebook - let me know you did this in a comment
3. Share this giveaway on Facebook with an @yogainmyschool.com mention – limit one per day
4. Share on Twitter with an @DonnaKFreeman tag – limit one per day

Contest closes May 25, 2012 at 9:00 pm MDT

Winner will be contacted via e-mail and their name will be posted. You’ll have 24 hours to claim your prize before another winner is chosen. Winner’s snail mail address will be needed to mail you your prize and will be shared with My First Yoga for administrative purposes only.

Get your own copy of the Jungle Story on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Disclaimer: I am in no way reimbursed for this review. Product was generously provided for the review. The opinions expressed here are completely my own.

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This contest is now closed – Thanks to everyone for entering & the many, many comments & sharing. Totally blew me away with your inspiration & love of #kidsyoga.

You really, truly need to get your hands on the fabulous Yoga 4 Classroom card deck. Today. And #YIMS is here to help.

This well thought-out deck is packed with yoga and mindfulness ideas that are easy to use in the classroom. Ideal for Elementary Schools, and even Middle Schools, the deck is comprised of 67 over-sized (6″x8″) cards, sturdy enough to withstand daily use by teachers and youth.

Lisa Flynn of ChildLight Yoga has done a fabulous job  of providing step-by-step instructions as well as additional creative applications on every card. The illustrations by James Vaughn are bright, cheerful and depict children of diverse ethnicities and abilities.

I especially like how the cards are color coded according to the rainbow/chakras making it easy to find a yoga-based activity to meet students’ needs quickly. As well, the cards cover so much more than yoga poses including breathing exercises, body-awareness, affirmations, mindful meditations, healthy living tips, and more.

Red: Stand Strong -  teaching empowerment through yoga poses

Orange: At Your Desk – need a yoga break but can’t leave the desk, try these

Yellow: Loosen Up – great stress relievers and community builders

Green: Be Well – the yamas & niyamas so kids can understand

Blue: Let’s Breathe – conscious breathing can make all the difference

Purple: Imagination Vacation – guided visualizations develop creativity & harness inner wisdom

How to Enter the Give-away

We’re giving away a Yoga 4 Classrooms card deck. Oh, Yeah!

1. Enter below with a comment on how you practice yoga at school or work.
2. For an additional entry LIKE Yoga 4 Classrooms Facebook page – be sure to report back here to say you did
3. Share on Facebook with an @Yogainmyschool.com mention to up your chances of winning – multiple entries allowed max of 1 per day
4. Tweet the review with an @DonnaKFreeman mention and your name will go in again – multiple entries allowed max of 1 per day

Contest closes at 9:00 pm MDT on May 6th, 2012.

Winner will be contacted via e-mail and their name will be posted. You’ll have 24 hours to claim your prize before another winner is chosen. Winner’s snail mail address will be needed to mail you your prize and will be shared with Yoga 4 Classrooms for administrative purposes only.

Get your own copy of the Yoga 4 Classrooms card deck HERE. Retail price: US$32.00

Disclaimer: I am in no way reimbursed for this review. Product was generously provided for the review. The opinions expressed here are completely my own.

UPDATE: Congratulations to Kristin Troutman, the winner of the Yoga 4 Classrooms card deck! Watch for more reviews and give-aways in the coming weeks

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Second Yogiños Yoga for Youth DVD Honors Indian Culture

Enter to win a copy of this DVD by leaving a comment telling about a challenge you’ve overcome to get where you are today. Contest closes November 30, 9:00 pm MST.

Vishnu’s Ohmazing Journeys is the newest DVD from Yogiños Yoga for Youth and is a celebration of Indian culture. This kids yoga DVD recounts three different adventures of Vishnu, a supreme God of Hinduism and Indian mythology.

Vishnu’s Ohmazing Journeys recounts three Hindu myths with Vishnu taking on a different role/ avatar in each one to overcome challenges and find great treasures.

