Author of Mindsight and the soon to be released The Whole Brain Child, Dr Dan Siegel is an expert in how the mind, brain and relationships interconnect and influence our lives. He joins us to address the importance of mindful awareness in youth to foster positive mental, physical and relational health and well-being. With the science to prove it works, Dr Siegel shows us how to focus our attention on the internal workings of the mind helping us to acknowldege thoughts & feelings, let go of that which does not serve, and transform our lives leading to greater health and happiness. Learn more about this essential component to emotional and social intelligence and the easy to implement Wheel of Awareness during this 30 minute interview. Dr. Siegel is the keynote speaker at the International Conference on Mindfulness with Youth held in Banff, Alberta July 15-17, 2011.

Original Air Date: June 15, 2011

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Learn more about Dr Dan Siegel’s work on his website or connect with the International Conference on Mindfulness with Youth on Facebook.

Enjoy Free itunes downloads of this and any of our extensive library of amazing interviews. Coming next is Dr Catherine Phillips, founder of the Mindfulness Institute.ca, who will discuss mindfulness in schools.

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What to expect when you attend kids yoga summer day camp

Children are often intrigued by the idea of yoga camp. However they and their parents may not have any idea of what they are really going to be doing during their time at camp. Here is a list of some activities you can expect from a well organized kids yoga camp.

Yoga Poses: Children will learn numerous yoga poses and spend time each day practicing physical yoga. In doing so they will develop strength, flexibility, balance and confidence. However, many camps are half day, or about 3 hours long. Logic, and a child’s attention span, tells you that children will not actually be practicing yoga poses the entire time. What else happens at yoga camp?

Mindfulness Activities: Learning to tune into your mind with awareness and compassion is an essential skill to developing emotional and social intelligence. Mindfulness activities may include meditation, mindful eating, mindful listening, mindful movement, breathing exercises, communication games, and more.

Yoga Games: There are numerous yoga games ideal for camp environments. Games teach social skills, patience, turn taking, reinforce concepts, and provide oodles of fun. Some of my fave yoga games include Yoga Jenga, Musical Mats and Swami Says. Visit the Yoga Games page for a full listing to make your yoga camp the best ever!

Stories: Children love a good story. By combining physical movement with creative story telling the stories take on new dimensions, fully explore meaning and integrate learning. Yoga Adventure Stories, children’s literature classics and creative story telling all find a home at kids yoga camp.

Environmental Appreciation: Part of practicing yoga is learning to appreciate and care for the environment. Many of the yoga yamas and niyamas support eco-conscious living including ahimsa (non-violence) brahmacarya (conservation) and tapas (self-discipline). Re-duce, re-use and re-cycle will be taught in word and deed.

Crafts: Imagination and creativity abound at kids yoga camp. Crafts teach fine motor skills, reinforce themes and develop a sense of accomplishment. They also form a link between the child’s camp experience and home where children can share what they have learned and proudly display their crafts.

Music: From chanting to expressive movement and much more music is an integral part of yoga. Mantra yoga is the yoga of sound. Kids yoga camp may use a Tibetan Singing Bowl, drums, and other instruments to create sound or have numerous songs on a kids yoga playlist to encourage creativity & self expression, teach rhythm & coordination, and improve mood & well-being. Discover the benefits of music in a Kids Yoga Class.

Relaxation: Imaginative relaxation helps children to de-stress and increases self-awareness. They may float on clouds, drift down a river or imagine their favourite colour. Each day of yoga camp will include some form of relaxation leaving children refreshed and renewed.

This summer Yogainmyschool.com is offering week long Kids Yoga Camps at The Water Garden at The Enjoy Centre. Running July 11-15 from either 9:00-12:00 or 1:00-4:00 children aged 5-11 can experience a yoga intensive made just for them. Call 1-780-504-5022 to register.

For more information on kids yoga camps visit Benefits of Kids Yoga Camp.

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Butterflies can teach us so much about change, growth and embracing our best selves. Let your inner butterfly dance upon the breeze with these life lessons.

• Let go of the past
• Trust your future
• Embrace the change
• Come out of the cocoon
• Unfurl your wings
• Dare to get off the ground
• Ride the breezes
• Savour the flowers
• Put on your brightest colors
• Let your beauty show

Thank you to Mitzi Coulombe Connel

Butterfly pose and other Bug Yoga poses are great fun!

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Body Chalk Board is a great way to increase body awareness and sensory perception. Learning to rely on touch alone is a challenging skill and helps to focus attention and improve mindfulness. In the ‘olden days’ my sisters and I would play Body Chalk Board on long car trips. (Yes, we did have cars back then.) Today, I often use this technique when reviewing spelling words with my own children or often to simply tell them I love them with a short message written on their palm. It is always a hit when we pair up during kids yoga class and children try to spell the names of the poses on one another’s backs before practicing them.  This game is also fantastic for learning cooperation and communication skills. You may even want to try it with your teens to keep them connected to their body.

