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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Candice Garrett joins us to talk about the importance of yoga for Moms including pelvic floor health, the Yoga Sutras of parenting and the power of a single breath. Then the producer/director of YogaWoman: The Film, Kate Clere McIntyre will shed light on the impact women on having on the world of yoga and the awakening of female power around the globe. This is a special episode dedicated to women everywhere as they nurture themselves, love passionately and lead powerfully in this moment and into the future.

Original Air Date: May 10, 2012

Connect with Candice Garrett at Nine Moons Yoga on Facebook. Here are the Mama Sutras we referred to during the interview.

Discover YogaWoman.tv on Facebook and leave a message if you want the movie to come to a theatre near you.

Enjoy all our archived interviews available on iTunes including guests Cora Wen, Sadie Nardini, Waylon Lewis, Bob Weisenberg, Karma Carpenter, Amy Saltzman, Briohny Smyth and many more.

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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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Our distinguished panel of quests will discuss some of the current research being conducted and how that research is translated into powerful school-based programs, bringing calm, focus and learning readiness into today’s classrooms. Karma Carpenter, Director of IASYM, Lynda Meeder, Director of YogaKids, Anne Buckley-Reen, OT & founder of Get Ready to Learn, and Cheryl Crawford, founder of Grounded, join us to share their experiences in researching the effects of yoga and mindfulness in schools. Discover how yoga is impacting kids, teachers and administrators through innovative programs proven effective by University research.

Original Air Date: April 25, 2012

Our panel of amazing guests can be found at:

Karma Carpenter

Facebook

Anne Buckley-Reen

Facebook

Cheryl Crawford

 Facebook

Lynda Meeder

Facebook

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Why It’s Great to Chant OM

There are numerous benefits to chanting and employing music to teach children and teens (see Benefits of Music in Kids Yoga Class.) “Om” is the primordial sound of the universe, the first vibration of creation, the eternal sound of the divine. “Om” in particular helps center and calm participants, bringing a sense of peace, focus and connection to ourselves, each other and the world. When chanted in repetition “om” is invigorating, strengthening and an effective way to release stress. Here are a number of the benefits of chanting “om.”

Physiological Effects

• slows the heart beat
• relaxes muscles
• calms the body
• decreases blood pressure
• oxygenates the blood
• massages the spine, chest, core, throat and head through vibrations

Mental/Emotional Effects

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Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you develop and engage in yoga classes for those with special needs such as autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, FASD, Down syndrome and more.

To learn more register for the Yoga for Children with ADHD training webinar (May 8, 2012) for tons of tips to develop focus & attention. One hour packed with fabulous information, plus a live Q&A. CLICK HERE.

1. Focus on Fun: Approach yoga with a sense or curiosity and play. It’s fun to move your body, see what you can do, explore the world. The benefits of yoga are profound but children will lose interest if its not fun and joyful.
2. Engage with child friendly themes: Build yoga sessions around topics that interest children. Maybe its superheros or princesses, the jungle or a trip to The Pet Store. Yoga can also be used to reinforce classroom themes and provide a kineasthetic learning modality. This allows children to improve their health while increasing their understanding of the themselves and their world. See Dinosaur Yoga, Shape Yoga and Bug Yoga.
3. Provide challenges & repetition: Challenges are important to help children grow & push themselves. For many children with special needs standing on one foot (Tree Pose, Dancer Pose) is challenging. However as they practice this skill (repeating often) they become better at it until soon they have no problem. This works for all skills including relaxation and breathing exercises. The first time you may only be able to engage the students for a few moments. However, as you persist, repeating often, the children will gain valuable physical, emotional and mental skills.
4. Encourage with positive feedback: Focus on what the children are doing right and reinforce it . i.e.: “I love your downdog.” “You’re really good at sitting quietly and listening.” “Wow, you’re great at balancing on one foot.” “What wonderful yogis you all are.” “Thank you for your happy participation in class today.” With children its so important to focus on the good and not worry too much about what is incorrect form, as long as it is not hurting themselves or others.
5. Teach breathing & relaxation: In our hectic world it is vital to know how to calm, center and soothe. Yoga is a valuable mind-body tool which will help alleviate anxiety and stress.
6. Keep yoga sessions short & ability appropriate: For many children their attention span maxes out at 5 minutes, often less for younger ones and those with special needs. This means lots of different activities to engage interest. Yoga is ideal because there are so many poses, each one an activity in and of itself. Keeping little ones engaged for 20-30 minutes is possible but you do have to be creative, energetic and focus on fun.
7. Use props and visuals: Visuals, such as flash cards, stuffed animals, books, plastic figurines, etc., help students stay on task, provide visual support, and kids love the opportunity to pick from the bag/card deck to see what pose is coming next. They also provide opportunity for turn taking and reinforcement of appropriate social behavior.

Enjoy this video from Spiral Movement Centre to see many of these tips in action with a group of six special needs youth.

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When and Where Is Om Appropriate?

