Review & Giveaway: “Lucinda’s Magical Yoga Adventure” by Betty Larrea

 Lucinda book cover giveaway

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Check out the fun new addition to the OMazing Kids library… “Lucinda’s Magical Yoga Adventure” by Betty Larrea! Then enter the giveaway below.

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About the book: Lucinda’s Magical Yoga Adventure is written for children, in the voice of a child. Lucinda loves yoga because she can pretend to become the animals and other things in nature that she meets along the way. On a deeper level, when Lucinda does yoga, she becomes aware of her connection to nature and all living things. This picture book is told in the spirit of traditional fairy tale and is written in free verse and rhyming poetry with beautiful illustrations that demonstrate the yoga poses.
ISBN # 978-0-578-15146-5
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Be Yoga Be Love Press; 1st edition (December 2014) .

Here’s what I love about this book:

  • It’s written from a child’s perspective. This will help children be able to relate to the character and lends itself well to verbally repeating portions of the book as affirmations.
  • Gorgeous colorful illustrations.
  • Simple rhyming  text in a large easy to read font.
  • Includes 10 kids yoga poses, 1 breathing activity & a relaxation at the end. All the poses included are appropriate for the targeted audience. I may use Upward Facing Dog in place of Down Dog and may modify Bridge pose depending on the diagnoses of the kids in my OMazing Kids therapeutic yoga classes. The poses are easy ones and depicted well in the illustrations. However, those who are new to kids yoga may want to get additional info about how to do the poses and balloon breathing & find ideas for a relaxation script to incorporate into Savasana relaxation at the end by checking out the info on Betty’s blog: http://www.beyogabelove.com/blog/. Love her simple Cloud Guided Relaxation Script: Close your eyes and imagine that you are lying on a puffy white cloud. You’re all snuggled into the cloud, which is like a comfy blankie made of cotton balls. You can feel the sunlight on your skin, as the cloud takes you higher and higher into the bright, blue sky. With each breath, feel yourself sinking deeper into a state of peaceful relaxation. You feel a deep happiness and love in your heart for the people in your life and the world you are a part of. This feeling washes over you and radiates out to all parts of your body and mind and beyond…like a beautiful light shining out from your heart to the whole world…

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A sneak peek at a few pages inside the book. I scanned these pages so the colors are not showing up quite as vivid & rich as they are in the book but I wanted to at least give you a “feel” for the book: .

(Update: Well I guess you’ll just have to head to the author’s website. She indicated she’ll be adding a preview there)

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Illustrator, Lorena Isabel’s, blog:  http://www.loisabel.blogspot.com.ar
Price (at the time of this post): $16.99 hardcover book
Purchase on the author’s website: http://www.beyogabelove.com/books/ 
About the Author: Betty Larrea is a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher who has been teaching yoga to children since 2001. She founded Be Yoga Be Love and is currently providing her yoga curriculum, staff development training, and event services for children, families and educators in schools, libraries, and yoga studios throughout NJ and NY.

 

Disclaimer: I received a free sample of this product to facilitate my review.  Opinions expressed are my own. Starting in 2013, a new component of reviews & giveaways hosted on OMazing Kids is that a review will be added on Amazon.com (for products sold on that site). See my Amazon profile at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1JKVLELLSX7FD?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_aya_bb_pdp.

giveaway

Only USA entries allowed for this giveaway due to shipping costs.

1 winner.

This giveaway in now CLOSED. Congratulations to the winner: Amanda Daley in Downingtown, PA.

Easy Entry Form:

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  • Only entries with all required information will be valid. The info comes to me directly via e-mail & is ONLY used for the purposes of selecting winners and distributing prizes.

  • Helpful Info & Tips: Folks had requested a simpler entry option. I tried Rafflecopter but most folks did not enter an address so now I’m trying this online contact form instead. I will be hand selecting winners to insure products end up in the hands of folks who will put them to the best use. Briefly tell me how winning this would help you & the kids. I take the time to read each entry so details count. It doesn’t have to be lengthy…. just heart-felt.
  • If you experience any problems with the entry form in this blog post, please e-mail me specific details so I can attempt to fix it. E-mail to: amoorad1@juno.com . The entry deadline may be extended at the sole discretion of OMazing Kids in the event of prolonged entry problems.
  • Each “giveaway” is handled separately on OMazing Kids. So there are no rules prohibiting previous winners from entering this or future giveaways. I really do read every entry in every giveaway carefully to insure that the products end up in the best hands to impact kids lives.

Entry Deadline: 11:59pm CST on January 5, 2015 .

Rules of Participation:

  • Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address.
  • One entry per person.
  • Only USA entries are allowed for this particular giveaway due to shipping costs.
  • Employees or family members of OMazing Kids, LLC or the product’s company are not eligible.
  • No purchase required.
  • Comments submitted via entries may be copied & pasted into the blog post.
  • Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  • Only entries with all required information will be valid.
  • The winner will be chosen from valid entries on January 6, 2015.

1 winner will receive 1 copy of the book described above.

  • The winner will be notified via e-mail, will be posted on the blog post & will be posted on the OMazing Kids Facebook page. The company offering the prize may also post the winner’s name on their website, blog, Facebook page and/or other social media sites at their discretion.
  • The prize will be mailed to the winner using the address submitted in the entry form. OMazing Kids is not responsible for items lost in the mail or for inaccuracies in the mailing address. I copy & paste the info directly from what you submit << so PLEASE proof read your entry for accuracy before submitting it…. in the era of iPhone auto correction these errors happen pretty frequently>>
  • The winner’s address will be forwarded to the author and she will be mailing the prizes directly to the winners.  After I e-mail the winner’s info to the company, it is their responsibility to mail out prizes. Please contact them first if you are concerned about not receiving a prize. If that does not resolve the problem, then feel free to e-mail me and I will glad to assist in whatever way I can.

