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

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

Posted on July 13, 2013 by OMazing Kids

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

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

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

The Feed the Woozle game includes:

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

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

What I love about the game:

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

Ways to adapt the game to meet special needs:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

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Inspiring Kids Creativity with Books, Art & Movement

Posted on July 6, 2013 by OMazing Kids

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

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

beautiful oops guide

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

The Dot easel

the dot frame

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

ish ideas

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

sky color

Sky Color - I feel colorful

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

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

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

museum frame

more museum activity printables

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

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

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

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

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

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

BrightIdeas

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

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

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

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on July 3, 2013 by OMazing Kids

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

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)

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

Two great books with lots of opportunities for kids yoga: Red, White and Boom! by Lee Wardlaw & “Carl’s Summer Vacation” by Alexandra Day (doesn’t specifically mention the 4th of July but could easily fit that theme since it ends with them watching fireworks). Here’s a free teacher’s guide for Red, White and Boom!:http://www.leewardlaw.com/PDF/redwhiteboomguide.pdf.
Namaste Kid has a fun Firework Breath video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGlcD9DNpVc.
Yogainmyschool.com has this fun sequence: http://yogainmyschool.com/fourth-of-july-kids-yoga-sequence/
Kids Yoga Stories has a new lesson plan inspired by the book “M is for Majestic: A National Parks Alphabet by David Domeniconi: http://www.kidsyogastories.com/free-resources/

* 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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