In the Studio

In private yoga studios and classes I often chant “om” at the beginning and end of each session. This helps to open and connect the chakras, bringing us into harmony with ourselves and one another, and creates a space between the busyness of life and yoga class. Most children really like to chant “om” and look forward to this ritual. I’ve even had some kids specifically remind me to “om” before class ends if they think I’m going to rush them out the door with only a “namaste”.

“Om is like a tuning fork, it brings everyone to the same point.” ~Manorama

Sometimes though the students aren’t really into it. Often a group of tweens/teens may be reluctant, embarrassed to chant in a group, or may think chanting is a little too “out there.” You can either persevere and hopefully convert them to the power of “om,” or not. At times it may be best to back off and allow children and teens to discover yoga in stages and steps, accepting what they are prepared to accept, as they are prepared to do so. If this means leaving “om” out of class, or including it occasionally, then do so.

In the School

Most often I follow the children’s lead when introducing chanting in schools. If they are really excited about learning to “om” properly then I’ll teach it (always without Hindu references). If they don’t bring it up, I leave it alone.

Many schools are keen on bringing the physical and mental benefits of yoga to their classrooms, but understandably want to stay well away from the spiritual. Respect is necessary.  Many of the benefits of chanting have nothing to do with the spiritual connection, so feel free to explain why it is valuable citing it’s physiological and mental effects. More on this in the upcoming Part 4: The Benefits of Om.

What’s your experience with teaching “om” and other chants to children and teens in various situations?

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This is one of the kids yoga games included in the new booklet Shapes: A Kids Yoga Class. Lost My Shape is great fun and gets everyone moving, playing and making shapes. It develops critical thinking, analysis and observation skills and allows children an opportunity to apply knowledge in a fun, cooperative, interactive manner.

Lost My Shape

Have students sit in a circle.

Step 1: Have 3-6 students (or more if you have a large group) in the middle of the circle each assigned a different shape using the shapes cards found the the booklet Shapes: A Kids Yoga Class. Show them the card and verify they know now to make it. Don’t make it with their body until the singing begins.

Step 2: One other student is “IT” and he/she randomly picks one card from the shape cards used in Step 1. Don’t show it to anyone. This student skips/walks around the circle during Step 3.

Step 3: Everyone sings to the tune of “Skip to My Lou”

Lost my shape, what do I do,

Lost my shape, what do I do,

Lost my shape, what do I do,

Skip to my lou, my darling.

During the singing, students in the center of the circle make their shapes while “IT” skips around. When the song is over “IT” picks the student from the middle to match their shape card.

This student then becomes “IT,” new students are selected to go in the middle of the circle and you play again.

For more Shape Yoga check out the booklet Shapes: A Kids Yoga Class -15 pages packed with ideas on how to teach shapes using yoga, mindfulness, mudras and more. Find it HERE.

Looking for more kids yoga games? Enjoy the many found on the Yoga Games Page.

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Hello, my name is Donna Freeman, founder of Yogainmyschool.com. Today we’re here to talk about the wonderful sound OM.

Invariably when I go into a school or to teach children, somebody in the class who has never done yoga before will come in, sit down on their mat and go like this, “OOOMMMMM!” They are all excited to begin chanting. So, I’ll show you how to do that properly and the aspects of OM you can teach to children.

Today Alea has joined me. She is going to learn a few mudras, hand positions that you can do while chanting OM. As well as the different aspects of the sound itself.

Now when you chant OM, it’s really helpful because the vocalization changes the energy in your body, it provides healing energy. It enhances your overall health. It calms your emotions and quiets the mind while providing relaxation. And increases the sense of togetherness.

When you chant om, a lot of people, because of how it is written in English, think it is just two sounds O-M. I actually prefer the written form A-U-M, for OM, because that represents much better the sounds which you are producing.

There are three and a half parts to om. The first is down here in your belly. It is a big aaaahhh sound. And then the uuuuu sound is up into your chest. From there the mmmmm comes to your head. It’s like a buzzing bee. Then there is blessed silence. When you OM you have those parts to it.

The other part is a mudra if you are comfortable with that. The two most popular are anjali mudra, or namaste hands. Anjali meaning heart. So you can bring your thumbs to your sternum. The other would be gyan mudra where you make a circle with your index finger and thumb and the rest of your fingers are extended, and then you place that on your knees. You can choose whichever one of those you like. Or if you are not comfortable with either one you don’t need to do it either.

Join with us in oming three times. Close your eyes. Inhale.

AAAUUUMMMMM

AAAUUUMMMMM

AAAUUUMMMMM

Take a deep breath. Bow your head. And allow your eyes to fall open.

Very nicely done.

So I hope that helps for when you are teaching OM to children and teens and bringing the lovely sound of yoga into your life. Have a wonderful day. Namaste.

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Original Air Date: March 13, 2012

Learn more about IASYM on the K-12yoga.org website.

Thanks to everyone who listened, called in and participated. We’ll be offering more in-depth interviews with experts on various topics of interest to yoga instructors, teachers, administrators, researchers and others in the coming months. Be sure to LIKE us on Facebook and sign up for our newsletter (right hand sidebar) to stay in the loop of what’s coming.

Please share this interview and promote mind-body education in schools.

Coming SOON – review and give away for Rachel’s award winning #kidsyoga app.

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