Monthly Archives: July 2011

Overview of the STOP and Relax© program – Part 1 in a series of reviews/updates

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Overview of the STOP and Relax© program:

S.T.O.P. and Relax© is a systematic program for teaching relaxation and self-calming skills to children and young adults with disabilities such as Autism, Asperger’s, ADHD, or Anxiety. Using evidence-based practices that address the “fight-flight” response, S.T.O.P. and Relax© integrates yoga, cognitive-behavioral psychology, and special education techniques to promote coping skills. As self-calming skills increase, the student is able to participate more fully and successfully in academic, social, and community settings.

S.T.O.P. and Relax© was designed by Louise Goldberg, yoga instructor, Debra Collins, psychologist, Sally Miller and Daniela Morales, two special education teachers to teach relaxation skills to children with autism, Asperger’s, ADD, anxiety, or other challenges that cause problem behaviors or “meltdowns.” (full bios: http://stopandrelax.net/About-Us-4.html)

There are three different types of kits available:

  • S.T.O.P. and Relax© Complete BOX Kit
  • S.T.O.P. and Relax© Complete DIGITAL Kit
  • S.T.O.P. and Relax© Digital Kit PLUS

Available for purchase & more info: http://stopandrelax.net/S-T-O-P-and-Relax-Products-c11/.

Comparison of what is included in each type of kit: http://stopandrelax.net/FAQ-20.html.

What are the minimum system requirements for using the Digital Kit? For the PDF documents, they recommend the latest version of Acrobat Reader. For the Visual Cue Card Slides, they recommend a minimum of PowerPoint 2007 for PC and 2008 for Mac. Helpful Tip:  If the Digital Kit Instructor’s Manual CD is inserted and shows icons titled “UDF,” then the computer being used lacks the UDF Reader to open the disk.  Here is a link that discusses UDF Reader and provides a free download: http://download.cnet.com/Adaptec-UDF-Reader-Driver/3000-2100_4-10021086.html. I initially had difficulty opening the files on the disk but that was easily solved with the UDF Reader download.

I was given the Digital Kit to try out. I’ll be incorporating elements of it into OMazing Kids Yoga over several weeks, posting updates & then doing the giveaway at my presentation at the Oklahoma Statewide Autism Conference in November (http://okautism.org/oaapartners/statewide-autism-conference/ ).

Many of our patients at the JD McCarty Center (www.jdmc.org) have the diagnoses targeted in the S.T.O.P. and Relax© program so I am very excited to try this out with them. 🙂 

Right now we have three boys in our weekly OMazing Kids Yoga group who have Autism and frequent behavioral meltdowns. This Tuesday we will be introducing the “I Can S.T.O.P. and Relax!” social story and the S.T.O.P. sequence.

Stay tuned for updates….

Review and Giveaway: Storyland Yoga DVD by Playful Planet

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Looking for a kids yoga DVD that is both fun and eco-friendly?  Then the Storyland Yoga DVD by Playful Planet would be a fun addition to your kids yoga materials!

I knew I was going to like this DVD before I even opened it…. LOVE the eco-friendly packaging and that a portion of the proceeds are donated to the “Save the Whales” and “Kids vs. Global Warming” foundations!

Storyland Yoga is a wonderful way for families to enjoy “organic” time together.  The video connects kids and nature while providing them with the benefits of yoga: health, clarity, and calmness. Get ready to play – the planet-friendly way!

Storyland Yoga is a fun-filled adventure that infuses children with an eco-conscious message. Two unique stories, “Condor Trek” & “Save the Whale” engage your imagination through the wonderful storytelling of Ahmed Fahmy, Certified Children’s Yoga Instructor who studied at Next Generation Yoga. Ahmed has an engaging kid-friendly approach with a nice balance of energizing & calming activities.