Body Chalk Board

Divide group into pairs. Sitting in easy pose (sukhasana), often referred to as criss cross, with one partner in front of the other use your partner’s back as a chalk board. Using a finger draw numbers, shapes or letters of the alphabet on the ‘chalk board’. The person whose back is the ‘chalk board’ guesses what is being drawn. Wipe the ‘chalk board’ clean with flat palms from top to bottom or side to side before switching roles.

For more of a challenge send a message via the ‘chalk board’ that the person in front writes down letter by letter as it is received.

To encourage sensory development and awareness do the same thing using other parts of the body: stomach, soles of feet, palms of hands. This is a wonderful game for children with sensory processing challenges (SPD, Autism, ADHD, etc).

Visit our Yoga Games page for more amazing & fun yoga games to enjoy yoga with kids and teens.

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Guest post by Jennifer Cohen Harper

There are dozens of potential uses for a singing bowl in a children’s yoga class, but the one that is the most potent is also the absolute simplest. The activity described below has a unique way of engaging children’s cooperation in the exact manner that you hope, while at the same time showing a profound respect for their independence.

At the beginning of every class, no matter how many routines you develop or guidelines you give your kids, there is a certain amount of noise, movement, conversation and other distraction that is a natural part of the transitions that children go through during their day. Sometimes there is complete chaos that threatens your ability to start your class in the peaceful, centered and happy state of mind that every yoga instructor hopes for.

This point of transition, where you set the tone for the entire experience that both you and your students are about to have, is a particularly challenging one to navigate. You must bring all of your students attention together at the same time, there is often noise so if the kids are going to hear you it might mean raising your voice, and all of the conversation that your students are having with each other are compelling to them and they are going to need some pretty good motivation to wrap them up. This can lead to frustration on the part of the teacher, and a gradual escalation of your voice until you are actually yelling at your students before you have even started your class.

There is a better way. When I begin a children’s yoga class, my goal is fro the children to turn their attention to me naturally, because they are interested in what is about to happen. I also want to respect that all of the conversations they are having are important to them. They are not doing anything wrong by having these social interactions during a lull in their very managed day, and I do not want to make them feel as through they are in some way bad because they are communicating with each other.

Rather then say anything at all, I recommend using a singing bowl in a very deliberate way to let the students know that you are about to start class. The following steps are so simple, but the honor the students by giving them time to transition gently, wrapping up whatever they are saying and doing with no abrupt shift, no implication that they are doing something wrong, no order, no anger and no raised voices. If is important to follow these steps slowly and remember your intention – a group of children who feel respected, engaged and happy to be in your presence.

Singing Bowl Opening Ritual

1. Enter your classroom with a relaxed, happy attitude. Smile at your students and allow them to adjust to your presence in the room before asking them to do anything at all.
2. Go to where you are setting up your space. Put your things down in a slow and deliberate manner, keeping any clutter to a minimum. Place a singing bowl next to you. Always handle the singing bowl with gentle respect. You want to create a sense in the children that the singing bowl is something very special and something to be treated with care. This naturally make is more interesting to them.
3. Settle onto your mat and model for the children a grounded and mindful seat. Take a few deep breaths. Pick up the singing bowl, and hold is at heart height. Make sure you are treating the bowl with reverence, and that you are directing your gaze and energy at it, rather than looking around at the kids. As the students notice what you are doing, they will look where you look.
4. After a few moments and a few breaths, gently ring the singing bowl. Keep your gaze fixed on the bowl until the sound completely dies away.
5. After the sound of the bowl is gone, look around at your students and make eye contact. If many of the kids are still not with you after the sound of the bowl is finished, take several breaths and then ring it again. Be careful not to show any frustration or annoyance. This ringing of the bowl is an invitation to your students, not a command or a reprimand.
6. There will be a moment of quiet after the sound finishes, when the children’s attention is turned to the bowl and to you. Take advantage of that moment (and it may not last long) to draw them in. Depending on whether the children are still up and about of they are on their mats, say good morning, ask a question, give them an interesting piece of information, or move directly into an activity. This is your opportunity to start class from a  place of engagement. Try not to be overly concerned if every single student is not completely silent or still when the bell finishes ringing. As long as the general orientation of the class is towards you, you have a space to being your teaching.

This method of beginning gets more and more effective as you use it. The children learn the routine and many will begin to get themselves set up for class just by watching you take the singing  bowl into your hands. Remember that the singing bowl must always be treated as something special – don’t ring it in anger or frustration or desperation or it will lose it’s meaning. Your attention to the attitude you convey at the beginning of class will make a tremendous difference in the attitude of the children. Become a model of patience, grace and loving acceptance. Invite your students on a journey, and you may be surprised at how willing they are to participate.

Jennifer Cohen Harper is the founder and director of Little Flower Yoga, a unique organization that provides education based yoga programs to schools and youth organization, teaches creative and nurturing classes for children and families, and trains teachers to engage, encourage and inspire joy in all students. Come grow with us.

This a continuation of our My Favourite Prop series written by experts in the yoga for kids and teens field. Visit our Yoga Props page to view the complete collection including how to use feathers, hula hoops, puppets, hoberman sphere and many more.

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