Rainbow Kids Yoga Training coming to Namaste Yoga in OKC in January 2012

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Looking for a kids yoga training opportunity?

 

Family Yoga Community Class!    Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 4 PM – 5 PM 
Open to all kids ages 3-9 with a parent or caregiver.
Come for an exciting hour of yoga poses, games and adventures.
Wear comfortable clothes you can move in. Yoga has never been this much fun!
$10 suggested donation per family. Must pre-register (see flier for details)

Flier: Flier: Family Yoga Community Class – Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 4 PM – 5 PM

 

Rainbow Kids Yoga will be doing a 3-day training at Namaste Yoga in SW Oklahoma City in January 2012!

Here is a flier: Rainbow Kids Yoga Training Flier – OKC Jan. 2012 (PDF)

Here is a link to Namaste Yoga’s website: http://www.namasteyogaokc.com/

Here are details from the Rainbow Kids Yoga website (http://rainbowkidsyoga.net/trainings/oklahoma/oklahoma_training.html):

3 – DAY “YOGA FOR KIDS AND FAMILIES” TEACHER TRAINING
 OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA  
JANUARY 27 – 29, 2012 

Location: Namaste Yoga OKC    10320 S. Penn. Ave., Ste. 203 OKC, OK 73159
Date & Time: January 27 – 29 from 9 AM to 6 PM daily 

The 3-day Rainbow Kids Yoga Teacher Training is a comprehensive, intensive and practical certification course.
Be prepared to practice and learn to teach yoga while laughing, dancing, playing and singing!
The Rainbow Kids Yoga Teacher Training is well rounded and intensive, with practical theory, discussions and TONS OF FUN! Most importantly, you will come out with immediate tangible knowledge and tons of fabulous ideas to create original, captivating and fun yoga experiences for kids of all ages, anywhere in the world.

Happy Fall – fun fall books & activities (updated for Fall 2012)

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A few fun fall books & activities to celebrate my favorite season…..

Several of my favorite fall books also have tons of great opportunities for kids yoga poses & breathing:

  • The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri (tree, spider, mouse – child’s pose, bird, grasshopper, frog, fish, cat, dog, pumpkin, owl, squirrel + do toe-ga to pick up pom-pom “acorns”, picking apple stretch, sun stretch & breath, buzzing bee breath, pick up leaves)
  • When the Leaf Blew In by Steve Metzger (blow on leaves, cow, spider, owl, pig-happy baby pose, goat-donkey kicks, chicken-bird, horse-neigh & stretch up, sheep-jump, duck, frog, dragonfly-buzzing breath, dog, squirrel, bird, tree) – Click here for story props I made for this book: When the Leaf Blew In story props(PDF)

  • Count Down to Fall by Fran Hawk (raccoon, possum, moon stretch, cat, butterfly, squirrel, bear, turtle, tree, owl, deer, paddle canoe partner pose, quaking aspen tree, bird, bunny breaths)
  • Red Are the Apples by Marc Harshman & Cheryl Ryan (flower, fish, cat, blowing wind breath, chicken-bird, raking-forward bend, bean pods-child’s pose, corn stalks-mountain pose, pumpkin, tractor drive group pose, bug-happy baby pose, scarecrow, crows-bird, apple picking stretch, ladder climbing-brain gym cross crawl)
  • We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger (sun stretch & breath, hike-brain gym cross crawl, mountain, tree, forest-trees group pose, waterfall, boat, skunk-cat pose lifting tail to spray, house- rooftops partner pose, leaf blowing, leaf picking). Click here for printable “Thankful Leaves”: Thankful leaves(PDF) & Be Thankful leaves bookmarks (PDF)

      

Kids Yoga Poses for There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves:

 

Music: To Be a Tree by The Flannery Brothers (http://flannerybrothers.com/track/to-be-a-tree)

Fun Five Golden Autumn Leaves song & printable props:

See more details on this post: http://picklebums.com/2012/05/17/printable-autumn-leaf-puppets-and-a-song/

Fun Free Printable Fall Barrier Game from 3 Dinosaurs: http://www.3dinosaurs.com/printables/packs/fall.php

Check out the cute video by Alluem Yoga Kids: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jxN8r-BzM0

(Alluem Yoga Kids Blog – http://alluemkids.blogspot.com/)


Join in on a discussion about fun fall kids yoga ideas on the OMazing Kids Facebook page:

Click on a book cover to find that book on Amazon.com….
 
Other fun fall finds:
Leaves Falling song from Bill & Tammy’s Children’s World Music Express: http://www.amazon.com/Leaves-Falling/dp/B0017KQ2S6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349304582&s=dmusic&sr=1-1
   
 
 
Coloring Sheets:
       

Craft: Make a Basket & Leaves: 

http://familyfun.go.com/autumn/fall-printables/holiday-basket-with-leaves-704304/

  
Make Pumpkins
Fall Memory Match Game (print 2 copies on cardstock & cut apart into game cards. I added fall scrapbooking paper to the back of mine before laminating them)
A fun Pumpkin Pie Playdoh Recipe (to play with…. not to eat 🙂 )
More free printables, including fall-themed apple, leaves & pumpkin songs: http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.com/fallfun.html

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

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.

Elephant Appreciation Day

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Here are a few fun things to celebrate “Elephant Appreciation Day” on September 22nd:

Of course “elephant pose” is a must (picture via ABC’s of Yoga for Kids)  🙂

                     

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Update: 

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{Currently FREE} Check out this cool detailed elephant coloring page that’s currently free from PlayKites Designs (usually $1.49). Grab it quickly since it will only be free for a week: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2016/01/27/currently-free-detailed-printable-elephant-coloring-page-from-playkites-designs/

 

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http://www.crayola.com/free-coloring-pages/print/elephant-coloring-page/ – puppet

http://media.onsugar.com/files/2011/04/15/1/1430/14305791/a8eb8d0f9ad30e60_elephant_coloring_pages.gif – coloring page

http://www.animaljr.com/animal-coloring-pages-elephants/elephant-coloring-page-2/
– coloring page  

 

 

 

 

https://www.tsl.state.tx.us/sites/default/files/public/tslac/ld/projects/trc/2005/manual/craftillos/elephantmask.jpg – mask

http://www.ziggityzoom.com/activities.php?a=165 – another mask

 

 

 

 

 

 

  A wonderful book is “Stand Back,” Said the Elephant, “I’m Going to Sneeze!” by Patricia Thomas

Book:  http://www.harpercollins.com/browseinside/index.aspx?isbn13=9780688093389

Entire book online: http://kidpix.livejournal.com/1170579.html

Coloring pages to go with the book: elephant sneeze coloring pages

Product Review: EnviroKid™ cushion – a non-toxic, eco-friendly, sensory-friendly seating option for kids of all abilities

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Looking for a non-toxic, eco-friendly, sensory-friendly seating option for kids of all abilities?

Then the EnviroKid™ cushion would be a great option to consider!

 

We have been trying out two of the EnviroKid™ cushions at the JD McCarty Center for Children with Developmental Disabilities in OMazing Kids Yoga, in a Storytime group and as an adapted seating option.

 

Key features of the cushion:

  • PVC-Free and Phthalate-Free EnviroKid™ Cushion is available in a variety of soothing colors.
  • The outer covering is EnviroLeather, PVC-Free Synthetic Leather® which is engineered to:
    • adjust to your child’s body temperature quickly
    • stand up to even the most “active” of children
    • be cleaned easily
  • 26”x 26” dimensions.

 

The uses for the EnviroKid™ cushion in a kids yoga studio setting are wonderfully described in a post by Childlight Yoga (http://www.thekidsyogaresource.com/2011/08/envirokid-cushions-a-zafu-for-kids-and-a-whole-lot-more.html). So rather that duplicate that information, I am focusing my review on the additional therapeutic uses for this cushion.

 

The unique properties of the EnviroKid™ cushion are difficult to describe….. but after sitting on it you will see what makes it very different from any other cushion or bean bag chair. You gently sink in and the beads in the cushion conform around you and then remain in place to provide a nice feeling of support. The non-toxic, eco-friendly aspects of the cushion are especially important when working with kids with special needs as they tend to be more sensitive or susceptible to environmental toxins.

 

Brittany H., one of our Physical Therapists, was amazed at how well the EnviroKid™ cushion supported one of her patients… “A child I see frequently has been working on trunk control. He has spastic quadriplegia and requires maximal assistance to maintain an upright position at the edge of a mat table with his feet supported on a bench.  He loses his sitting balance after only a few seconds when manual support is removed. I have been using the EnviroKid™ cushion during our last few sessions. The cushion provides enough support to allow him to sit independently for 1-2 minutes at a time while still challenging his trunk control. He was able to use his dominant hand to play with a toy while sitting independently. I love the way the cushion forms around his pelvis, giving just enough support to provide independence while still requiring trunk righting responses and engaging core muscles for strengthening and control”.

 

One of our Speech-Language Pathologists used the cushion with a patient whose disabilities are secondary to Shaken Baby Syndrome. His grandmother was so excited about how well he sat in the EnviroKid™  cushion that she indicated she is going to see if his school will order one so he can sit on the floor with the other kids.

 

Given my observations of kids reactions to the EnviroKid™ cushion, it is likely that kids with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) would enjoy sitting on the cushion because it conforms around you, has a soft suede-like surface, is lower to the ground than a typical beanbag chair & is odor-free (no chemical-like odor like many beanbag chairs have).

 

One of the EnviroKid™ cushions has been out for general use in our very busy rehab treatment area and after several weeks of use has not shown any signs of wear…. A good sign since the kids we work with can tend to be tough on stuff.

 

The price of the EnviroKid™ cushion ($57.95) may be a little high if folks think it is just an eco-friendly pillow or beanbag chair alternative…. but it’s a good price compared to yoga zafu cushions or when compared to therapeutic adapted seating options.

 

The EnviroKid™ cushion is available for ordering on their website: http://myenvirokid.com/envirokid-cushion/

 

For more info about the dangers of PVC, BPA, Phthalates, etc…. read this: http://myenvirokid.com/why-pvc-free-phthalate-free/

 

 

A YouTube video about the Info about the EnviroLeather material used to make the  EnviroKid™ cushions:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSUDI24wn-8

 

Disclaimer: I received two free EnviroKid™ cushions to facilitate my review.  Opinions expressed are my own based on direct observations and feedback that I received regarding their use.

 

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

Speech-Language Pathologist with 21 years of pediatric experience

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

Founder of OMazing Kids Yoga – inclusive yoga for kids & teens of all abilities

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

JDMC Website: www.jdmc.org

Going on an Urban Animals Hunt – an OMazing Kids Yoga activity

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Looking for a fun indoor activity for kids? We did an indoor animal hunt in OMazing Kids Yoga to go with the book “Urban Animals” by Isabel Hill

(take a peek inside the book on her website: http://www.isabelhill.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/UrbanAnimalsExcerpt.pdf & more at http://www.isabelhill.com/books/urban-animals). Available from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Urban-Animals-Isabel-T-Hill/dp/1595722106

I made picture cards for all the animals in the book and taped them on the architectural elements (walls, columns, railings, windows, doors, etc.) inside the JD McCarty Center.

PDF printable (2 pages – letter size paper): Urban Animals – animal pics for indoor animal hunt  (tip: laminate the pics or cover in clear contact paper for durability)

We made binoculars out of toilet paper tubes (just need two cardboard tubes of same length, tape, construction paper strip (to tape around the tubes to help hold them together), yarn, a single hole punch & crayons) & then animal hunt began 🙂

The kids took turns doing “I Spy” or “I See” (for kids that were nonverbal, we used a BIGmack®  single message voice output communication aide that they pushed the button to say “Look!”).

More info about ways to use the BIGmack® http://talksense.weebly.com/feature-101-ideas-for-a-bigmack.html

Since we were “on the move”, we kept shoes on & didn’t use yoga mats since the area is carpeted (it was a great opportunity for folks to see that yoga can be done “off the mat”)

We stopped and did the yoga pose or breath for each animal that we found (here are a few ideas…. for Seahorse we made up a pose – lay on your tummy, cross your legs & then curl them – like the curled tail of a seahorse, put your hands on the floor by your shoulders and wiggle fingers – like the tiny fins, make sure to switch and cross with the other leg on top; Hare = hopping; Bunny = Bunny Breaths)

Tons of fun for kids of all abilities!

Stop by the OMazing Kids Yoga Facebook page for more fun ideas: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga

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.

Yoga for Kids and Teens in Oklahoma – Resource List

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I have compiled this resource list of folks offering yoga classes/groups for kids & teens in Oklahoma based on what I could find online & through e-mail and Facebook correspondence. It is a work in progress so please let me know if you would like information added, removed or updated.  If I have overlooked someone who is doing yoga with kids and/or teens please let me know so I can get them added to the list.

Just in case you are wondering why I put together this resource list…..

1. We have kids & teens who benefit from yoga in my OMazing Kids Yoga groups at the JD McCarty Center in Norman, Oklahoma. Kids come to the center from all over the state and I have been looking for places to refer families to when their child discharges from the JD McCarty Center.

2. It will be nice to be able to network and collaborate with other folks doing yoga for kids & teens here in Oklahoma.

Click here for the resource list (PDF): Yoga for Kids and Teens in Oklahoma – Resource List

Thanks for all the OMazing things you each do for kids & teens in Oklahoma!

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2
Speech-Language Pathologist & Founder of OMazing Kids Yoga
Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

J.D. McCarty Center
2002 East Robinson Street
Norman, OK 73071

(405) 307-2802 – Direct line with voicemail
amoorad@jdmc.org – Work E-mail

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

Flier & Wimgo post for FREE OMazing Kids Yoga Storystretchers Event – May 24, 2011 @ the JD McCarty Center in Norman, Oklahoma (a Better Speech & Hearing Month activity)

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Here is the flier for our FREE OMazing Kids Yoga Storystretchers event at the JD McCarty Center in Norman, Oklahoma on May 24, 2011: FREE – Kids Yoga & Storytelling Event at JDMC – May 24, 2011 (Better Speech and Hearing Month).

Info is also posted on Wimgo: http://wimgo.com/norman-ok/free-omazing-kids-yoga-story-stretchers-amazon/events/228701

FREE Kids Yoga Event at the JD McCarty Center in Norman, Oklahoma – May 24, 2011

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OMazing Kids Story Stretchers: Amazon Rainforest Adventure” (ages 5-9)

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

4:30-5:30pm

JD McCarty Center

Kids of all abilities are invited to come experience a free movement-based story & craft to stretch their body, breath & imagination.

This activity is open to kids with and without special needs and is being offered by the Speech-Language Pathology department at the J.D. McCarty Center as part of Better Speech and Hearing Month.

For more information, contact:

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

Speech-Language Pathologist

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

J.D. McCarty Center

2002 East Robinson Street

Norman, OK 73071

(405) 307-2802 – Direct line with voicemail

E-mail: amoorad@jdmc.org

OMazing Kids Yoga on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga

And the winner is…… Addriya for “Yoga for Small Places”, “Learn With Yoga ABC Yoga Cards for Kids” & “Learn with Yoga ABC Yoga Cards for Kids Instructor Guide” – product review

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I recently had the opportunity to review three great products from Addriya (www.addriya.com). All three are OMazing in their own way! Can’t wait to see what    great new products they develop next. Here is a little info about the products and what I liked about each of them:

 

Yoga for Small Spaces cards by Christine Ristuccia, RYT  & Lynn Geddes, RYT – set of 52 cards with positioning cues, benefits, modifications & affirmations. These are perfect to show how yoga can be done “off the mat”. The inclusion of several warm-ups & affirmations were great. I loved it so much that I gave it away as the door prize at my presentation at the Oklahoma Childcare Association Conference (and then ordered one for myself off Amazon.com 🙂 !)

 

 

 

 

 

Learn With Yoga ABC Yoga Cards for Kids cards by Christine Ristuccia, SLP & RYT – set of 26 ABC yoga cards  with verbal cues & benefits (1 pose for each letter) & 26 Instructor Cards with ideas for language development & reading readiness activities for each pose. As a speech-language pathologist, I love how many ideas there are for working on speech, language & reading readiness all in the context of whole-body movement. I work with lots of kids with ADHD & Autism that learn best while moving so these are perfect! The kids also love picking out pose cards to spell their name :).

 

 

 

 

 

Learn with Yoga ABC Yoga Cards for Kids Instructor Guide by Christine Ristuccia, MS, CCC-SLP, RYT. Designed to be used with the yoga cards described above but is also a great stand-alone product as it contains good info about yoga benefits, tips for educators, yoga instructors & parents, forming yoga groups, incorporating motor, basic concept, language and reading/literacy goals, and ideas for quick yoga breaks, etc.