Here are some of my favorite things from the DVD:

  • Using “butterfly pose” as “turning pages in a book” as they looked at a bird book to determine what kind of eggs they had discovered. I use books all the time in OMazing Kids Yoga so this is a fun new idea!
  • Fun variations on familiar poses (child’s pose becomes a snoring bear, plank becomes a crocodile, downward dog becomes wolf, pigeon becomes a mermaid, etc…)
  • The Sundance and Moondance sequences were slow enough that kids should be able to follow them with practice.
  • All the poses included in the video should be appropriate, with modifications as needed, for the target audience of ages 3-8.
  • The Special Features section includes an overview of the poses, info about the benefits of yoga and ideas for parents to include yoga into storytime with their child.
  • How they incorporated health-conscious & eco-friendly ideas into the yoga story (ex: putting on sunscreen, protecting the condor eggs, working together to rescue a beached whale, an electric car, a solar-powered rocketship, the use of sustainable jute yoga mats, etc..)
  • Fun kid-friendly animation interspersed throughout the video is sure to keep young yogis’ attention.
  • The outdoor settings & soft background music were all lovely 🙂

Program run time: Condor Trek 23:10 minutes, Save the Whale 18:30 minutes. Plus special features: Playful Planet, Yoga Benefits, The Poses & Storytelling.

Watch the DVD preview on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGn78grpJ0k

Available for purchase on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Storyland-Yoga-Ahmed-Fahmy/dp/B0038ASYTI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1276196756&sr=8-1  (No purchase required to enter the giveaway below)

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this product to facilitate my review.  Opinions expressed are my own.

How to enter the DVD giveaway:

  1. Leave a comment on this blog post with your name, why you love kids yoga and include a valid email address in the comment form so we can reach you if you’ve won (comments must be in English; 1 entry per person)
  2. For one additional entry,  post a comment on the OMazing Kids Yoga FB page (http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga )  mentioning the “Storyland Yoga DVD giveaway” & why you love kids yoga  (posts must be in English; 1 entry per Facebook account).

Entry Deadline: Enter by any of the methods listed above by 11:59pm CST on August 5, 2011.

Rules of Participation:

  • Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address AND a mailing address in the United States of America.
  • Due to the cost of mailing, only USA entries allowed. Sorry… no international entries for this particular contest.
  • Employees or family members of OMazing Kids Yoga or Playful Planet are not eligible.
  • No purchase required.
  • Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  • One (1) winner will be chosen via a random drawing of valid entries on August 6, 2011.
  • The winner will get one (1) copy of the Storyland Yoga DVD by Playful Planet
  • The winner will be notified via e-mail.
  • In the event that the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be selected via a random drawing.
  • The DVD will be mailed by OMazing Kids Yoga to the winner within 2 weeks.
  • Prize Value: retail price $14.99

Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just a kids yoga DVD but just to be safe here is all the legal stuff…

This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You are providing your information to OMazing Kids Yoga and not to Facebook. The information you provide will only be used for our internal purposes in relation to the administration of the giveaway. Your information will NOT be sold to any outside parties.

Indemnification/Hold Harmless: By participating, entrants agree: (a) to the decisions of OMazing Kids Yoga, which shall be final in all respects; (b) to release, discharge, and hold harmless OMazing Kids Yoga and its respective representatives and agents from all liability, injuries, losses or damages of any kind to persons or property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the acceptance, possession, misuse or use of a prize, or from participation in and/or entry into the Contest or any Contest-related activity and for acceptance, delivery, or use of any prize; (c) that the foregoing parties have neither made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation or guaranty, expressed or implied, in fact or in law, relating to any prize.

Pete’s A Pizza Party – An OMazing Kids Yoga lesson plan based on the story “Pete’s A Pizza” by William Steig

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Time for a Pete’s A Pizza Party!

To celebrate having 400 kids yoga fans in one place sharing OMazing ideas, I’m sharing “Pete’s A Pizza Party – a free OMazing Kids Yoga lesson plan based on the story “Pete’s A Pizza” by William Steig” (including supplies, pose ideas, playlist with links to songs, symbols for the book, a printable pizza craft, affirmations and other fun ideas!).

Click on either of the screenshots to download the PDF. Within the PDF you will be able to click on links to the fun stuff!

  

Feel free to share any other pizza-themed ideas that you have to add to the fun 🙂

(Special thanks to Barbara Gini at BodyLogique for inspiring me to “use my noodle” to try out pizza-themed yoga!)

Update 9/26/13: Did you know that October is National Pizza Month in the USA?

Pete's a Pizza - updated post 2013

Glad to see I’m not the only SLP who LOVES this book! Fun idea to use shredded yellow paper as “cheese”. Check out this post on Preschool Wonders:

more ideas from a SLP

More fun ideas for pizza topping props on Playdough to Plato:

ideas for topping props

Pizza Costume Craft idea:

Pizza costume craft

Wow! Tons of pizza-themed learning printables from 123 Homeschool 4 Me:

learning printables

Update 8/8/12: Here is a larger version of a pizza and toppings printable I made to use in larger groups of kids as an alternative to each child assembling the pizza printable I included in my original post….. that would still be fun to do but I realized in a group of 14 kids that could take too much time. I bought a pizza pan at Dollar Tree, cut a circle out of a paper bag to fit the pan to be the “dough” & cut it into halves so I could laminate it, cut a smaller circle out of red construction paper to be the “sauce”, laminated the sauce & all the toppings, used a fine-tip permanent marker to write pose options for that ingredient on the back & used clear velcro to attach the sauce and toppings to the dough. I attached the pic of the pizza oven & the timer to the back of the pan (as a place to store them). The kids LOVED being pizzas this week in OMazing Kids Inclusive Yoga at JDMC! They did a great job keeping their table pose steady as I placed the assembled pizza on each child. BTW…. this was a fun way to practice waiting turns & maintaining a pose for a few seconds 🙂

Here is the printable I made: Pizza and Toppings Printable (PDF). I also made a coloring sheet to send home with the kids: Make a Pizza coloring sheet.


Update 9/26/12: Look at the cool Melissa & Doug Felt Pizza Set I got to go with my Pete’s a Pizza theme! Couldn’t pass it up at 40% off at Michael’s last week 🙂

Info about the set: http://www.melissaanddoug.com/felt-pizza-play-food-set. 

 Free pizza song download: http://soundcloud.com/the-sing-sings/09-lets-make-some-pizza

More fun ideas for this book: http://shannonsbooknook.com/?p=5732 

Update 8/10/13:

http://www.doverpublications.com/samplerkids/intro/children53.htm

More pizza-themed ideas on the Running with Paintbrushes blog: http://angeliqueskids.wordpress.com/category/thematic-unit/pizza/ (wow! pizza palooza over there)

Update 10/29/13:

Another fun pizza printable: http://www.makingfriends.com/preschool/paper_pizza.htm

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Update 10/30/13:

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Pizza at Sally’s by Monica Wellington is another fun option for doing pizza-themed kids yoga! In addition to the yoga pose options included in the lesson plan above, this book also has the following opportunities for kids yoga: planting seeds in the community vegetable garden (see Seeds & Gardens post for ideas), Sally’s cat, sun, harvesting wheat, milling flour, cow, making cheese. I love the vivid colors in this book, the combination of real photos with illustrations, how it shows where food really comes from (the process of growing & harvesting), Sally as the pizzeria owner (the depiction of a woman as a successful small business owner), etc.

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist at the JD McCarty Center (http://www.jdmc.org/)

Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/

Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the wavy divider bar. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here.

Review and Giveaway: Move with Me Action Adventures DVD

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Looking for fun kids yoga DVD’s?  The Move with Me™ Action Adventures DVD’s would be fun additions to your kids yoga materials!

Scooter and Me is a series of nine story and movement DVD’s for ages 3 – 7. 

All nine stories are about the exciting adventures of The Boy and his shiny red Scooter as they explore the world and even outer space.  Along the way, the Boy and Scooter make friends and learn cool new skills that help them be strong, make smart choices and take care of themselves. Adventure Skills are simple mind-body  integrating self-regulation techniques that help kids connect with inner resources when angry, sad, scared, confused, over-stimulated or upset.

Each DVD is 25-30 minutes and includes:

  • Warm-up
  • Story with movement
  • Relaxation
  • Skill review

Available for order online at: http://www.move-with-me.com/.  Video preview at: http://move-with-me.com/?autoplayV=T#ScooterPromo

See the PDF guides for each series for more info: Body Series, Heart Series, Mind Series.

Examples of  some of the “Adventure Skills”

I had the opportunity to review one of the DVD’s singles from the series “Robot Makes a New Friend on the Moon: Curiosity”

This was non-stop fun from beginning to end! I love how it includes a warm-up, storytelling with movement, teaching kids “adventure skills” they can use to self-calm & self-regulate, and relaxation. Wendy did a great job of engaging the kids in a fun way (her “robot” voice is hilarious!).  I’m hooked… can’t wait to see the rest of the action adventures!

I also had the opportunity to review one of their other DVD’s: “Yoga Playgrounds Pizza Party – A Complete Kids Yoga Class”  (ages 3-7 / 20 minutes)

This DVD was amazing too! Lisa kept the kids engaged in a calm & positive way. Here are my favorite parts: stay in your yoga body (up straight vs. slumping), the simplified sundance (the kids I work with may be able to learn this sequence), the raindance, how all the poses were simple enough for the targeted age range, and the whole making a pizza sequence was a blast!!! I love the book “Pete’s A Pizza” by William Steig & all the fun ideas in the blog post “Using Your Noodle” by Barbara Gini at Bodylogique (http://bodylogique.blogspot.com/2011/03/using-your-noodle.html). This DVD is the perfect addition to a pizza-themed kids yoga/movement group!

Available for order online & see the video preview at: http://www.move-with-me.com/dvd-series/yoga-playgrounds/item/2-pizza-party-dvd-at-home

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this product to facilitate my review.  Opinions expressed are my own.

How to enter the DVD giveaway:

  1. Leave a comment on this blog post with your name, why you love kids yoga and include a valid email address in the comment form so we can reach you if you’ve won (comments must be in English; 1 entry per person)
  2. For one additional entry,  post a comment on the OMazing Kids Yoga FB page (http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga )  mentioning the “Move With Me Action Adventures DVD giveaway” & why you love kids yoga  (posts must be in English; 1 entry per Facebook account).

Entry Deadline: Enter by any of the methods listed above by 11:59pm CST on July 19, 2011.

Rules of Participation:

  • Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address.
  • International entries are allowed.
  • Employees or family members of OMazing Kids Yoga or Move With Me Action Adventures are not eligible.
  • No purchase required.
  • Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  • One (1) winner will be chosen via a random drawing of valid entries on July 20, 2011.
  • The winner will choose one (1) of the singles from the series: The Birthday Gift: Strength – DVD or Monkeying Around at the Zoo: Flexibility – DVD or Possum’s Tail: Balance – DVD
  • The winner will be notified via e-mail.
  • In the event that the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be selected via a random drawing.
  • The winner’s mailing address will be obtained via e-mail and will be forwarded to Move With Me Action Adventures.
  • Move With Me Action Adventures will be shipping the DVD directly to the winners.
  • Prize Value: retail price $19.95

Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just a kids yoga DVD but just to be safe here is all the legal stuff…

This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You are providing your information to OMazing Kids Yoga and not to Facebook. The information you provide will only be used for our internal purposes in relation to the administration of the giveaway. Your information will NOT be sold to any outside parties.

Indemnification/Hold Harmless: By participating, entrants agree: (a) to the decisions of OMazing Kids Yoga, which shall be final in all respects; (b) to release, discharge, and hold harmless OMazing Kids Yoga and its respective representatives and agents from all liability, injuries, losses or damages of any kind to persons or property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the acceptance, possession, misuse or use of a prize, or from participation in and/or entry into the Contest or any Contest-related activity and for acceptance, delivery, or use of any prize; (c) that the foregoing parties have neither made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation or guaranty, expressed or implied, in fact or in law, relating to any prize.

Review and Giveaway: Kidding Around Yoga “Music For Little Yogis” CD

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 Are you ready to kid around and have a blast? Jogging, dancing, massaging, chanting, deep relaxation, focus games and activities all with a yoga twist! 

The new Kidding Around Yoga “Music for Little Yogis” CD is packed with 45 minutes of OMazing fun!

Songs on the CD include:

1 – Peace begins with me  (love the message of this song!)

2 – Really Stinky Feet  (perfect if you want to add some “laughter yoga” to your day. I can’t stop laughing every time I listen!)

3 – Namaste  (a fun way to explore the concept of “Namaste”…. Peace, Love & Togetherness)

4 – Salutation to the Sun (the slower pace will help the kids I work with be able to learn a “sequence” of poses)

5 – Head Shoulders Yoga Pose   (I love the way they take a tune kids are familiar with and add yoga flair to it!)

6 – Joggin’ Through the Jungle (will be a fun addition to a jungle-themed yoga class! Love the strong beat….. many kids with Autism love songs with a strong beat!)

7 – TOE-GA  (can’t wait to get out the pom-poms and do some toe yoga to this fun song. Check out these websites for ideas: http://mariasmovers.com/2011/05/toe-ga/ & http://bodylogique.blogspot.com/2010/07/going-barefoot.html)

8 – Hip Hop Yoga Bop (will be fun to use in Yoga Freeze Dance)

9 – The Strap Song  (I don’t have any yoga straps yet…. but this fun song makes me want to get one and try it out!)

10 – Massage Train (partner poses are a fun way to work on social skills & to explore different intensities of touch for kids with Sensory Processing problems)

11 – The Secret Garden (kid-friendly guided progressive relaxation)

12 – In The Secret Garden Instrumental  (will be perfect for Savasana)

13 – Tingsha (love the calming kids voices & chimes in this song!)

14 – Om Shanti (love the message of this song!)

15 – Roll your mat (will be a fun addition to the end of a kids yoga class!)

All the songs are unique & fun!

My faves so far are “Hip Hop Yoga Bop” & “Head Shoulders Yoga Pose” 🙂   (a bargain…. 15 songs for only $10! And they have PayPal.)

Check out the samples by going to their website and clicking on the PLAY button to listen: http://kiddingaroundyoga.com/shop.php

Listen to all the song samples & purchase downloads on iTunes at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/kidding-around-yoga/id446506805, at Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/Music-for-Little-Yogis/dp/B005A1CXBI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309883605&sr=8-1  & at CD Baby: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/harislender

Disclaimer: I received a free digital sample of this product to facilitate my review.  Opinions expressed are my own.

How to enter the CD giveaway:

  1. Leave a comment on this blog post with your name, why you love kids yoga music and include a valid email address in the comment form so we can reach you if you’ve won (comments must be in English; 1 entry per person)
  2. For one additional entry, become a Facebook fan of OMazing Kids Yoga (http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga ) and do a post on that page mentioning this giveaway & why you love kids yoga music  (posts must be in English; 1 entry per Facebook account).

Entry Deadline: Enter by any of the methods listed above by 11:59pm CST on July 12, 2011.

Rules of Participation:

  • Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address.
  • International entries are allowed.
  • Employees or family members of OMazing Kids Yoga or Kidding Around Yoga are not eligible.
  • No purchase required.
  • Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  • Three (3) winners will be chosen via a random drawing of valid entries on July 13, 2011.
  • The winner will be notified via e-mail.
  • In the event that the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be selected via a random drawing.
  • The winner’s mailing address will be obtained via e-mail and will be forwarded to Kidding Around Yoga.
  • Kidding Around Yoga will be shipping the CD directly to the winners.
  • Prize Value: Kidding Around Yoga “Music For Little Yogis” CD – retail price $10.00

Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just a kids yoga music CD but just to be safe here is all the legal stuff…

This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You are providing your information to OMazing Kids Yoga and not to Facebook. The information you provide will only be used for our internal purposes in relation to the administration of the giveaway. Your information will NOT be sold to any outside parties.

Indemnification/Hold Harmless: By participating, entrants agree: (a) to the decisions of OMazing Kids Yoga, which shall be final in all respects; (b) to release, discharge, and hold harmless OMazing Kids Yoga and its respective representatives and agents from all liability, injuries, losses or damages of any kind to persons or property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the acceptance, possession, misuse or use of a prize, or from participation in and/or entry into the Contest or any Contest-related activity and for acceptance, delivery, or use of any prize; (c) that the foregoing parties have neither made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation or guaranty, expressed or implied, in fact or in law, relating to any prize.

Printable PDF version: Review and Giveaway – Kidding Around Yoga Music For Little Yogis CD