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OMazing Kids LLC is an organization that promotes inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities. The blog and social media pages share information about books, DVD’s, CD’s, games and other products specifically designed for kids wellness, mindfulness and relaxation, product reviews & giveaways, lesson plan & activity ideas, research, kids wellness in the news and a connection corner with listings of individuals doing adapted yoga and those offering trainings.

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2 New Snowy Faves: One-Dog Sleigh & Ladybug Girl and the Big Snow

Posted on December 16, 2013 by OMazing Kids

Here are two new fun additions to my winter-themed book collection for 2013…..

Ladybug Girl and the Big Snow

This new book in the Ladybug Girl series has a great message of “perseverance” and “looking on the bright side”. The book has the following opportunities for kids yoga: reach-stretch to put on warm clothing (long johns, snow pants, boots, puffy jacket, mittens & earmuffs), up dog (for her companion Bingo), sun breath & stretch, cross-crawl hike through the snow, penguin (mountain + waddle), tree with snow on “branches”, blowing snow (blowing cotton balls), bell mindful walking activity, standing forward fold to dig in snow, rock-and-roll snowballs, flying winter dragon (Warrior III), mountain, snow animals (bear, dear, bunny, rhino, gorilla, lion, hippo, unicorn), hot cocoa by the fire (palming), snowflakes (standing star with wiggling fingers). The book ends with the sky turning a deep blue with snowflakes….. would make for a nice transition into Savasana with one of these snowy guided relaxations: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2012/12/14/even-more-snowy-faves-two-guided-relaxation-stories-great-for-kids-yoga/

Free Ladybug Girl activities & printables: http://www.ladybuggirl.com/printables.html

elaborate snowflake

One-Dog Sleigh

This book reminds me of the book “The Mitten” with lots of animals squeezing into a sleigh. I love the rhyming cumulative verses and repeated lines. The book has the following opportunities for kids yoga: horse, sleigh, up dog, squirrel, sleigh bells, owl, lynx (cat), deer, bear, tree, blowing snow (blowing cotton balls), mouse, standing star with twinkling fingers, barn (rooftop partners).

elaborate snowflake

Free “My Snow Globe” printable: My Snow Globe

elaborate snowflake

A snowman-themed glitter calming jar from In Lieu of Preschool: http://www.inlieuofpreschool.com/snowman-hush-bottles/

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elaborate snowflake

Links to other Winter & Christmas-themed posts…..

Snowy Guided Relaxation:

See More Snowy Faves: “A Perfect Day” by Carin Berger, kids yoga ideas and a snowy playlist:

https://omazingkidsllc.com/2012/12/10/more-snowy-faves-a-perfect-day-by-carin-berger-kids-yoga-ideas-and-a-snowy-playlist/

See the rest of my “Snowy Faves” in this post:

https://omazingkidsllc.com/2012/12/08/five-snowy-faves-kids-picture-book-gems/

Want even more ideas for Christmas & Winter-themed kids activities? Check out these three posts:

https://omazingkidsllc.com/2012/12/01/12-days-of-christmas-kids-yoga/

https://omazingkidsllc.com/2012/11/28/the-yoga-of-dr-seuss-inspired-by-how-the-grinch-stole-christmas-free-printable/

https://omazingkidsllc.com/2011/12/03/christmas-winter-themed-kids-yoga-ideas/

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

Speech-Language Pathologist

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

Contests & Giveaways on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsContestsandGiveaways

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The Best Lesson Plan ~ Follow Your Passion

Posted on August 1, 2013 by OMazing Kids

I have had several inquiries this week regarding recommendations for the best kids yoga teacher trainings, where to find lesson plans & how I create my lesson plans. There’s not a simple answer.

I do what works for me & for the kids I see. I work in a very unique setting with very unique kids. The JD McCarty Center is a pediatric rehab hospital for kids with developmental disabilities. We serve kids ages birth to 21 years of age & the patients are assigned to therapeutic groups by their treatment team (which I may or may not be a part of). The kids in my theraeutic yoga group change from week to week depending on admissions & discharges from the hospital (think “revolving door”…. some kids will overlap in their time in the group but not much). So I don’t have the luxury of having a long period of time to teach yoga foundations that I can then build upon in later sessions. We’ve had a few patients stay with us an extended time that have gotten to be in our therapeutic yoga group over several months…. but that’s the exception not the rule. I’ve had kids as young as 2 1/2 yrs. & as old as 20 yrs. in the same class. Not ideal but I made it work. When I did yoga at our summer camps, the kids ranged from 8-16 years. Again…. not ideal but I made it work. The only time I’ve been able to set my own age parameters for a class was the “inclusive” kids yoga class I offered last summer for kids ages 4-8 years. Even then that was not an ideal age range (big difference between 4 yr olds & 8 yr olds in attention span, interests, size, physical abilities (including balance), etc…) but I had to make it that broad in order to get enough kids registered to be able to offer it.