The first is of Vishnu as the Tortoise, the second with Vishnu as a Boar and the third is Vishnu as the Boy Krishna.  Yogiños founder, Beth Reese does a fabulous job of intertwining yoga poses with the stories and includes clear alignment cues such as root to rise, hug the mid-line and shoulder blades on your back, thereby teaching body awareness and mindful practice of the poses.

A continual theme throughout all three stories is that of making “ohmazing” choices and trusting in your strong foundation in order to meet and overcome life’s challenges. The links between yoga practice on the mat and application in everyday life off the mat are clear, age appropriate and useful. In addition, Yogiños stays true to their tri-lingual base intertwining English, Spanish and Sanskrit throughout the DVD and including a full Spanish version.

The Bonus Tracks extend the educational aspect of the DVD expanding knowledge about the Crow Collection of Art, a herb garden and environmental conservation through prAna’s Natural Power Initiative.

I found this DVD ideal for tweens as it is smart, educational and culturally rich. I especially appreciated the beautifully performed story of Krishna and and Kaliya told through Indian dance. Enjoy this video trailer.

To Enter: Enter to win a copy of the DVD with a comment below stating a challenge you have overcome to get to where you are today.

Additional entries:

• Comment on or Like any one of the videos on the YogaInMySchoolTV Channel on YouTube – comment here so I have your e-mail
• Like Yogiños on Facebook and comment
• Share this giveaway on Facebook with an @Yogainmyschool.com mention or on Twitter with an @DonnaKFreeman tag (share daily for maximum chances of winning)

The give away ends on November 30th at 9 pm MST. The winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted by e-mail. The winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize.

Buy yourself a copy of Vishnu’s Ohmazing Journey here through PayPal for $15.95 USD. Yogiños graciously provided a DVD for this review as well as the give-away. The opinions expressed here are completely my own.

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 Enter to win a fabulous Happy Baby Kit from Lilyfern Botanicals with a comment below. Draw date Oct 28th, 2011.

Years ago when expecting my oldest I learned about the benefits and healing properties of essential oils. Quickly adopted into our household were lavender, eucalyptus, and chamomile. Then, this summer I discovered a fab company that uses these same oils and others in a variety of products to sooth and nourish the skin. Lilyfern Botanicals produces fabulous hand-crafted, natural skin care products that promote health and balance.

Happy Baby Kit

I was thrilled when given the Heal Baby Balm and Calm Baby Massage Oil for a review. Now, I no longer have an infant at home, but that didn’t stop the entire family from enjoying these beautifully blended products. Throughout the summer my kids loved using the balm on their mosquito bites: no sting and the itch was immediately gone. We also used the balm on scraped knees, sunburn, dry heals, cuticles and every other skin irritation imaginable. I was continually amazed at how versatile and effective it was and loved the fact that there were no chemicals or other nasty add-ins to harm my family.

The Calm Baby Massage Oil was equally as impressive. It has a lovely light scent and a little goes a long way. When they were little I used to give my babies a massage after every bath to calm and soothe them and really wish I had this handy pump dispenser filled with a mix of nourishing apricot kernel and sesame oil then. For this review I used it on all members  of my family and was impressed with its feel and texture during massage and will definitely be stocking up on more.

Lilyfern Botanicals has generously donated one Happy Baby Kit as a giveaway. The kit includes Heal Baby Balm (25ml), Calm Baby Massage Oil (30 ml), and Clean Baby Body Wash (250 ml).

How to Enter

Enter to win by leaving a comment which mentions one Lilyfern product you’d like to use and why. Visit Lilyfern’s on-line store for full product line.

Additional entries can be made by:

• liking Lilyfern Botanicals on Facebook – comment here letting me know you did
• sharing this contest on Facebook with an @Yogainmyschool.com link – one entry per day allowed
• Tweeting this contest and including an @DonnaKFreeman tag – 3 entries per day allowed at least one hour apart each

Contest ends Friday, October 28th at 9:00 pm MDT. Winners will be contacted by e-mail and will have 48 hours to reply. Winners names will be published here, on Facebook and Twitter.