Prize Value: $16.99

Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just a kids yoga book 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, LLC 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, LLC, which shall be final in all respects; (b) to release, discharge, and hold harmless OMazing Kids, LLC 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. grass-green-divider-bar Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2 Speech-Language Pathologist Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2 E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga Contests & Giveaways on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsContestsandGiveaways Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1 Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/ 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 Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

. 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. NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the wavy blue divider bar or any ads or unusual hyperlinks that may appear above. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here. I have attempted to remove the CouponDropDown but no luck so far…. DO NOT click on any hyperlinks unless you hover above them first to insure they are valid. Ones I included should appear in blue font.

New Twinkle Twinkle Owl & Star plush characters from Super Simple Learning + free printable affirmation coloring pages

owl & star plush

Look whoo will be joining the fun in OMazing Kids yoga….. the new Twinkle Twinkle Owl & Star plush characters from Super Simple Learning! I love how soft they are, the adorable facial features & the beads in the base of each (nice soothing sensory feature). Be watching for them to make guest appearances in OMazing Kids 🙂 


Available on Amazon as a set: http://www.amazon.com/Twinkle-Star-Official-Plush-Characters/dp/B00NB7QO6I

Inspired by this video: http://youtu.be/yCjJyiqpAuU

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Get the iOS universal app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/twinkle-twinkle/id577335049?mt=8

I bought the instrumental version of this song from Super Simple Learning on iTunes to add to my relaxation playlist at the end of my kids yoga classes:

* https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sweet-dreams-goodnight-song/id867563744?i=867566978

Their music has a nice slower pace that is fabulous for kids with special needs!

I made the two coloring sheets. They are available as a free 2-page PDF on my blog at: https://omazingkidsyoga.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/be-whoo-you-are-you-are-a-star-just-as-you-are-coloring-page.pdf

Be Whoo You Are - You Are a Star Just as you are

 

snowflakes-divider

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

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

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

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

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

Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

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.

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

The Animals’ Santa: an OMazing Kids Lesson Plan & free printable coloring page

The Animals Santa book

 

The Animals’ Santa by Jan Brett is definitely a new fave in OMazing Kids! Her illustrations are a feast for the eyes and include amazing details on the sides that give clues about what else is going on in the story.

The book has the following opportunities for kids yoga activities:

  • Bunny Breaths
  • Snowy Tree
  • Forest of Snowy Trees
  • Lemming (mouse)
  • Heart-Shaped Mudra (for the heart-shaped wishing stone)
  • Bell Mindful Walking
  • Raven (bird)
  • Squirrel (use brown pom-poms as acorns to stretch and pick or do Toe-ga to pick up with toes)
  • Arctic Fox (cat pose + sign for “fox”)
  • Badger (big steps pretending to walk on snowshoes)
  • Polar Bear (extended Child Pose)
  • Moose (Seated Twist + hands on head as big antlers)
  • Porcupine (Lotus Mudra – fingers look like the quills)
  • Wolf (Upward Facing Dog)
  • Broken Ice Chimes Mindful Listening (small wind chimes or chime bar)
  • Snowy Owl (Gyan Mudra at eyes)

 

Playlist Suggestions:

  • It’s Snowing by Bobbie Lancaster
  • Silent Nights CD from Relax Kids
  • Snow by Jim Valley
  • Snow Angel & Snowy Tree on Musical Yoga Adventures CD
  • Snow Song by Mary Lu Walker
  • Snowfall by Will Hale & the Tadpole Parade

elaborate snowflake

Craft Idea: Make Wishing Stones by decorating small river rocks or glass stones with permanent markers, stickers or paint. Here’s one example: http://club.chicacircle.com/glass-painted-wishing-stones/ and another one using melted crayons: http://artfulparent.com/2014/05/diy-wishing-stones-friend.html. To promote the idea of “giving”, each child could make a wishing stone to give away as a gift. Free card to go with the gift: http://www.janbrett.com/pdf/animal_santa_christmas_card.pdf

 elaborate snowflake

 

PDF of this lesson plan: https://omazingkidsyoga.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/the-animals-santa-by-jan-brett-an-omazing-kids-yoga-lesson-plan.pdf

Free Coloring Page:

The Animals' Santa - click pic to open 1-page free coloring page to go with the OMazing Kids Lesson Plan

 

https://omazingkidsyoga.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/the-animals-christmas-coloring-page-to-go-with-the-omazing-kids-yoga-lesson-plan.pdf

 

elaborate snowflake

Love the great free printable kids yoga routines from Musical Yoga Adventures:

Snowy Tree - Muiscal Yoga Adventures

snow angel - musical yoga adventures

See lots of other snowy & Christmas-themed ideas, including links to crafts & printables on these posts on my OMazing Kids blog: https://omazingkidsllc.com/category/christmas-winter/

elaborate snowflake

 

Snowy Guided Relaxation:

snowy relaxation

https://omazingkidsllc.com/2012/12/14/even-more-snowy-faves-two-guided-relaxation-stories-great-for-kids-yoga/

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

More Snowy Faves blog post

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:

Five snowy faves 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:

12 days of kids yoga

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

Grinch Yoga post

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

Christmas & Winter Kids Yoga post

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

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.

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

Review & Giveaway: “Seven Little Monkeys” by Joanie Woodward

Seven Little Monkeys book giveaway

Check out the fun new addition to OMazing Kids“Seven Little Monkeys” by Joanie Woodward! Lots of the kids I work with have significant anxiety & sleep disturbances so I’m always looking for more resources in this area. Almost all kids in the USA are familiar with 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed so this will build easily on a familiar theme. The book has a great repeated line, colorful illustrations & incorporates subtle use of colors that tie into chakras. There are no religious connotations in the body of the book so it could be used in a variety of settings. Here are a few pics inside the book since there isn’t currently a preview inside online:

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All these pics are also in the album on the OMazing Kids Facebook page if you want to see larger ones: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga/photos/pb.174264525957894.-2207520000.1417304159./846729015378105/?type=3&theater

Price (at the time of this post): $19.95

Purchase on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Little-Monkeys-Joanie-Woodward/dp/0975467646 or the author’s website: http://monkeymindbellybreath.com/book

The author’s Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Monkey-Mind-Belly-Breath/315181351974429?ref=br_tf

This book is definitely joining my growing collection of monkey-themed items & materials for relaxation. See more ideas on these posts:

In case you wanted to know, I bought the blue zig-zag chevron monkey on Amazon but the price has gone up a lot since I got him in July 2013. You may be able to find a good deal by checking other colors of it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004RIAR5Y/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Disclaimer: I received a free sample of this product to facilitate my review.  Opinions expressed are my own. Starting in 2013, a new component of reviews & giveaways hosted on OMazing Kids is that a review will be added on Amazon.com (for products sold on that site). See my Amazon profile at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1JKVLELLSX7FD?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_aya_bb_pdp.

giveaway

International entries allowed for this giveaway.

1 USA winner & 1 international winner.

This giveaway is now CLOSED. Congratulations to the winners: Meagan Lawson (USA) & Tanya Beresford (United Kingdom).

Easy Entry Form:

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  • Only entries with all required information will be valid. The info comes to me directly via e-mail & is ONLY used for the purposes of selecting winners and distributing prizes.

  • Helpful Info & Tips: Folks had requested a simpler entry option. I tried Rafflecopter but most folks did not enter an address so now I’m trying this online contact form instead. I will be hand selecting winners to insure products end up in the hands of folks who will put them to the best use. Briefly tell me how winning this would help you & the kids. I take the time to read each entry so details count. It doesn’t have to be lengthy…. just heart-felt.
  • If you experience any problems with the entry form in this blog post, please e-mail me specific details so I can attempt to fix it. E-mail to: amoorad1@juno.com . The entry deadline may be extended at the sole discretion of OMazing Kids in the event of prolonged entry problems.
  • Each “giveaway” is handled separately on OMazing Kids. So there are no rules prohibiting previous winners from entering this or future giveaways. I really do read every entry in every giveaway carefully to insure that the products end up in the best hands to impact kids lives.

Entry Deadline: 11:59pm CST on December 2, 2014.

Rules of Participation:

  • Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address.
  • One entry per person.
  • International entries are allowed for this particular giveaway.
  • Employees or family members of OMazing Kids, LLC or the product’s company are not eligible.
  • No purchase required.
  • Comments submitted via entries may be copied & pasted into the blog post.
  • Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  • Only entries with all required information will be valid.
  • The winner will be chosen from valid entries on December 3, 2014 .

2 winners will each receive 1 copy of the book described above. (sorry…. my sock monkey is not included in the giveaway)

  • The winner will be notified via e-mail, will be posted on the blog post & will be posted on the OMazing Kids Facebook page. The company offering the prize may also post the winner’s name on their website, blog, Facebook page and/or other social media sites at their discretion.
  • The prize will be mailed to the winner using the address submitted in the entry form. OMazing Kids is not responsible for items lost in the mail or for inaccuracies in the mailing address. I copy & paste the info directly from what you submit << so PLEASE proof read your entry for accuracy before submitting it…. in the era of iPhone auto correction these errors happen pretty frequently>>
  • The winner’s address will be forwarded to the author and she will be mailing the prizes directly to the winners.  After I e-mail the winner’s info to the company, it is their responsibility to mail out prizes. Please contact them first if you are concerned about not receiving a prize. If that does not resolve the problem, then feel free to e-mail me and I will glad to assist in whatever way I can.

Prize Value: $19.95

Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just kids book 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, LLC 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, LLC, which shall be final in all respects; (b) to release, discharge, and hold harmless OMazing Kids, LLC 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.

grass-green-divider-bar

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

Speech-Language Pathologist

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

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

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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.

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the wavy blue divider bar or any ads or unusual hyperlinks that may appear above. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here. I have attempted to remove the CouponDropDown but no luck so far…. DO NOT click on any hyperlinks unless you hover above them first to insure they are valid. Ones I included should appear in blue font.

Review & Giveaway: How to be a Cloud: Yoga Songs for Kids vol. 3 by Kira Willey

How to be a Cloud: Yoga Songs for Kids vol. 3 by Kira Willey

How to be a Cloud by Kira Willey CD giveaway

Ready for more amazing music? Kira Willey, award-winning Kindie singer/songwriter and certified children’s yoga teacher, has come out with her much-anticipated 3rd CD!