My 24 years of experience as a pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist has taught me how to modify everything “in the moment” to meet individual needs (not just in kids yoga but in everything I do). I am always equipped with visual supports & props (because I know they are helpful for most of our patients). I always have a general idea / lesson plan of what my goals or intentions are for a kids yoga class (just like I plan for my speech therapy treatment sessions). But I’m not tied to the plan. It becomes obvious very quickly when I am going to need to modify in the moment. I have had several patients lately with physical limitations & orthotics that made it very difficult to transition from sitting to standing. I often don’t know that until they show up in my class. So I modify poses & activities in the moment so that all kids can be included & feel successful.

While I learned alot in my yoga teacher trainings, it is not the only info I use to create my classes. I have attended several other trainings, have read lots of books, reviewed lots of materials & constantly gain new ideas from blogs & social media sites. I also incorporate all that I know about developmentally appropriate practices, child development & inclusive practices from all the continuing ed I have attended over my career and life lessons along the way. I incorporate arts & crafts, music & books into my kids yoga classes. How I do it depends on the needs of the kids in that particular class.

One of the most frequent requests I get via e-mail & Facebook comments or messaging is asking for a recommendation for “THE best kids yoga teacher training”. My typical response is “there are LOTS of great kids yoga trainings out there. The best one for YOU depends on lots of factors: where you will be teaching kids yoga (a yoga studio? school? hospital? yoga-themed birthday parties? camps?), what ages of kids you will be working with, will you also be offering “family yoga” or “mommy/parent & me yoga”, if your classes be inclusive (include kids with special needs), where you live or your ability to travel to a training (both time & expense), the amount of $$$ you have to invest in a training, etc…”

Most yoga teacher trainings include info about developing lesson plans and/or materials that will give you inspiration for lesson plans. But there is no perfect lesson plan. Please don’t be offended…… I LOVE lesson plans. You see me sharing them all the time. They are great inspiration for ideas. But if you have a lesson plan that you love so much that you can’t deviate from it or modify it in the moment, it’s a recipe for disappoinment / disaster. In my opinion, that holds true regardless of the particular kids in your class (2 or teen, with or without special needs) or where you will be teaching. You need to be flexible to connect with each individual.

My advice is to combine what you learn in any kids yoga teacher training with everything you already know & already love to develop lesson plans that work for you. They will then be from YOUR heart…. from YOUR passion. So I guess there really is a “simple” answer….. “Follow your passion”. You can’t go wrong with that 🙂

I love to connect & exchange ideas! Feel free to leave a comment below or on the OMazing Kids Facebook page

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

Speech-Language Pathologist

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

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http://www.activitytailor.com/feed-the-woozle/
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Woozles Galore: Romping into Speech-Language & Kids Yoga with the Feed the Woozle Game by Peaceable Kingdom

Posted on July 13, 2013 by OMazing Kids

Ready to have some fun with a Woozle? What’s a Woozle?! Glad you asked. He’s my new BFF. Met him on my annual shopping trek to the Lakeshore back-to-school sale. As a SLP who has been practicing for almost 24 years, I am pretty picky about the stuff I buy. Pediatric SLP’s are pretty notorious for having lots of “stuff” and I think I probably would have a guaranteed appearance if they ever have a “SLP Hoarders” show. So now I set pickier criteria for anything I buy. It must be: creative, unique, fun, reasonably priced and be adaptable (have a use towards several different goals). So envision me on my typical hour long browsing adventure in Lakeshore….. ruling out tons of stuff (“Already have one”, “That’s very similar to _____”, “They want HOW MUCH for a _____?!”, “Too flimsy”, etc….). I was about to leave empty-handed until I spotted him. A Woozle! Smart move on Lakeshore’s part to have a sample of most products open to examine. I used the 20% off any regular priced item coupon to buy the game at Lakeshore (after first scanning it with the Amazon app & searching Google to make sure I was getting a good deal). Retail price: $19.99

The Feed the Woozle game is a cooperative game by Peaceable Kingdom. They have several other cooperative games, including Hoot Owl Hoot! which I have and love.