Read more about Lilyfern Botanicals in this recent Edmonton Journal article.

Lilyfern Botanicals generously donated the products for this review and giveaway. The opinions expressed here are my own.

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“Oh my, that’s gorgeous!” exclaimed my friend when she saw this mala courtesy of Jewels of Saraswati. I couldn’t agree more.

A mala is a set of beads used during meditation or chanting in order to keep count of mantra recitation. They can be made of 19, 21, 27, 54 or 108 beads long. Jewels of Saraswati uses semi-precious stones to create one of a kind malas which you can custom order/create to your own tastes and preferences. Great care is taken with each piece produced and the high quality of craftsmanship is immediately evident. The entire range of jewelry, which includes malas, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and purse charms, is inspired by yoga to provide you with something special for your life and yoga practice.

copper & czech glass earrings

Jewels of Saraswati has generously donated a 27 bead hand-knotted chakra mala with a pewter peace charm to one lucky winner. All of the 7 chakras are represented by black obsidian, red jasper, aragonite, rose quartz, blue aventurine, rainbow fluorite and crystal quartz (see photo above). Enjoy the flowing, healing energy that comes from the beauty and usefulness of this mala. In addition, a second place winner will receive a pair of stunning copper and czech glass earrings.

Both of these would make ideal gifts for a special yogi this holiday season but, if you’re like me you’ll have to order more as all your friends will be requesting them. Check out Jewels of Saraswati’s entire range of stunning products on their Estsy shop.

How to Enter

Comment below with your fave yoga quote to enter to win.

Additional entries can be made by:

• Liking Jewels of Saraswati on Facebook – comment here to let me know you did this
• Sharing this give-away on Facebook with an @Yogainmyschool.com mention – max of one entry per day
• Tweeting the contest with an @DonnaKFreeman tag – max of 3 entries per day one hour apart

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Comment below to enter this giveaway. Contest ends Friday, October 14th at 9:00 pm MDT.

The good folks over at Addriya have done it again. Created another fab yoga card deck, this time with a focus on small spaces.

Yoga for Small Spaces includes 52 large sized (5″x7″), heavy duty cards that can withstand lots of use. Each card features a yoga activity which can be done in a small space such as an office, classroom or airplane. The front of each card has a fun graphic which shows the pose and an object the pose is inspired by. The back is packed with information including step-by-step instructions, benefits, modifications and a positive affirmation.

One of the things I like best about the cards is the color coding system. Each card has a border which defines the health and behavior benefits such as Red: to help ground and support especially good for people that are nervous, anxious or fearful or Yellow to help foster self-esteem, risk-taking and leadership. I find this super helpful as a reference tool when preparing classes.

For years I have taught a popular Yoga with a Chair class in schools and for professional development workshops. Everyone is always amazed at the thorough and fun workout you can get by sitting in a chair. This yoga deck added to my repertoire of poses and is handy for a quick yoga game.

So if you think you can’t do yoga unless you move the furniture or have a yoga mat, block, strap and other props, think again. With Yoga for Small Spaces yoga can be done anywhere and the poses are ideal for all ages and abilities.

You can purchase your own deck for $19.99 from the Addriya on-line store.

To enter to win leave a comment below sharing the most unique location you’ve ever done yoga.

Additional Entries:

• Follow Addriya Yoga on Facebook and comment back here
• Share this review on Facebook with an @yogainmyschool.com mention (multiple entries allowed-max of one per day)
• Tweet it including an @DonnaKFreeman mention (multiple entries allowed- max of three per day, one hour apart): “Small Spaces Yoga Cards #giveaway @DonnaKFreeman @addriya“

Addriya generously donated resources for this review and giveaway. The opinions expressed here are completely my own.

Contest ends Friday, October 14th at 9:00 pm MDT. Winners will be contacted by e-mail and will have 48 hours to reply. Winners names will be published here, on Facebook and Twitter.

Update: Congrats to Julie Johnston who was very excited to win the Yoga for Small Spaces card deck.

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