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What I LOVE about this CD:

  • I am a huge fan of folk music for kids and Kira’s vocal and musical style makes you smile inside  🙂  …. I enjoy listening to it just as music as well as using it in my work with kids as a Speech-Language Pathologist & in OMazing Kids Yoga.
  • The songs would be great to use in any classroom, therapy clinic & yoga studio….. the songs have universal appeal.
  • Songs can tie in to specific yoga poses & the instructional book with lyrics and pics of each yoga sequence for each song is attached to the inside cover of the CD case. There are 13 music tracks + 9 bonus yoga tracks. The yoga tracks include detailed instruction from Kira with the music playing softly in the background. The pace of the yoga tracks is a little fast so I’d definitely listen to them and practice before trying them out with kids. If you are playing them on an iPad or iPhone, you could use the SlowTunes app to slow it down without distorting the song (see info in “Tip” below)
  • The music will appeal to a wide age range of kids (and even those of us who are “kids at heart”!).
  • Love the positive & upbeat message in each of the songs. Listen to the lyrics and you will hear many great built-in self-affirmations, positive social interactions & messages of taking care of our world!
  • A nice mix of upbeat/energizing & calming songs. The slower and mid-tempo songs tend to be my faves.
  • You gotta hear the 2014 remix version of her famous song Colors! So precious with all the kids singing along.

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Hear a preview of Kira Willey‘s new CD: https://soundcloud.com/kira-willey-music/sets/kira-willeys-new-album-how-to. Be sure to grab your free download of “Gotta Lotta Happy”—it’s all about gratitude, perfect for this time of year.

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About the Artist: In the Kindie music world, Kira Willey breaks through with her unique, two-in-one albums that blend upbeat, danceable music with get-up-and-move yoga inspiration. Willey is a nationally acclaimed kindie artist and children’s yoga expert, and the creator of Fireflies Musical Yoga for Kids. In September, Willey led sessions with hundreds of teachers at the National Kids Yoga Conference in Washington DC. Kira’s pure, sweet, and soothing voice resonates with kids. Parents of special-needs children say they find their kids captivated by her songs, and preschool teachers, occupational therapists, and other youth workers regularly use Kira’s songs in their work. Her fun and easy-to-follow yoga instructions teach self-awareness, improve balance and strength, and build confidence.
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Also check out Kira’s Soundcloud page for a few more song previews & occasionally free downloads: http://soundcloud.com/kira-willey-music

Price at the time of this post: varied depending on the website – $9.99 to $14.99. Compare shipping costs to determine the best option for you.

CD available for purchase on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Cloud-Yoga-Songs/dp/B00P44Y7II or CD Baby: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kirawilley1These days I usually prefer digital downloads but in this case I’d recommend getting the real CD so you can have the instructional book with lyrics and pics of each yoga sequence for each song is attached to the inside cover of the CD case.

Digital download on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/how-to-be-cloud-yoga-songs/id932162914 & her website: http://kirawilley.com/music

See info about the 2nd CD in this series in this review: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2012/02/18/review-giveaway-kings-queens-of-the-forest-cd-by-kira-willey/. I have included Kira’s music in many lesson plans. Find them via this search: https://omazingkidsllc.com/?s=kira.

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I put a lot of thought into the music I use in kids yoga classes in order to meet the sensory needs and avoid overstimulation. See important tips here: https://omazingkidsllc.com/music/

slow tunes
Tip: Many of the kids I work with have difficulty following quick instructions in action songs or are overstimulated by fast songs so I use the SlowTunes app on my iPhone or iPad to import many of the songs I use in OMazing Kids yoga & my work as a SLP. From there I have the option to play them in “slower” & “slowest” modes without changing the pitch or distorting the songs in any way (one of my new favorite apps! well worth the $1.99 price).
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Disclaimer: I received a free sample of this product to facilitate my review.  Opinions expressed are my own. Starting in 2013, a new component of reviews & giveaways hosted on OMazing Kids is that a review will be added on Amazon.com (for products sold on that site). See my Amazon profile at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1JKVLELLSX7FD?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_aya_bb_pdp.

giveaway

Only USA entries allowed for this giveaway.

 << This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to the winner – Amy Laurent >>

Easy Entry Form:

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  • Only entries with all required information will be valid. The info comes to me directly via e-mail & is ONLY used for the purposes of selecting winners and distributing prizes.

  • Helpful Info & Tips: Folks had requested a simpler entry option. I tried Rafflecopter but most folks did not enter an address so now I’m trying this online contact form instead. I will be hand selecting winners to insure products end up in the hands of folks who will put them to the best use. Briefly tell me how winning this would help you & the kids. I take the time to read each entry so details count. It doesn’t have to be lengthy…. just heart-felt.
  • If you experience any problems with the entry form in this blog post, please e-mail me specific details so I can attempt to fix it. E-mail to: amoorad1@juno.com . The entry deadline may be extended at the sole discretion of OMazing Kids in the event of prolonged entry problems.
  • Each “giveaway” is handled separately on OMazing Kids. So there are no rules prohibiting previous winners from entering this or future giveaways. I really do read every entry in every giveaway carefully to insure that the products end up in the best hands to impact kids lives.

Entry Deadline: 11:59pm CST on November 24, 2014.

Rules of Participation:

  • Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address.
  • One entry per person.
  • Only USA entries are allowed for this particular giveaway (due to international shipping costs).
  • Employees or family members of OMazing Kids, LLC or the product’s company are not eligible.
  • No purchase required.
  • Comments submitted via entries may be copied & pasted into the blog post.
  • Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  • Only entries with all required information will be valid.
  • The winner will be chosen from valid entries on November 25, 2014 .

1 winner will 1 copy of the CD described above.