What is a “cooperative game”? Glad you asked….. It’s a game where everyone plays together, no one is left out, and everyone has fun! Traditional games tend to have one winner and one (or many) losers! In a cooperative game, the players work as a team against a common obstacle, not against each other. Cooperative games emphasize play, not competition. Kids learn to work and play together in respectful and compassionate ways. They learn to share, make decisions together, and trust one another. Cooperative games encourage inclusion and build confidence. Cooperative games are great for kids of all ages (as well as the adults in their life). Kids don’t beat a cooperative game every time, so even if kids lose to the game, they lose as a team. There’s always a reason to keep working, thinking and playing together to win as a team! These type of games are awesome to use in social skills groups, in speech-language therapy, kids yoga groups, on family game night & more!

The Feed the Woozle game includes:

A stand-up Woozle (made of thick cardboard with a shiny finish. While not water or saliva-proof, the slightly laminated feel to it should help it’s durability. It folds nicely to fit in the box)
24 silly snack tokens (made of thick cardboard with slightly laminated finish)
12 “Mmmm! Yummy!” cards (made of a little thinner cardboard with slightly laminated finish)
A large die (with the numbers 1, 2, 3)
A durable plastic spoon
A spinner (very easy to spin & made of thick cardboard with slightly laminated finish)
Instructions for 3 different levels of play based on developmental level

While they have marketed this game for kids ages 3-6, I think older kids will enjoy it as well.

What I love about the game:

Carrying the snack tokens on the spoon promotes mindful focused attention. Tasks like this are especially great for kids with ADHD.
The silly snack tokens are hilarious & full of great descriptive language. Using humor & creative thinking is especially great when working with kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders (who tend to be very literal thinkers).
It promotes creative movement especially when using the spinner. It adds movements that you do while carrying the spoon with the snack token [ex: Hula Dance, Spin, March (could modify into a Brain Gym Cross Crawl March), Bunny Hop, Walk Backwards & Go Crazy (make up your own movement or could do a yoga pose of their choice)].
The cooperative nature of the game promotes the concept of working together as a team.
The rules are easy to follow & easy to modify further to meet individual kids needs.
The game is colorful & well constructed.

Ways to adapt the game to meet special needs:

Use the Woozle symbols (in the PDF below) for kids to comment or request during the game.
Create a 12-space token board for kids to collect the “Mmm! Yummy!” cards on to provide a concrete visual support for kids to see how close they are to winning the game. Of course the game could be modified with a rule of collecting a lesser amount of cards to win (for kids with shorter attention spans or to fit the game within a short therapy session).
Use a BigMack or other single message output communication aide for kids who are nonverbal or minimally verbal to comment during the game (ex: Ewwww! Feed me! Yeah! We won! My turn, etc.).
Put the die into a High Roller (adapted dice roller) to allow kids with physical limitations to be able to “roll” the die.

In addition to the game directions, I have already come up with lots of other ideas for my new BFF the Woozle! I’m one of those folks who can’t just use an item for the advertised purpose. I go to DollarTree or Target and see a cutting board and think “ooh that would be great to make PECS boards out of” or a neoprene iPad case and think “ooh I could cut holes in it to make a keyguard for the GoTalk Now app on the iPad”. I kid you not! Ever since attending a Linda J. Burkhart make-and-take low-tech AAC workshop in 1992, I have lost the ability to think “inside the box” and my venture into kids yoga has just magnified the creative side of my brain. (For those of you who are not familiar with Linda Burkhart, she’s the “MacGyver” of no/low-tech AAC)

So far I’ve come up with the following Woozle-themed activities & printables:

Kids yoga activities to go with each of the 24 silly snack tokens
Draw or do an open-ended craft to create more snacks to feed the Woozle
A fun fruit mindfulness activity (Woozles need mindfulness too! If he was practicing mindful eating, I’m pretty sure he would not consume “toenail toast”)
Cards & coloring to show the Woozle how to “Eat the Rainbow” to encourage healthier food choices
Color Woozle (could also be decorated in a craft activity)
30 language attribute/category activity cards (ex: Name 2 things that are crunchy)
6 Woozle size cards (2 each of small, medium & big. Plan on using them to order & match by size)
A Woozle size sorting board (small, bigger, biggest ~ use with the cards above or with any other manipilatives of snack items)
40 communication symbols (can be used as a communication board, cut apart as PECS symbols and used in aided language stimulation)

Here is a free 16-page PDF with all the printables: Feed the Woozle ~ free printables to use in speech-language therapy or kids yoga

I’m sharing it to encourage others to think “outside the box” when selecting materials. All I ask in return is that you “like” my OMazing Kids Facebook page and leave a FB and/or blog comment about how your kids enjoyed it or how you plan on using it with your kids. I also ask that you follow the “Printables Terms of Use”.

