Tag Archives: childrens yoga

Review & Giveaway: Bari Koral ~ 3 CDs & 2 Kids Yoga Activity Books

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Bari Koral Bundle Giveaway

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Just in time for the  The National Kids Yoga Conference #KidsYogaCon ….. a fabulous prize bundle that Kids Yoga Teachers, preschool & elementary teachers and parents are going to LOVE!

Product Description:  A big 3 CD + 2 Activity Book Bundle from Bari Koral!

  • Rock and Roll Garden CD
  • Anna and the Cupcakes CD
  • The Apple Tree and the Honey Bee CD
  • 2 activity workbooks
All information can be found here: http://www.barikoral.com/store.html

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Here’s what I love about Bari’s products: 

  • Fabulous unique Kindie music! I’ve loved Bari’s music & used it in my work as a Speech-Language Pathologist long before I discovered kids yoga.
  • Her music has fun lyrics & catchy beats that especially appeal to the kids I work with.
  • Her songs fit well with a variety of themes commonly used in early childhood, elementary & kids yoga settings.
  • The activity books are packed full of curriculum ideas, instrument suggestions, illustrations or pics of yoga poses for each song, yoga breathing, relaxation, sensory considerations, cut outs to make popsicle stick puppets, a guided relaxation story & more!

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See previews of all products on Bari’s new website:

Activity book preview with songs

 

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Yoga Bear preview

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Sneek-peek inside the soon to be released 2nd Activity Book (a screenshot from the PDF I received for review):

sneek peek at 2nd activity book

Listen to several full-length songs from Bari online:

Bari tunes

Great article from Bari:

mantrayoga_health_article

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About the author: Over the past seven years, Bari Koral has established herself not only as a beloved Kindie performer but also as a leading force in the “yoga for kids” movement. Bari’s catchy, pop-friendly tunes and interactive live shows featuring a creative blend of music and movement have gained her legions of fans, while many of her songs are also widely used in kids’ yoga classes and preschool classrooms. As a kids’ yoga expert, Bari lectures nationally on the subject. Watch for Bari as host of the world’s first yoga-based, movement-and-music TV show for kids, coming soon on the Veria Living Network.

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Be sure to check out the author’s website: http://www.barikoral.com/store.html

“like” her Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/barikoralfamilyrockband

“follow” her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/barikoral

& subscribe to her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/barikoral

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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 5 winners: Rebekah McGaughey, Cassandra Stafford, Jessica Zoller, Katherine Laurendeau & Lynn Charton. Your info was e-mailed to the company on 10/1/14 to mail out the prize bundles. Thanks to everyone who participated 🙂

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 September 30, 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 October 1, 2014 .

5 winners will each receive the Bari Koral CDs & Activity Books Bundle 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 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: over $40.00

Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just kids music & activity books 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 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

App Reviews on The Appy Ladies: http://theappyladies.com/?s=Moorad

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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 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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Book Review & Giveaway: Wisdom Within by Allison Morgan

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 Wisdom Within book giveaway

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Product Description:  Every living thing in nature has its own inner wisdom. Within a tiny seed is the wisdom of how to grow into a strong tall tree. Birds have the wisdom to fly and spiders innately know how to spin elaborate webs. All of nature contains this innate knowledge and it is not taught, it is simply known. Since we are part of nature, we contain this wisdom as well. Through the use of rhyming verse and 48 pages of brilliant illustrations, parents and children re-discover their wisdom within. Happiness, joy and compassion are our birthright. It is how we always hope to live each day. When we connect to our inner knowing, we are limitless and full of potential. At the end of the story, there are child-friendly, illustrated yoga poses and mindful meditations relating to the elements of nature contained in the story. Parents are provided with an easy to use guide to introduce movement, breath and meditation to their child in a fun, creative and interactive way. A book for all ages. A message for a lifetime.

  • Paperback: 48 pages
  • Publisher: Zensational Kids, LLC (2014)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0991284305
  • ISBN-13: 978-0991284306
  • Product Dimensions: 11 x 8 x 0.3 inches

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Here’s what I love about this book: 

  • Wonderful positive message that kids of ALL abilities should hear! I am especially excited to have this book in my toolbox of things to use in my work as a pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher at the JD McCarty Center for Children with Developmental Disabilities. Many of the kids we see struggle with self confidence & anxiety related to their special needs.
  • Beautiful rhyming text with just a few words in a large easy-to-read font on each page.
  • Lovely colorful hand drawn illustrations on each 2-page spread.
  • The size of the book will make it easy to use even in group settings.
  • There are no religious connotations and the illustrations of people depict diversity which allow this book to be used in a wide range of settings.
  • 9 kids yoga poses are included at the end of the book with photos and kid-friendly instructions. As a SLP, I love how the author includes extension questions for each pose to get kids thinking as they are moving!
  • 2 short guided relaxation scripts are included at the end of the book (“I Am Happy” & “Amazing Me”).

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A peek inside the book:

Wisdom Within

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wisdom within 3

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List Price: $14.95. Available for purchase on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Within-Allison-Morgan/dp/0991284305
& the author’s website: http://zensationalkids.com/about/author/

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About the author: Allison Morgan has been working with children of all abilities for over 2 decades as an occupational therapist and a registered yoga instructor. As the founder of Zensational Kids, LLC she develops educational programs, which integrate yoga and mindfulness into therapeutic and educational environments in order to support well being for learning and living.   She is also a facilitator for The Radiant Child Yoga Program and trained directly with the founder Shakta Kaur Khalsa. 