  • The winner will be notified via e-mail, will be posted on the blog post & will be posted on the OMazing Kids Facebook page. The company offering the prize may also post the winner’s name on their website, blog, Facebook page and/or other social media sites at their discretion.
  • The prize will be mailed to the winner using the address submitted in the entry form. OMazing Kids is not responsible for items lost in the mail or for inaccuracies in the mailing address. I copy & paste the info directly from what you submit << so PLEASE proof read your entry for accuracy before submitting it…. in the era of iPhone auto correction these errors happen pretty frequently>>
  • Prize Value: approx $13.99

Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just kids music with an instructional booklet 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, LLC 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, LLC, which shall be final in all respects; (b) to release, discharge, and hold harmless OMazing Kids, LLC 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.

grass-green-divider-bar

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

Speech-Language Pathologist

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

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

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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.

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the wavy blue divider bar or any ads or unusual hyperlinks that may appear above. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here. I have attempted to remove the CouponDropDown but no luck so far…. DO NOT click on any hyperlinks unless you hover above them first to insure they are valid. Ones I included should appear in blue font.

Review: Imaginations Fun Relaxation Stories and Guided Imagery for Kids 2

Imaginations: Fun Relaxation Stories and Guided Imagery for Kids 2

Imaginations 2 cover

Book Description

The second book in the Imaginations series, Imaginations 2: Relaxation Stories and Guided Imagery for Kids is an essential resource for every parent and teacher who wants to help children learn to calm their bodies and relax their minds.

The benefits of relaxation for kids include:
*Reduced stress
*Better concentration and focus
*Enhanced ability to learn
*Improved behavior and sleep
*Increased self-esteem

Learning to relax is important for people of all ages, and children who can relax are more prepared to handle big changes in their lives. Relaxation stories and guided imagery can also help ease symptoms associated with ADD, ADHD, autism, depression, and sleep disorders.

Wildly imaginative and beautiful illustrations accompany the whimsical stories of Imaginations 2, which teaches children a fun way to relax that makes their minds calm and their bodies feel good.

  • Series: Imaginations
  • Paperback: 58 pages
  • Publisher: Bambino Yoga; 1 edition (September 15, 2014)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0990732207
  • ISBN-13: 978-0990732204
  • Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.1 x 11 inches

Relaxation Story Titles:

  • Tight and Soft (Progressive Relaxation)
  • A Fall Day
  • Wintertime
  • Springtime
  • Summertime
  • Rainbow Flower Garden
  • The Thunder Drum
  • The End of the Rainbow
  • Nighttime Animal Adventure
  • Lavender Fields
  • Rainbow Bubbles
  • Butterflies
  • Mandalas
  • Sunset
  • Dinosaur Friend
  • In the Desert
  • Making Chocolate
  • More Loving Kindness

What I LOVE about this book:

  • Includes 18 relaxation scripts specifically written for kids. The scripts are short and based on kid-friendly themes. Most of these are themes commonly used in kids yoga classes so this book is sure to become a loved & well used resource!
  • These relaxation scripts will also be helpful in my work as a Speech-Language Pathologist. Many of the kids I see have high levels of anxiety and often have difficulty sleeping. I often incorporate relaxation techniques into my sessions, especially for kids with Autism, Asperger’s, ADHD & Stuttering.
  • The scripts are free of any wording that have religious connotations which makes them easy to use in any setting.
  • Each 2-page spread has a script & a full page illustration. The illustrations capture the essence of the script and many have a “retro” feel to them. I love having a picture to show kids before I read a relaxation script. Many of the kids I work with have special needs and relate well to visuals.
  • Large easy to read text.
  • Great additional info in the introduction sections. Love the simplified intro written specifically for kids!
  • Includes pictures & instructions for four yoga poses as prep for relaxation (knee hug, happy baby, legs up & starfish savasana) and five breathing games (Hoberman Sphere, heart breath, yawning breath, humming breath & buzzing bee breath)

A sneek-peek inside the book. Since there were not any pics on Amazon of any of the actual relaxation stories, I scanned this but masked out most of the text. It will at least give you a “feel” for what the stories are like:

i2 sample

You can also get a “feel” for what these relaxation stories are like by looking at screenshot from Amazon on the review for the first book in this series (see link below) .

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Lots of great info about the benefits of relaxation & ideas for times to incorporate brief relaxation breaks throughout the day:

Info for adults

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Info for adults 2

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I love both of the author’s books and hope she continues to add more in the series! Also looking forward to the audio versions coming soon 🙂

Be watching the author’s social media sites for fun kids yoga lesson plans & relaxation ideas.  Audio versions of Imaginations: Fun Relaxation Stories and Meditations for Kids are coming soon!

Price at the time of this post: $19.99 (Amazon on sale for 28% off – $14.39. Also a Kindle version for 65% off – $6.99)

Available for purchase on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Imaginations-Relaxation-Stories-Guided-Imagery/dp/0990732207

Both books and a few individual relaxation stories PDFs can also be purchased on the author’s website: http://bambinoyoga.com/shop/. A couple of “freebies” are still available as PDFs on her old website: http://www.imaginationsforkids.com/freebies/

See info about the first book in this series in this review: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2012/08/26/review-giveaway-imaginations-fun-relaxation-stories-and-meditations-for-kids/

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

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.

Review & Giveaway: Holiday Yoga lesson plans from Radiant Child Yoga

 

Product Description:  “Holiday Yoga: Celebrating History and Holidays throughout the Year” is:

  • A downloadable PDF file of sixteen educational and fun lesson plans.
  • The PDF contains 86 pages of yoga warm-ups, meditations, stories, discussion ideas, and yoga games.
  • Adaptable for ages ages 4-10.
  • The activities draw children into a deeper understanding and experience of themselves as “big souls in small bodies”.
  • Simple, clear guidelines for teachers and parents, including adaptations and teaching tips.
  • Includes detailed references for recommended books, music, and props.
  • Based in the Radiant Child Yoga program. 
  • Each lesson plan includes a take-home coloring page of one of the main poses/exercises or meditations.
  • Although some of the holidays are American, the lesson plans could be adapted to other culture’s holidays.
  • $49.99 for sixteen lesson plans.

The following are “must have” supplemental materials to use these lesson plans: Fly Like A Butterfly, by Shakta Kaur Khalsa, the Happy CD and Cozy CD, by Shakta Kaur Khalsa & Yoga in Motion DVD, by Shakta Kaur Khalsa. All are available at http://www.childrensyoga.com or http://www.amazon.comT.

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Table of Contents:

RCY HY TOC

My thoughts about the lesson plans: They are very well thought out, detailed & creative. After reading through all the lesson plans, I think the one for Groundhog Day is my fave! I love that the lesson plans are well rounded, are deeply rooted in the concept of  children being “big souls in small bodies” and include breathing, affirmations & relaxation in addition to the postures/poses. I also love that they include a coloring page for each holiday (see a small sample of the Whistling Groundhog below). Good intro information and great suggestions for props, games, music & books. You really do need to have the supplemental materials. I happen to have them from attending a Radiant Child Yoga (RCY) Level 1 & 2 Teacher Training. The only info I did not have was the Heart Lock from the Level 3 training but enough detail was provided in the PDF along with details I found online that I would feel comfortable doing it. Because of my own personal beliefs, I never do anything related to witches, Harry Potter or Halloween. It will be easy to modify the Valentine’s Day lesson plan to leave out the Wicked Witch and I just won’t use the Halloween plan. Although the price per lesson plan comes out to $3.12, there is not an option to buy individual lesson plans. Considering offering individual lesson plans for purchase would be a great option that would allow kids yoga teachers to buy just the ones that fit their needs. It’s cool though that they offer a free sample of a full lesson plan so you can get a feel for what they are like to make an informed purchasing decision (see link below).

whistling groundhog

Price at the time of this post: $49.99. Available for purchase on the RCY website at: http://childrensyoga.com/shop/holiday-yoga-celebrating-history-and-holidays-throughout-the-year/.

UPDATE: Be watching soon for Radiant Child Yoga to offer these lesson plans as individual downloads! You can watch their Facebook page & my OMazing Kids page for an announcement when the individual download option  is available 🙂

Update 3/12/14: Individual lesson plans are now available for purchase ($7.99 each): http://childrensyoga.com/shop/product-category/lesson-plans/

Connect with RCY on their social media sites: 

https://www.facebook.com/RadiantChildYogaProgram

https://twitter.com/ShaktaKhalsa

http://www.youtube.com/user/shaktakhalsa

http://www.pinterest.com/shaktakhalsa/

Subscribe to the RCY e-newsletter to receive a free lesson plan each month via e-mail:  http://childrensyoga.com/training/lesson-plan/

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Free sample lesson plan: http://childrensyoga.com/files/2013/12/holidaylessonplan.pdf

Disclaimer: I received a free sample of this product to facilitate my review.  I am not the author or creator of this product. Opinions expressed are my own. Starting in 2013, a new component of reviews & giveaways hosted on OMazing Kids is that a review will be added on Amazon.com (for products sold on that site). See my Amazon profile at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1JKVLELLSX7FD?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_aya_bb_pdp.

giveaway

Entry Deadline: 11:59pm CST on January 19, 2014.

Easy Entry Form:

International entries allowed for this giveaway.

  • Only entries with all required information will be valid. The info comes to me directly via e-mail & is ONLY used for the purposes of selecting winners and distributing prizes.

  • Helpful Info & Tips: Folks had requested a simpler entry option. I tried Rafflecopter but most folks did not enter an address so now I’m trying this online contact form instead. I will be hand selecting winners to insure products end up in the hands of folks who will put them to the best use. Briefly tell me how winning this would help you & the kids. I take the time to read each entry so details count. It doesn’t have to be lengthy…. just heart-felt.
  • If you experience any problems with the entry form in this blog post, please e-mail me specific details so I can attempt to fix it. E-mail to: amoorad1@juno.com . The entry deadline may be extended at the sole discretion of OMazing Kids in the event of prolonged entry problems.
  • Each “giveaway” is handled separately on OMazing Kids. So there are no rules prohibiting previous winners from entering this or future giveaways. I really do read every entry in every giveaway carefully to insure that the products end up in the best hands to impact kids lives.

Rules of Participation:

  • Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address.
  • One entry per person.
  • International entries are allowed for this particular giveaway.
  • Employees or family members of OMazing Kids, LLC or the product’s company are not eligible.
  • No purchase required.
  • Comments submitted via entries may be copied & pasted into the blog post.
  • Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  • Only entries with all required information will be valid.
  • The winner will be chosen from valid entries on January 20, 2014.

1 winner will a copy of the “Holiday Yoga: Celebrating History and Holidays throughout the Year” as a downloadable PDF file (87 pages)

  • The winner will be notified via e-mail, will be posted on the blog post & will be posted on the OMazing Kids Facebook page. The company offering the prize may also post the winner’s name on their website, blog, Facebook page and/or other social media sites at their discretion.
  • The winner’s address will be forwarded to the author and she will be mailing the prizes directly to the winners.  After I e-mail the winner’s info to the company, it is their responsibility to send out prizes. Please contact them first if you are concerned about not receiving a prize. If that does not resolve the problem, then feel free to e-mail me and I will glad to assist in whatever way I can.

Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just a set of kids yoga lesson plans but 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, LLC 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, LLC, which shall be final in all respects; (b) to release, discharge, and hold harmless OMazing Kids, LLC 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.

grass-green-divider-bar

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

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.

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the crayons divider bar or any ads or unusual hyperlinks that may appear above. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here. I have attempted to remove the CouponDropDown but no luck so far…. DO NOT click on any hyperlinks unless you hover above them first to insure they are valid. Ones I included should appear in blue font.

crayons divider

 

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

 2 new snowy faves post

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:

snowy relaxation

https://omazingkidsllc.com/2012/12/14/even-more-snowy-faves-two-guided-relaxation-stories-great-for-kids-yoga/

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

More Snowy Faves blog post

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:

Five snowy faves 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:

12 days of kids yoga

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

Grinch Yoga post

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

Christmas & Winter Kids Yoga post

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

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.

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

Review & Giveaway: Yoga Therapy for Children with Autism and Special Needs book & Creative Relaxation Yoga for Children DVD

Louise Goldberg Yoga Therapy Giveaway

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Want to learn more about doing therapeutic yoga with kids with Autism and other special needs? Check out this fabulous book & DVD from Louise Goldberg…..

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Product Descriptions:  

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Yoga Therapy for Children with Autism and Special Needs by Louise Goldberg

For use in school, at home, or in therapeutic settings, Yoga Therapy for Children with Autism and Special Needs is a how-to manual that meets children where they are, providing a yoga therapy “lesson plan” that will engage them; promote play, social interaction, speech, language, and motor development; and enhance their self-esteem. It teaches an array of Creative Relaxation techniques using posture, breathing, and mindfulness designed specifically for children with autism and special needs. Drawing on her 30 years of yoga therapy experience with children and those who work with them, the author walks readers through yoga strategies that both calm and energize, emphasizing sensory and bodily awareness and the “sacred space” that is so important for these children. Learn the best ways to use your voice and body effectively when working with children; how to minimize distractions and ease transitions; and how to create personalized yoga breaks to enhance independence and avert meltdowns. Featuring 60 illustrated poses, 89 photos, and 65 lessons, songs, and games, child-friendly instructions are provided for posture, breathing, and mindfulness exercises. All poses and routines include suggested adaptations and precautions for use, and are organized to address specific sensory skills. Current research on the benefits of yoga for health and learning is summarized, and readers learn how, through yoga practice, the brain’s response to stress can be effectively mitigated.

  • Hardcover: 300 pages
  • Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1st edition (August 26, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0393707857
  • ISBN-13: 978-0393707854
  • Product Dimensions: 8 x 10 inches

Amazon.com has a good preview of the book….. here are just a few screenshots from that:

TOC autism

toc autism 2

curriculum for calm

golden rules

whole child

chants

It was cool to see OMazing Kids & my name mentioned in the book (pgs. 88, 121 & 288-289)  🙂

CR-dvdcover

Creative Relaxation Yoga for Children DVD by Louise Goldberg

Yoga-based Exercise Featuring Children with Special Needs. Complete Yoga Class plus Mini Relaxation Class. Louise guides children through a 25 minute yoga class, including floating on a cloud (deep relaxation). Her gentle voice and encouragement put students at ease. The mini class is an 8-minute calming session to soothe and help students focus. Curriculum created and taught by Louise Goldberg to students within the autism spectrum, grades 4 – 5. Program is suitable for children ages 4 through 9, or older children with special needs, in school or at home. Released in 2004.

Preview video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvYWrlj7lJM

A few screenshots from the DVD:

Creative Relaxation DVD 2

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Creative Relaxation DVD 3

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Creative Relaxation DVD 4

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Creative Relaxation DVD 5

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Creative Relaxation DVD 7

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Creative Relaxation DVD 8

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Creative Relaxation DVD 9

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Here’s what I love about these products: 

This book is full of wisdom & insight into working with kids with special needs. The weight & feel of it reminds me of a textbook from grad school. I took several weeks to read it slowly & soak in all its wealth of info. The depth of information & research behind “why” you would do activities is phenomenal.  I love that the first 140 pages of the book are devoted to developing a solid understanding about assessing needs, the brain, stress, creating a safe space for yoga, contraindications for particular poses or activities, engaging children, levels of prompting, simplifying instructions, handling challenging behaviors and more. These are all very important to understand before jumping into doing therapeutic yoga. Each of the 60 yoga poses includes a black and white photo and information about the starting position, benefits, simple child-friendly instructions, points to remember, variations, precautions, counterpose & sequencing tips. Additional information is provided for yoga flow sequences & yoga for particular needs (this section will come in handy for OT’s, PT’s, SLP’s and other therapists wanting to incorporate yoga into their therapeutic “toolbox”). The Yoga Therapy for Classrooms section contains great sequences and tips for incorporating yoga breaks. I get several requests per month from folks wanting information on how to do therapeutic yoga. This book will now be added to my short list of “must have” resources. The concepts in this book are solid beyond the scope of a therapeutic yoga class…. anyone who works with children with special needs should read this book!

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I love that the video shows a real yoga therapy class in action. All the children in the video have Autism and it was taped in a classroom. There is occasionally background noise from the hallway or other classrooms, they use nap pads vs. yoga mats & like any classroom there are visual distractions. Yet Louise creates an oasis of calm for these kids that is golden! Her calm soothing voice & slow pace keep the kids engaged. She provides the minimal amount of prompting needed and always asks the child’s permission first. Many of the poses and activities in the video are also included in her book as well as the S.T.O.P. and RELAX© curriculum. If you are looking to build your therapeutic yoga library, all three items are recommended.

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The book is available on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Therapy-Children-Autism-Special-Needs/dp/0393707857, publisher’s website: http://books.wwnorton.com/books/detail.aspx?ID=4294972273. International ordering information is available on the publisher’s website: http://books.wwnorton.com/books/aboutcontent.aspx?id=4394.
The DVD is available on Louise’s website: http://relaxationnow.net/yogaforchildren.html
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For product updates, be sure to  “like” the author’s Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/Yogaforspecialneeds , “follow” her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Yoga4Autism and check out her website: http://www.yogaforspecialneeds.com/

FYI…. Louise is also one of the co-creators of the S.T.O.P. and RELAX© curriculum and offers trainings: http://www.yogaforspecialneeds.com/classesCR.html.

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Disclaimer: I received a free sample of this product to facilitate my review.  Opinions expressed are my own. Starting in 2013, a new component of reviews & giveaways hosted on OMazing Kids is that a review will be added on Amazon.com (for products sold on that site). See my Amazon profile at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1JKVLELLSX7FD?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_aya_bb_pdp.

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Easy Entry Form:

USA only entries allowed for this giveaway.

  • Only entries with all required information will be valid. The info comes to me directly via e-mail & is ONLY used for the purposes of selecting winners and distributing prizes.

  • Helpful Info & Tips: Folks had requested a simpler entry option. I tried Rafflecopter but most folks did not enter an address so now I’m trying this online contact form instead. I will be hand selecting winners to insure products end up in the hands of folks who will put them to the best use. Briefly tell me how winning this would help you & the kids. I take the time to read each entry so details count. It doesn’t have to be lengthy…. just heart-felt.
  • If you experience any problems with the entry form in this blog post, please e-mail me specific details so I can attempt to fix it. E-mail to: amoorad1@juno.com . The entry deadline may be extended at the sole discretion of OMazing Kids in the event of prolonged entry problems.
  • Each “giveaway” is handled separately on OMazing Kids. So there are no rules prohibiting previous winners from entering this or future giveaways. I really do read every entry in every giveaway carefully to insure that the products end up in the best hands to impact kids lives.

Entry Deadline: 11:59pm CST on October 28, 2013.

Rules of Participation:

  • Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address.
  • One entry per person.
  • Only USA entries are allowed for this particular giveaway.
  • Employees or family members of OMazing Kids, LLC or the product’s company are not eligible.
  • No purchase required.
  • Comments submitted via entries may be copied & pasted into the blog post.
  • Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  • Only entries with all required information will be valid.
  • The winner will be chosen from valid entries on October 29, 2013.

1 winner will receive the following prize package:

  • 1 copy of Yoga Therapy for Children with Autism and Special Needs (book)
  • 1 copy of Creative Relaxation Yoga for Children (DVD)

  • The winner will be notified via e-mail, will be posted on the blog post & will be posted on the OMazing Kids Facebook page. The company offering the prize may also post the winner’s name on their website, blog, Facebook page and/or other social media sites at their discretion.
  • The winner’s address will be forwarded to the company and they will be mailing the prizes directly to the winners.  After I e-mail the winner’s info to the company, it is their responsibility to mail out prizes. Please contact them first if you are concerned about not receiving a prize. If that does not resolve the problem, then feel free to e-mail me and I will glad to assist in whatever way I can.
  • Prize Value: $24.95 book, $22.00 DVD = $46.95 total value

Other Legal Stuff: I know they’re just kids yoga products 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, LLC 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, LLC, which shall be final in all respects; (b) to release, discharge, and hold harmless OMazing Kids, LLC 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.

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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

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

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

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

Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

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.

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the crayons divider bar or any ads or unusual hyperlinks that may appear above. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here. I have attempted to remove the CouponDropDown but no luck so far…. DO NOT click on any hyperlinks unless you hover above them first to insure they are valid. Ones I included should appear in blue font.

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Five Count Breathing Foam Stars Craft

How to make:

1. Print the star (1 page PDF) & cut it out leaving a small border of white.

2. Laminate & cut it out again leaving a small border of lamination to help it stay sealed.

3. Attach to foam star with permanent glue runner tape.

(I tried Superglue, Zots adhesive dots & glue runner tape. Superglue did not work well at all. Zots were difficult to position. The permanent glue runner tape worked well. I outlined the back of the laminated star and then put some in the middle before rubbing it down onto the foam star)

4. Kids can decorate the back of their foam star by drawing a picture of something that is calming to them.

Thanks to Edna Reinhardt at Yoga Education Resources for sparking the idea of mounting them on something so the kids can run their finger along the edges of the star as they practice the breathing. I went with foam stars since they are soft, colorful & precut.

I reconfigured and resized the printable to fit the 6.75” foam stars from Creatology at Michaels. I have seen similar stars at Walmart.

This is a wonderful self-calming breathing activity for kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders, anxiety, stuttering & other special needs.

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Looking for the full page breathing star printable? See the original post: Five Count Breathing Visual Support

Concept inspired by this handout I found online about “Worry Wars: An Anxiety Workbook for Kids and Their Helpful Adults!” by Paris Goodyear-Brownhttp://bookwhen.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/documents/4140/original.pdf?1360464416.

#pranayama #breathing #anxiety #autism #kidsyoga #yogaforkids

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More ideas in these albums on the OMazing Kids Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.344029728981372.95741.174264525957894&type=3

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https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.343461705704841.95556.174264525957894&type=3

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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

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

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

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

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

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

Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

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.

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the crayons divider bar or any ads or unusual hyperlinks that may appear above. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here. I have attempted to remove the CouponDropDown but no luck so far…. DO NOT click on any hyperlinks unless you hover above them first to insure they are valid. Ones I included should appear in blue font.

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