Craft Idea: Make a Woozle with these Easy Monsters Finger Puppets. Wouldn’t it be fun to make these & then do “Woozle Mudras” in kids yoga or work on requesting and descriptive language in speech therapy?!

Check out this fun free Monster Pack printable from 3 Dinosaurs! I bet these are the Woozle’s other BFF’s 😉

Check out more Feed the Woozle activity ideas for SLPs in this post on Activity Tailor: http://www.activitytailor.com/feed-the-woozle/

I’d love to hear your ideas for games to use in kids yoga or speech-language therapy! Feel free to leave a comment below or on the OMazing Kids Facebook page

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

Speech-Language Pathologist at the JD McCarty Center for Children with Developmental Disabilities (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

Contests & Giveaways on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsContestsandGiveaways

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/#omazing-kids-yoga

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741

Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad

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Inspiring Kids Creativity with Books, Art & Movement

Posted on July 6, 2013 by OMazing Kids

I love combining books, art & movement to inspire creativity in kids! Here are my “five faves” for this:

Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg [Hooray for mistakes! A mistake is an adventure in creativity, a portal of discovery. A spill doesn’t ruin a drawing—not when it becomes the shape of a goofy animal. And an accidental tear in your paper? Don’t be upset about it when you can turn it into the roaring mouth of an alligator. A singular work of imagination, creativity, and paper engineering, Beautiful Oops! is filled with pop-ups, lift-the-flaps, tears, holes, overlays, bends, smudges, and even an accordion “telescope”—each demonstrating the magical transformation from blunder to wonder. Opportunities for kids yoga or creative movement: alligator, dog, duck, elephant, penguin, pig, car, bunny, fish, worm, frog, gyan mudra looking glasses, flower. Plus lots of opportunity for discussion about the power of creating something beautiful out of what appears to be an “oops”; Ideas for open-ended art exploration: torn paper collage, ink or paint blots, origami, newspaper creations, fingerprint pictures, stamping with paper towel rolls, hole punching, crumpled paper creations. More ideas in this free event kit (5-page PDF).]

beautiful oops guide

The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds [Art class is over, but Vashti is sitting glued to her chair in front of a blank piece of paper. The words of her teacher are a gentle invitation to express herself. But Vashti can’t draw – she’s no artist. To prove her point, Vashti jabs at a blank sheet of paper to make an unremarkable and angry mark. “There!” she says. That one little dot marks the beginning of Vashti’s journey of surprise and self-discovery. Opportunities for kids yoga or creative movement: chair, polar bear, jabbing with the marker (woodchopper), Hmmm? breath, writing name (air writing, back writing partner activity, doing poses that start with the letter of each child’s first name), swirls (lazy 8’s from Brain Gym), “paint the room” activity with props, grow bigger (child’s pose – kneeling – mountain – standing star); Plus lots of opportunity for discussion about the power of one person’s encouragement, starting with what we “can” do and growing it into something bigger & “paying it forward”. Lots of fun art & extension activity ideas in this free classroom guide for The Dot & Ish from the publisher (8-page PDF). Need more inspiration? Pinterest is full of ideas for open-ended art exploration for The Dot!]