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Be sure to check out the author’s website: http://zensationalkids.com/

& “like” her kids yoga Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Zensationalkids. She frequently shares fun ideas for kids yoga!

 

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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.

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 September 16, 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 September 17, 2014 .

1 winner will receive one copy of this book

  • 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 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: $14.95

Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just a 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 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

App Reviews on The Appy Ladies: http://theappyladies.com/?s=Moorad

.

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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Book Review & Giveaway: Rainforest Adventure: A Kids’ Yoga Poem Book by Thereza Howling

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Product Description:  Rainforest Adventure: A Kids’ Yoga Poem Book is an engaging book with a poem about the rainforest and illustrations to help children practice yoga while reading it. The book also includes a memory game and two pages of additional ideas for ways to use the book.

  • Paperback: 30 pages
  • Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 2 edition (March 8, 2014)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1496011090
  • ISBN-13: 978-1496011091
  • Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 8.5 x 0.1 inches

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Here’s what I love about this book: 

  • Includes a few tips on safely doing kids yoga in the front of the book.
  • Each 2-page spread has an illustrated yoga pose with kid-friendly pose instructions on the left. The right side has short fun rhyming text with a simple rainforest illustration in vivid colors.
  • Poses in the book: tree, monkey (standing forward fold), snake, lizard, dolphin, butterfly, waterfall (legs up the wall), parrot. There are additional opportunities  for kids yoga poses based on things in the pictures on the right side of each page. See the author’s website for ideas: http://howlingyogabooks.wordpress.com/rainforest-adventure/activities-supplement-for-the-book-rainforest-adventure-by-thereza-howling/. Lots of great ideas here including pose ideas, kids yoga class tips, playlist suggestions and rainforest facts!
  • Includes a set of  two copies of 8 yoga pose memory cards (16 cards total). See the author’s website link above for tips on assembling the cards.
  • 5% of the proceeds from book sales will be donated to the Rainforest Alliance.

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A peek inside the book:

peek inside Rainforest Adventure

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Get the full page free coloring sheet (1-page PDF) at: http://howlingyogabooks.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/coloringsheet.pdf

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List Price: $8.19. Available for purchase on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Rainforest-Adventure-Kids-Yoga-Poem/dp/1496011090/

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About the author: Thereza Howling is a certified yoga instructor, and currently teaches kids, teens, and adults in Washington State. She is excited to share the result of her love for yoga combined with her experience as a mother of two and years as an Enrichment teacher at a Montessori school. 

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Be sure to subscribe to the author’s blogs: http://howlingyogabooks.wordpress.com/ & http://apathoflight.wordpress.com/

& “like” her kids yoga Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/howlingkidsyoga. She frequently shares fun ideas for kids yoga!

 

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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.

Easy Entry Form:

.

  • 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 March 25, 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 March 26, 2014 .

3 winners will each receive the following prize: 1 copy of the Rainforest Adventure: A Kids’ Yoga Poem Book

  • 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 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: $8.19 per book

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 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

App Reviews on The Appy Ladies: http://theappyladies.com/?s=Moorad
Posting Apps & Special Needs Resources on The Appy Ladies on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAppyLadies 

.

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

Book Review & Giveaway: Jeeva and the River – Read and Learn Yoga

Posted on by

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Product Description:  When a recent storm damages the bridge, Jeeva is unable to cross the river to pick flowers. But with determined effort, practice, and the help of Guru, the little yogi learns to swim. Can Jeeva swim to the other side of the river? And more importantly, what will he find when he gets there? Jeeva and the River: Read and Learn Yoga is a lighthearted and easy-to-read interactive yoga book that teaches children the importance of practice and discipline. Full of heart and determination, this wonderful book shows children everywhere that in order to achieve their goals, they have to put in hard work. With an educational and insightful story, beautifully illustrated yoga poses, and a questions page to encourage conversations about the books topics, Jeeva and the River by Edie Fischer and Leeanne Robinson is an extraordinarily useful guide and story that is sure to impact children and parents alike. Combining an inspiring message with an instructional yoga guide, this amazing book is perfect for children and parents everywhere.

  • Paperback: 42 pages
  • Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (December 23, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1481898809
  • ISBN-13: 978-1481898805
  • Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.1 inches

Here’s what I love about this book: 

  • Each 2-page spread has a full-page colorful illustration on the left. The right side has short text in a large easy-to-read font plus an illustration of the yoga pose.
  • Poses in the book: mountain, sun salutation (warrior I), elephant, monkey (standing forward fold), tree, eagle, prayer squat, frog, fish, bridge, boat, river (seated forward fold) & lotus.
  • Love the messages of perseverance, overcoming fears and the encouragement from friends! Love the last line in the book: “This journey was not only about picking flowers, but it is the practice that took you to the other side. The lessons you learn are in the journey itself”
  • “Let’s Talk About Jeeva” discussion page (ex: Was it hard to learn to swim? Who taught you?; Besides swimming, what other activities do you do that require a lot of practice?; Do you sometimes get tired of practice? What helps you to stay focused?; Do you cheer for others to help them finish a task or activity?; etc…). This is a great way to get kids to really think about the concepts learned in the story and apply them to their own lives.
  • Love how the Jeeva series is addressing common situations & behavioral issues faced by children.
  • A 13-page section at the end of the book provides another illustration of each pose & detailed but easy-to-understand instructions for that pose.

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A peek inside the book:

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List price: $14.95. Available for purchase on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Jeeva-River-Read-Learn-Yoga/dp/1481898809 and on the company’s website: http://readandlearnyoga.com/books/jeeva-the-river. Kindle version also available.

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Several other books are planned in the Jeeva series. See details on their Kickstarter page:  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/255910469/jeeva-the-bully-0.

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They are on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReadAndLearnYoga, 

Pinterest:http://pinterest.com/readandlearnyog/ 

& Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReadandLearnYog

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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

Entry Deadline: 11:59pm CST on March 18, 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.

5 winners will each receive one paperback copy of the book.

  • 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 kids yoga book 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.

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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

Also see my app reviews & Facebook posts on The Appy Ladies. It’s a great site to follow for kids apps & special needs resources: 

http://theappyladies.com/?s=Moorad & https://www.facebook.com/TheAppyLadies.

 

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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Book Review & Giveaway: Jeeva the Bully – Read and Learn Yoga

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Product Description:  When Jeeva becomes jealous of a new boy in school, the little yogi reacts by isolating himself from the other children. When his feelings inside beginning to escalate, Jeeva reacts to his conflicted emotions and begins to bully the new boy, Samir. Will Jeeva continue down his path of bullying and negativity, or will he learn to work through his ill feelings towards Samir? This easy-to-read, interactive yoga book teaches children to work through the negative feelings they might have toward others. Approaching bullying from a unique perspective, this wonderful book puts bullying in the spotlight by getting into the mind of a bully. A fantastic book for children and parents alike, the book teaches a positive and insightful anti-bullying message while expertly instructing children and parents with invaluable yoga exercises. 

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Here’s what I love about this book: 

  • Each 2-page spread has a full-page colorful illustration on the left. The right side has short text in a large easy-to-read font plus an illustration of the yoga pose.
  • Poses in the book: cat, down dog, up dog, lizard, tree, half moon, back bend, monkey, elephant, warrior, chair, butterfly.
  • Love that the story is written from the perspective of a child who ends up being the bully, that his teacher helps him consider the feelings of the child he has bullied and to use breathing as a calming technique.
  • “Let’s Talk About Jeeva” discussion page (ex: Why do you think Jeeva was so angry? Do you think it would be hard to be the new kid in school or in your neighborhood? etc…). This is a great way to get kids to really think about the concepts learned in the story and apply them to their own lives.
  • Love how the Jeeva series is addressing common situations & behavioral issues faced by children.
  • Includes a brief relaxation script for savasana.
  • A 13-page section at the end of the book provides another illustration of each pose & detailed but easy-to-understand instructions for that pose.

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A peek inside the book:

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Jeeva Bully

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See more about the book series in this video:

Jeeva video

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Available for purchase on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Jeeva-The-Bully-Learn-Volume/dp/148181429X and on the company’s website: http://readandlearnyoga.com/books/jeeva-the-bully. 

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Several other books are planned in the Jeeva series. See details on their Kickstarter page:  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/255910469/jeeva-the-bully-0.

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They are on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReadAndLearnYoga, 

Pinterest:http://pinterest.com/readandlearnyog/ 

& Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReadandLearnYog

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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:

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.

Entry Deadline: 11:59pm CST on November 6, 2013.

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 November 7, 2013.

5 winners will each receive the following prize: 1 copy of the book Jeeva the Bully from Read and Learn Yoga

  • 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 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: $14.95 per book

Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just a 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 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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I Love Sock Monkey!

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 I love sock monkey post

Sock Monkeys have added a fun twist to my OMazing Kids yoga classes & speech-language therapy sessions. Admit it….. you know you can’t help but smile when you see a Sock Monkey!

Here are a few pics from the last yoga class at Camp ClapHans this summer. After doing several rounds of “pirates” & “monkey mind pirates”, I was feeling a little sad that Monkey was getting his feelings hurt. You know it’s not Monkey’s fault that he has a “monkey mind”. He just needed a little yoga 😉

We used “I Love Monkey” by Suzanne Kaufman (from Live Inspired)

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Live Inspired sent me the fabulous “I Love Monkey Discovery Kit” (book, plush & storage box). The kids at Camp ClapHans were fascinated by the Monkey. I had several other sock monkeys but this was the “fave” Just like the story, it doesn’t matter that Monkey looks a little different (check out the tiny feet & really big arms), “You are a star just the way you are!”

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A peek inside the book:

i love monkey 1 i love monkey 2 i love monkey 3 i love monkey 4

Opportunities for Kids Yoga poses & breathing in this book: mountain, Hmm? breath and shoulder shrug, rabbit, bunny breaths, floppy rag-doll forward fold, elephant, tense/relax wrinkly face, squirrel toe-ga, sitali cool as a cucumber breath, bird, chicken dance, sushi mat roll-up, roll arms, big robot steps (Warrior I & Warrior II), monster (standing star with “claw” fingers curled + “Grrrr” breath), penguin  freeze/melt, buzzing bee breath, seated owl twist + Whoooo breath, corny sequence (Mountain with arms up – squat to cut the corn off the cob – hold as we get ready to “pop” – 5,4,3,2,1 – jump up to “pop”), sun stretch & breath, mantra: “I love being me!”.

More on their website: http://www.live-inspired.com/ilovemonkeybook/index.html

A plethora of props. Didn’t end up using them all. The nature of doing a 1 x class with a group of kids at camp is that you have to be REALLY flexible & adapt in the moment. For example, I had planned to do “Toe-Ga” as part of the classes today. But when arrived, I quickly noticed one child was wearing full length leg braces & several others had sensory issues and would have lost it over taking shoes off. So we did a standing forward fold to pick up the pom-poms instead.

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Another view of the plethora of props. All in view here for the “photo opp” but then hidden out of site until each was needed. For most of the kids I work with, having this many props visible would be a sure road to chaos. As you can see I now collect Sock Monkeys (still love Moose more….. but Sock Monkey is coming in a close 2nd). As a side note, notice the pattern of the blue monkey & pink monkey….. all the “rage” this season. One question though….. when did “zig-zag” become “chevron”? When I was a kid it was “zig-zag”…. anyone else old enough to remember that? lol!

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I’ve added a couple more sock monkey props to my collection since camp….. Sock Monkey says kids yoga is a ball!

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The Where is Sock Monkey? game is a fun way to work on descriptive language & spatial concepts….

Found these cute mini sock monkey bendable figures at Mardel…..

Mardel also had a lot of cool colorful sock monkey supplies….. won’t have an issue with any coworkers walking off with these….

 

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Playlist:

  • Monkeys – Movement Songs Children Love by Susan Marcus
  • Monkey See, Monkey Do – Musical Yoga Adventures: World Yoga Journey by Linda Lara
  • Crazy Monkeys – Namaste ‘n Play by Kidding Around Yoga
  • What I Am – Sesame Street & Will.i.am

We did an affirmation craft at the end. As we learned in the story “I Love Monkey”, you are the best at being “you” and “You are a star just the way you are”. Each child drew or wrote what they liked or are good at in each star. We then embellished it by outlining portions of the pic with glitter glue and a light sprinkling of fine neon glitter. They came out great! After that, each child got a star stone to keep as a reminder of the “sparkle” inside them.

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Get this free printable + several other sock monkey coloring pages in this 6-page PDF: Sock Monkey Coloring Sheets

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I had eye pillow covers made out of this Monkey Yoga fabric: http://www.kikiquilts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=68_199_380_855&products_id=1264

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Yippee! It appears that another Monkey Book may be in the works! From the author’s blog: http://suzannekaufman.blogspot.com/2012/03/look-and-feel-for-new-monkey-book.html

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“Monkey Mind” is a term frequently used in yoga to describe when your mind runs from thought to thought and is unsettled or restless. So if a monkey practices kids yoga & mindfulness, what happens to his mind? lol!

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Get updates as I add to my Sock Monkey collection by following this album on the OMazing Kids Facebook page:

Click here if you are looking for the Monkey Mind Pirates in OMazing Kids pirate-themed yoga.

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See more ideas for calming the “Monkey Mind” on this post from Betty at Be Yoga Be Love: http://beyogabelove.wordpress.com/2013/09/12/taming-the-monkey-mind/

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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities
Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

Home 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.

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Inspiring Kids to Add “A Little Bit of Oomph”

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 A little bit of Oomph

A Little Bit of Oomph! is the amazing new book from Barney Saltzberg, author of Beautiful Oops! It teaches the valuable lesson of throwing your heart into whatever you’re doing and trying just a little bit harder— because with a little extra effort and a little bit of oomph, you can make anything beautiful. The book is filled with flaps, pop-ups, spinning circles, pull tabs, etc… that are fun to explore. I love books like this that can lead to rich discussions. Inspire creativity & greatness. Get kids to think beyond the ordinary & beyond themselves. Kids are bombarded with self-absorbed & materialistic messages on TV, in music & on social media. It’s up to responsible adults in their lives to provide opportunities for them to see a bigger picture & a bigger purpose in life. A reason to go that extra mile. A reason to add a little “oomph”!

I didn’t find any activity sheets online for the book yet so I made these using a picture from the author’s Pinterest board:

 

A Little Bit of Oomph activity sheets

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Inspire kids to go that extra mile through involvement in service projects. See An Awesome Way to Make Kids Less Self-Absorbed on Greater Good Science Center, 35 Service Projects for Kids & Yes Kidz Can! for a few ideas.

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I am always inspired by the service projects I see on the Alluem Kids blog 🙂

Watch this fun book trailer:  http://youtu.be/WqYJ-SreCmk

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The following items featured in the book would provide fun opportunities for kids yoga, dance or creative movement: alligator, star, seed (child’s pose), rain, flower, fish, ocean, whale, dog, book pages (easy pose – open/close legs like turning pages in a book), sing, dance (yoga freeze dance), twist & turn (poses that twist: seated twist, washing machine, helicopter, triangle, etc…), bunny, dragon, bird, elephant, heart (heart opening poses, heart mudra, etc…), oomph (invent poses with “oomph”, discuss ways to go the extra mile and add “oomph” through service projects).

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Inspirational Sayings for Preschool: A Child with a Smile will go the Extra Mile

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More ideas for Inspiring Kids Creativity with Books, Art & Movement.

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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities
Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

Home 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.

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Woozles Galore: Romping into Speech-Language & Kids Yoga with the Feed the Woozle Game by Peaceable Kingdom

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Woozles blog post

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

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

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

 

The Feed the Woozle game includes:

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

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

What I love about the game:

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

Ways to adapt the game to meet special needs:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Feed the Woozle

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

BrightIdeas

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

Speech-Language Pathologist at the JD McCarty Center for Children with Developmental Disabilities (http://www.jdmc.org/)

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

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

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

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

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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.

 

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Inspiring Kids Creativity with Books, Art & Movement

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

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

beautiful oops guide

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

The Dot easel

the dot frame

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

ish ideas

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

sky color

Sky Color - I feel colorful

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

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

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

museum frame

more museum activity printables

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

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

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

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

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

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

BrightIdeas

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

Speech-Language Pathologist at the JD McCarty Center for Children with Developmental Disabilities (http://www.jdmc.org/)

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

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

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

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

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

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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. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here.

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Pout-Pout Fish Lesson Plan plus Summer Themed Books, Music & Activities for Kids Yoga & Speech-Language

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The Pout-Pout Fish books are a wonderful way to infuse lessons about the power of your attitude, words & friendship into kids yoga & speech-language therapy sessions!

Here are some ideas for each book:

  • The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen (kids yoga pose opportunities: pout-pout fish, oyster with pearl, jellyfish, squid, octopus, shimmer fish, sea turtle, sea horse, worm, starfish, urchin, crab, seaweed, puffer fish breath with Hoberman Sphere; lots of descriptive vocabulary for emotions & facial expressions: glum, gloomy, pout, dreary, weary, grin, frown, scowl, grimace, mope, joy, hope, sulking, cheery; kids LOVE the humorous repeated line: “I’m a pout-pout fish with a pout-pout face, so I spread the dreary-wearies all over the place…. Blub…. Bluuub… Bluuuuuuub”)
  • The Pout-Pout Fish in the Big-Big Dark by Deborah Diesen (kids yoga pose opportunities:  fish, oyster with pearl, yawning breath, seaweed, sea snake, clam, starfish, anemone (flower), urchin, rocks on bottom of ocean floor, sailfish (triangle), shark, dolphin, dark (cover eyes), search looking through Gyan Mudra looking goggles, coral (tree), boat, worm, lantern fish (eye yoga with flashlights), Namaste ball game (roll ball back and forth while saying something positive about the person you are rolling it to); lots of unique vocabulary: yawn, whoosh, weep, promise, swoop, swish, mucky, deeper, dimmer, grimmer, slope, trench, braver; kids LOVE the repeated line: “I’m fast as a sailfish, I’m strong as a shark, I’m smart as a dolphin…. But I’m scared of the dark”. I LOVE how the story ends: “The ocean is wide, and the ocean is deep, but friends help friends – that’s a promise we keep”. For older kids, this can lead to wonderful discussions about obstacles in life & the power of encouraging words (“You can do it”) and having friends with you (“Two are faster than a sailfish, two are stronger than a shark, two are smarter than a dolphin, two are bigger than the dark”).

I use the plush fish & octopus as props. They can ride the waves of a child’s breath when relaxing in Savasana, passed in a seated twist around the circle, describe how they are “alike” & “different”, etc…. I also have used a ball or beach ball to play a game of “pass the pearl” with our feet around the circle when we find Ms. Clam’s missing pearl at the end of The Pout-Pout Fish in the Big-Big Dark.

The Pout-Pout Fish Rap:

The Pout-Pout Fish Song:

Watch a video of the book being read:

Coloring Sheets: Pout Pout Fish Coloring & Activites

The author’s website is full of other ideas & links to printables: http://deborahdiesen.com/books/pout-pout.html

Kohl’s Cares had both books, several plush & a tote for $5.00 each. A great deal + helps a great cause! They just launched a different campaign yesterday so these are now on clearance on their website. They also may be available in the toy clearance section in Kohl’s stores.

Looking for ideas for more summer themed ideas?

General Summer Theme

  • Alaska’s 12 Days of Summer by Pat Chamberlin-Calamar (A fun twist on the familiar 12 Days of Christmas except this time it’s summer with the following opportunities for kids yoga on an Alaska adventure: black bear, spruce tree, moose, bald eagle, wood frog, swan, grizzlies splashing, mosquito buzzing breath, salmon, caribou, wolf, dall sheep)
  • Bear’s New Friend by Karma Wilson (Fun rhyming text & repeated line. Opportunities for kids yoga: bear, cross crawl hike, tree, mouse, buzzing bee breath, flower, butterfly, bunny hops, bunny breaths, badger/gopher/mole (digging), wren/raven (bird), owl)
  • Elephants Swim by Linda Capus Riley (Fun book about how different animals “swim”. See an elephant, kangaroo, platypus, armadillo, tiger, jaguar, sea otter, squid, hippo, wildebeest, pelican, caribou, polar bear, sea turtle, walrus & whale)
  • I See Summer by Charles Ghigna (Fun simple rhyming text about things you see on a summer day: sun, sailboat, seagull, flower, butterfly, bird, snail, ladybug, seesaw, lemonade, ocean, seashell, fish, tree, dog, ice cream, picnic, firefly)
  • Splish, Splash and Blue by Christianne C. Jones (Fun book with rhyming text featuring the color “blue” at a water park)
  • Summer by Alice Low (great simple rhyming text about the joys of summer. Opportunities for kids yoga: watermelon (rock and roll on back), sun stretch and breath, palming for heat, ice cream scoops (child’s pose), bike pedaling, swing (ragdoll with arms on top of each other as a swing seat), bird, tree, butterfly, flower, water hose, fish, seagull,  starfish, ocean breath, campfire, fireworks breath from Namaste Kid)
  • Summer Beat by Betsy Franco (The sounds of summer are celebrated with rhyming text & great descriptive language as two friends enjoy a summer day: skateboard, dog, sprinkler, hammock, tree, bee, frog, rain, sizzling burgers, table, chair, corn on the cob, watermelon seeds, three-legged-race, water balloon, sparklers, bikes, parade, fireworks, treehouse, sleeping bags, crickets, moon, stars)
  • Summer Days and Nights by Wong Herbert Lee (opportunities for kids yoga: “paint the room” warm up, sun stretch & breath, cat. cross-crawl hike, flower, tree, lemonade (sitting in cobblers pose, tense & relax fists like squeezing lemons, reach to get the sugar, stir-the-pot to mix it up, triangle to pour it out, tense & relax face “ooh” it’s sour), buzzing bee breath, seesaw partner pose, slide, sandwiches (sit with legs out, what kind of sandwiches should we make for our picnic?, spread ingredients on legs, seated forward fold to put top bread on), ants (Warrior I), mouse, owl, fireflies, crescent moon, frog, forest of trees group pose, gate, bed, dream of summer nights savasana)
  • Fun Dog, Sun Dog by Deborah Heiligman (lots of rhyming & adjectives in this fun book)
  • The Twelve Days of Summer by Jan Andrews (A fun twist on the familiar 12 Days of Christmas except this time it’s summer with the following opportunities for kids yoga on an garden adventure: sun stretch & breath, nest (easy pose), eggs (child’s pose), dandelion seed (blowing cotton balls),  grouse (seated angle pose), garter snake, buzzing bee, hawk (eagle), mole digging (standing forward fold to scoop dirt), toad (frog), daisy (flower), crow, swallow (Warrior III), butterfly)
  • The “Explore the Outdoors” card from the green section of the Yoga 4 Classrooms card deck has a fun Green Group Mandala activity.

An album of summer mandalas & coloring sheets on the OMazing Kids Facebook page (new ones added frequently)

Ocean / Beach Theme

  • 10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle (opportunities for kids yoga: choo-choo breath (for the rubber duck machine), seated forward fold (to reach to paint the duck eyes & bills…. legs are the conveyor belt & our toes were the ducks eyes & bills), seated twist (to deliver the box of rubber ducks to the truck), bumpy truck ride, boat, ocean breath, duck, dolphin, seal, polar bear, flamingo, pelican (standing forward fold to scoop the fish), turtle, octopus (4 kids sat back-to-back to make an 8-legged octopus & felt each others backs breathing), seagull, whale, sun stretch & breath, palming (to make it “dark”), swim ducky swim breath & savasana)
  • Beach Day by Karen Roosa (Fun rhyming text with lots of descriptive language. Opportunities for kids yoga: ocean breath, cross crawl hike, up dog, down dog, seagull, water skier (Warrior II), buzzing insect breath, beach umbrella (triangle), digging in sand, lighthouse, pass the beach ball with feet game, crab, happy baby, sailboat)
  • Deep Sea Dive by Salina Yoon (Fun rhyming text under the flap for each animal. The goggles cutout on the front of this board book is fun to look through. Animals in this book: sea star, sea turtle, octopus, crab, shark, jellyfish, lobster, puffer fish, seahorse, sea urchin & oyster. Plus coral & seaweed.)
  • I Spy Under the Ocean by Edward Gibbs (His whole series of books is fabulous to work on part-to-whole, inferencing & descriptive language. I love the circular cut out that gives you a peek at what is on the next page. This one has the following animals: clownfish, sea horse, crab, sword fish, octopus, dolphin, shark)
  • If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff (kids yoga opportunities: baking cupcakes – easy pose legs as bowl, shake in flour, sugar & other ingredients, mix (stir the pot & do “washing machine” for mixer), forward seated with legs being oven rack & stretch arms to close the oven door, tick-tock-toes timer, “mmm” breath as we smell it cooking, spread on icing & shake on spinkles; table, sand castle (triangle), sea shell (forward seated fold), ocean breath, surfing (Warrior II), sunglasses (gyan mudra), pass the beachball with feet game, cross-crawl hike, boat, whale, dinosaur stomps, pterodactyl (bird), monkey. You could even add a mindful tasting activity (of course be mindful of any food sensitivities, allergies, etc….). Printables for the book: http://www.mousecookiebooks.com/activities/pdfs/cupcake_activities.pdf)
  • I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry (hilarious book to work on the concept of “big-bigger-biggest” and inferencing. See these free storyprops from Kizclub for the sea creatures featured in the book: I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean story props (color version) & I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean story props (black & white version))
  • Ladybug Girl at the Beach by David Soman. (Follow Lulu (aka. Ladybug Girl) on a beach adventure where she overcomes her fears. Opportunities for kids yoga: bumpy car ride w/ pool noodle steering wheel, stretch, down dog, up dog, cross crawl hike, ocean breath, standing forward fold to dig in the sand, gyan mudra binoculars, kite, ice cream scoops (child’s pose), draw in the sand (lazy 8’s from Brain Gym), seagull (Warrior III), crab, seaweed (ragdoll), shells (seated forward fold), Ladybug Girl saves the bucket (Warrior II then Warrior I), affirmation (“I’m brave – I’m not afraid of anything!), starfish savasana)
  • Luke’s Beach Day by Giselle Shardlow (this new addition to the Kids Yoga Stories series features Luke and his classmates on a field trip to the beach. A picture for the pose is included on each 1-2 page spread. Be watching for a review/giveaway for this fun book soon!)
  • Octopus Alone by Divya Srinivasan (A touching tale about a shy octopus who goes  on an adventure in search of some “alone” time and then joyfully returns to her friends. Opportunities for kids yoga: octopus, shrimp, squid, sea turtle, sea horse, sea snake, anemone, urchin, sea slug, lobster, clam, jellyfish, starfish, crab, eel, whale, coral & lots of types of fish)
  • Once Upon a Tide by Tony Mitton (Fun rhyming text with the following opportunities for kids yoga: spyglass (gyan mudra at eyes), hammer (woodchopper), thread the needle, sewing (lazy 8’s from Brain Gym), biscuits (sit with legs out & pretend to spread butter on, forward fold to put the top on the biscuit), up dog, down dog, seagull (balance on 1 leg), compass (standing star & then balance on 1 side), map (roll/unroll in yoga mat), boat, ocean breath, whale, sail (triangle), coconut palm tree, snake, bug, monkey, dig (standing forward fold & the back up as you “dig”), pirate “arrgh” breath, crab, flower, ragdoll, starfish savasana)
  • Over in the Ocean In a Coral Reef by Marianne Berkes (Great repeated & predictable text. Love the “eye-popping” photographs of reliefs sculpted from polymer clay! Free teacher’s guide, Over in the Ocean Audio Files (Singing), Over in the Ocean Audio Files (Reading), Over in the Ocean Bookmarks

bookmarks

  • Secret Seahorse by Stella Blackstone (This book has the following animals & sea life: anemone, angelfish, barracuda, clown fish, coral, crab, giant clam, hermit crab, jellyfish, lion fish, lobster, octopus, oyster, parrotfish, sea slug, sea turtle, sea urchin, seaweed, shark, starfish, stingray, swordfish. Kids love looking for the hidden seahorse on each page!)
  • Somewhere in the Ocean by Jennifer Ward (A fun twist on the familiar “Over in the Meadow” rhyming text, counting & repeated line. Animals in the book: manatee, orca whale, clown fish, hermit crab, sea otter, tiger shark, sea horse, sea turtle, octopus. Free printables: Tools for Teachers PDF, Reader’s Theater Lesson Plan)  
  • There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Shell by Lucille Colandro (see the free printable There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Shell story props for what she swallows in the book. Additional ideas for poses based on things in the background: sailboat, palm tree, starfish, clouds, clam, snail, dog, shark, lighthouse, bugs, spider)

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Shell story props

  • We’re Sailing to Galapagos: A Week in the Pacific by Laurie Krebs (Great rhyming text & repeated lines. Opportunities for kids yoga: sailboat, ocean breath, tortoise, albatross (Warrior III), iguana (plank), crab, fish, sea lions, red pouched frigate birds (belly breathing w/ hoberman sphere))
  • The Yoga 4 Classrooms card deck has an “Ocean Breath” card in the blue section & great “At the Beach” guided relaxation card in the purple section.
  • The Imaginations: Fun Relaxation Stories and Meditations for Kids book has “A Day at the Beach” & “Under the Sea” relaxation stories

Make Calming Ocean Glitter Bottles (free ocean glitter bottles labels printable)

glitter-bottle-003

Cool Beach in a Bottle sensory craft:

Kids Yoga Stories has a free beach-themed lesson plan: http://www.kidsyogastories.com/free-resources/.

Summer yoga ideas from Kami at Elahi Yoga in the Parenting Special Needs Magazine – go to page 58    http://magazine.parentingspecialneeds.org/publication/?i=111307&l&m&p=58&id=5779

Cute Sea Animal Memory Game printable from LearnCreateLove.com: http://learncreatelove.com/?p=4050.

Fabulous  sea creature printables from Picklebums: http://nurturestore.co.uk/printable-sea-creatures-ocean-play-dough

sea-creatures-ocean-play-dough

Beach & Ocean playdoh: http://pinterest.com/pin/225813368788645551/

Looking for the Pirate-Themed Yoga? See this post:

Camping / Lake / River Theme:

  • Curious George Goes Camping by Margret & H.A. Rey (Curious George saves the day in this camping adventure. Opportunities for kids yoga: monkey, drive the car w/ pool noodle steering wheel, pitching a tent, up dog, water pump, bucket, campfire, deer, forest of trees, lizard, squirrel, cat, skunk, washing off in creek)
  • Into the Outdoors by Susan Gal (a great book to go with a “camping” theme and a fun way to work on prepositions. This book has the following opportunities for yoga poses/activities: car ride (seated forward fold to close the car door & drive w/ pool noodle steering wheel), mountain, bridge, trees, tent (partner rooftops to pitch… the tent), cross-crawl hike (from Brain Gym), going across the stream (could be big steps around the yoga mats or yoga blocks… or maybe we need a canoe), boulders (child’s pose), eagle, waterfall, moon, woodchopper to chop firewood, campfire (palming to warm hands), stars. There are lots of animals in the book as well so we may add poses for those: bear, fox, deer, moose, porcupine (lotus mudra), turtle, frog, dragonfly, raccoon (gyan mudra at eyes for mask), woodpecker & owl. Want more ideas for this book? Check out these great posts by Picture Books & Pirouettes: http://kerryaradhya.blogspot.com/2012/09/into-outdoors-plethora-of-prepositions.html &  Maria’s Movers: http://mariasmovers.com/2012/09/04/into-the-outdoors-camping-dance/
  • Ladybug Girl and Bingo by David Soman (Follow Lulu (aka. Ladybug Girl) on a camping adventure. Opportunities for kids yoga: cross crawl hike, forest of trees group pose, up dog, down dog, bird, turtle, butterfly, canoe, quiet mindful listening, mermaid (pigeon), fish, picnic lunch sequence (open the picnic basket – seated forward fold, decide what kind of sandwiches to make for the picnic, spread out the blanket, seated twist to pass the picnic basket), unicorn, tiger, rocket, boulder, helicopter, pitching a tent (triangle pose), campfire (palming), star, firefly, roll up in sleeping bag (rolling up in yoga mat)
  • Little Bear’s Little Boat by Eve Bunting (opportunities for kids yoga: boat, fish, tree,  beaver (woodchopper), otter, blue heron (balance on 1 leg). Wonderful messages in the book about growing up, destiny & sharing)
  • Rattletrap Car by Phyllis Root (lots of fun descriptive language, sounds & repeated line)
  • When We Go Camping by Margriet Ruurs (Gorgeous painted illustrations depict a camping adventure. The back of the book contains hints for finding animals hidden in each painting. Opportunities for kids yoga: tent, sleeping bag, moose, bird, squirrel, canoe, sun stretch & breath, mountain, fish, woodchopper, campfire, bear, skunk, elk, forest of trees, cross crawl hike, butterfly, worm, water bugs, frog, berry picking, owl, eagle, cricket. More if you can find the animals hidden in each picture)
  • The Imaginations: Fun Relaxation Stories and Meditations for Kids book has “The Night Sky” & “Making Friends with a Tree” relaxation stories

A free kids yoga lesson plan that I wrote for Your True Nature inspired by “Advice from a River” – https://omazingkidsyoga.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/kids-yoga-lesson-plan-inspired-by-advice-from-a-river-your-true-nature.pdf.  It is also available on the Your True Nature website, along with other lesson plans, at http://www.yourtruenature.com/yoga (http://www.yourtruenature.com/library/images/Teacher%20Curriculum/Omazing%20Kid%20Yoga.pdf)

Want lots of fun ideas for a “camping” themed kids yoga class? Check out the post on the Little Yoga Stars blog – http://littleyogastars.blogspot.com/2012/03/camping-lesson-plan.html)

Here’s a great camping coloring sheet: http://www.seeyosemite.com/support-files/camping-page1.pdf.

Another coloring sheet: http://funcoloringsheets.blogspot.com/2011/08/camping-in-moonlight.html.

Lots of fun free camping-themed printables & craft ideas: http://www.homeschoolcreations.net/2011/09/camping-preschool-unit-preschool-corner/

Camping Bingo free printable: http://www.nwf.org/Kids/Family-Fun/outdoor-activities/Camping-Bingo.aspx

Father’s Day Theme

  • Daddy Hug by Tim Wares
  • Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle
  • My Dad by Anthony Browne
  • My Daddy is a Pretzel by Baron Baptiste
  • Papa, Please get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle

(see kids yoga ideas shared during this brainstorming session on OMazing Kids: http://tinyurl.com/kxfyf3a)

4th of July Theme

* Free printable pinwheels from Spoonful: http://spoonful.com/printables/mickey-donalds-patriotic-pinwheel (great for breathwork)

* Love this idea from Pink and Green Mama Blog for a patriotic “Eye Spy Bottle”: http://pinkandgreenmama.blogspot.com/2011/07/smart-summer-challenge-week-2_07.html?m=1

I’d love to hear your ideas for more summer-themed kids yoga! Feel free to leave a comment below or on the OMazing Kids Facebook page :)

BrightIdeas

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

Speech-Language Pathologist at the JD McCarty Center for Children with Developmental Disabilities (http://www.jdmc.org/)

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

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

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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.

 

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