The Dot easel

the dot frame

Ish by Peter H. Reynolds [Follow the little boy inspired by Vashti in the book “The Dot”. Drawing is what Ramon does. It’s what makes him happy. But in one split second, all that changes. A single reckless remark by Ramon’s older brother turns his carefree sketches into joyless struggles. Luckily his little sister, Marisol, sees the world differently. She opens his eyes to something a lot more valuable than getting things just “right.” The power of “-ish”. Opportunities for kids yoga or creative movement: lay on tummy, bed, “Ewww” breath (painting by trash cans), chair, flower, tense/relax fists (like crumpling paper), stomping feet (I’m done!), standing forward fold (as Marisol picks up a crumpled drawing), Toe-ga (to pick up small crumped balls of paper), stretch up & side to side as Marisol tapes the drawing in the gallery on her wall, gyan mudra looking glasses, ish-poses (make up “ish” variations on poses: tree, house, boat, fish & sun and the poses that make them “feel” peace-ish, silly-ish & excited-ish …. if time allows keep the creative ish-pose process going. Kids could work in pairs – one creates a pose, the other draws it (and of course signs it like in The Dot) & then trade roles. Their art could be copied so the whole group could have a set of yoga-ish pose cards), poem / journaling, mindfulness activities to experience savoring the moment; plus lots of opportunity for discussion of the power of our words to discourage or encourage others.]

ish ideas

Sky Color by Peter H. Reynolds [The third book in the Creatrilogy series. Marisol, the little sister from the book “Ish”, loves to paint. So when her teacher asks her to help make a mural for the school library, she can’t wait to begin! But how can Marisol make a sky without blue paint? After gazing out the bus window and watching from her porch as day turns into night, she closes her eyes and starts to dream. Opportunities for kids yoga or creative movement: cat, fruit picking stretch, flower, fish, palming or mudras (for the handprint painting), whale, bumpy bus ride, mindfully noticing colors in the sky, moon, stars, bed, guided “Colors” relaxation; plus lots of opportunity for discussion about thinking outside the box & mindfully experiencing things. Lots of fun art & extension activity ideas in this free classroom guide from the publisher (6-page PDF)]

sky color

Sky Color - I feel colorful

Update 8/4/13: A great “Paint the Sky” guided relaxation from A Seedling’s Nightstand.

(Looking for more ways to explore feelings through color? Check out the My Many Colored Days post)

The Museum by Susan Verde, with art by Peter H. Reynolds (it’s cool that Susan was an elementary school teacher and is now a certified kid’s yoga instructor!) [As a little girl tours and twirls through the halls of an art museum, she finds herself on an exciting adventure. Each piece of art evokes something new inside of her: silliness, curiosity, joy and ultimately inspiration. When faced with an empty white canvas, she is energized to create and express herself. “When I see a work of art, something happens in my heart”. Opportunities for kids yoga or creative movement: mountain w/ Namaste hands at heart, Warrior I, Warrior II, dancer, crescent moon, standing star, standing forward fold (looking through legs at world upside down), chair, sitting down (a variety of seated poses – lotus, half-lotus, easy pose, seated twist, etc…), seated apple picking stretch, flower (incorporate real flowers into the class – inspired by this post from Carolyn at Imaginations: Fun Relaxation Stories and Meditations for Kids), make up silly poses, laughter yoga, blank canvas mindfulness activity; Also lots of opportunity for discussion about our lives being a “blank canvas” and being empowered to “paint/create” your own future. Any open-ended art exploration activities would be fun to incorporate (remember it should be about the “process” of exploring & having fun with arts/crafts & not the end “product”. Also put thought into kid’s special needs & sensory sensitivities when selecting activities. There are lots of great ways to adapt art to make it accessible to all! http://www.zotartz.com/, http://www.kinderart.com/special/). Fun printables on the author’s website (curriculum guide coming soon!). For more ideas, see this great post Book to Boogie: Dance Inspired by Art by Kerry Aradhya at Picture Books & Pirouettes]

museum frame

more museum activity printables

UPDATE 9/27/13: Fabulous new activity guide for The Museum: http://www.fablevisionlearning.com/pdfs/fablevision_museum_educators_guide.pdf

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Adding art & movement with books taps into the power of multiple intelligences!

For more book suggestions, see the “Childrens Books that Inspire Creativity” post by A Childhood List.

Be watching for an update to this post this fall. A Little Bit of Oomph!, the sequel to Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg, is scheduled to release in September 2013 (I’ve already pre-ordered a copy through Amazon!).

UPDATE 9/27/13: I love “A Little Bit of Oomph!”. See this post for details: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2013/09/22/inspiring-kids-to-add-a-little-bit-of-oomph/

I’d love to hear your ideas for inspiring creativity! Feel free to leave a comment below or on the OMazing Kids Facebook page

BrightIdeas

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

Speech-Language Pathologist at the JD McCarty Center for Children with Developmental Disabilities (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

Contests & Giveaways on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsContestsandGiveaways

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/#omazing-kids-yoga

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741

Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad