It has been so fun to connect and exchange ideas for using kids picture books in yoga with Jenny Williams from Happy Planet Yoga! So it is my pleasure to have her for a Guest Post on OMazing Kids today.

Here is Jenny’s lesson plan for kids yoga inspired by the book “Rain!” by Linda Ashman illustrated by Christian Robinson:

This review summarizes the book “Rain!” well: “Good and bad moods alike can be contagious, as this rainy-day story handily demonstrates. Writing solely in dialogue and exclamations, Ashman contrasts the ways two people view a city rainstorm. “Rain!” grumps a cantankerous man, staring at the storm from underneath bushy furrowed eyebrows. “Rain!” shouts a boy from the window of a building whose sunny color matches his outlook . . . Along the way, the boy charms everyone he meets—the exact opposite of what the older man is doing (frowns abound when he’s near). When the two eventually meet, it’s not certain which attitude will win out, but luckily for the diverse townsfolk, the boy’s kindness and openness rule the day.” — Publishers Weekly

Introduction:

Discuss all the things that make spring a special season. What is the weather like? How does the temperature feel? Do you still have to wear a heavy coat, hat and mittens? What are things you see in nature in the spring? What are sounds that you hear? What do you smell? Talk about why rain is so important in the season of spring and then use one of these fun songs as a warm up.

Warm up:

• Listen to the song BOOTS by Laurie Berkner – use your imagination and put on each different color boot and dance and stomp along with the words of the song OR use one of the below as a warm up song:
• April Showers by Amanda Ellis: http://www.morewithmusic.org/2012/04/april-showers-bring-may-flowers.html
• Sounds of Spring by Amanda Ellis: http://www.morewithmusic.org/2010/04/sounds-of-spring.html
• Singing in the Rain by Gene Kelly (cute video of school children singing this song with hand movements http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmR3j-PcwZI)
• More song suggestions from OMazing Kids: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2013/03/23/spring-kids-yoga-activity-ideas-on-omazing-kids/

Read the book RAIN!  by Linda Ashman and illustrated by Christian Robinson, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (For more about this book visit: http://www.hmhco.com/shop/books/Rain/9780547733951#sthash.JF3jHV8M.dpbs)

• Poses inspired by the book: Bird, frog, puddle jumping around the mats, down dog and up dog, tree, flower, baking pie or cookies sequence (see OMazing Kids lesson for Apple Farmer Annie), table, chair, bike pedaling.
• Partner Poses: Rooftop partners, Rain taps on backs partners
• What did you notice in this book? How could you tell it was spring (refer back to opening discussion.)

Games to play inspired by the book RAIN!

• Waiter/waitress Game (with partner)
  • Objective: Work on balancing objects (on hand, on back in table pose) also work on focus
  • Materials: Large plastic or paper plate (this will be the serving tray), Play food (plastic is best as wooden may be too heavy) paper cups, plastic cutlery
  • How to play: One person is the waiter/ress. One person is the table. Waiter places one or two pieces of food, plastic cutlery and a paper cup on their plate and balance plate on open palm (for younger children holding the sides of the plate and keeping the cup upright and walking may be enough). Walk across the room to their partner who is the table and balance the plate on their back. Then partners switch roles.
  • Try this! Place obstacles in the room (yoga cushions, stuffed animals, other children) so that the waiter/ress cannot walk in a straight line
• Contagious Energy (Children 4 and up) Played in a group or with partners
  • Objective:  Children use their own energy, emotions, or gestures to communicate to a group or their partner. Group or partner must guess the emotion or gesture. These are all positive emotions/gestures meant to help “guessers” feel good or happy (they are the Grumpy man in the book RAIN!)
  • Materials: Emotion flashcards (PDF), Energy ball
  • How to play: Teacher gives a card to the first child (only this child sees the card), this child acts out the emotion on the card to the others to communicate the emotion. Example: the card may be a SMILE, the child would then smile at the rest of the group (or their partner) and the group or partner would guess the emotion/gesture. Continue until all children have had a turn.
•  Closing activity with Energy Ball: Group sits in a circle and talks about the Contagious Energy game and how they felt acting and receiving the emotions/gestures.  Which one was your favorite? Which one was hard to guess? Are there any other emotions/gestures you might try? Have you ever felt some one’s bad mood or negative energy? Now you have some ways you might help a person who is in a bad mood. Can you see how your energy can make a difference? Still not sure about your energy? Teacher takes out energy ball. All of the children hold hands except the teacher. Teacher explains we are all made up of energy and that this energy ball conducts energy and that the group will now prove how they make energy by complete the circuit (or circle). The teacher places her finger on the shiny metal strip (thumb on bottom) and asks student next to her to do the same (be sure teacher and student thumbs do not touch). Then they each hold the hand of the child next to them – BUZZZZ – the ball will buzz and light up!

Bio: Jenny Armor Williams is co-founder of Happy Planet Yoga and is a yoga instructor for children and adults. She discovered yoga when her daughters were babies yoga was the calm to the busyness of motherhood. Through a dedicated yoga practice, Jenny discovered her love for teaching and completed the Radiant Child Yoga Program Teacher Training, ChildLight Yoga Teacher Training, Yoga 4 Classrooms Instructor Training, and is currently enrolled in Spirit Tree Yoga Teacher Training (a 200-hr Registered Yoga School (RYS) with the Yoga Alliance). Jenny says “I love working with children, their energy and their curiosity keeps me on my toes and feeling young at heart!”

Email: jenny@happyplanetyoga.com

Happy Planet Yoga – Jenny Williams and Lynda West are co-founders of Happy Planet Yoga. At Happy Planet Yoga we strive to empower children to find their own light, peace, and creativity through yoga. Working with movement, breath, and meditation we seek to guide children and those that work with children on a path of discovery and joy.

Jenny also works for also work for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt publishing where she has access to many of their books and tests them out in her yoga classes with toddlers and young children.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Happy Planet Yoga & OMazing Kids have partnered together to bring you the following A Way to Give Giveaway:

Rain-Themed Kids Yoga Collection that you can enter to win:

• 1 copy of RAIN! by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Christian Robinson donated by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers
• a PDF of the kids yoga lesson plan for this book, an Energy Ball & PDF of emotions flashcards from Happy Planet Yoga
• three rain-themed mp3 song faves from OMazing Kids
  • The Rain is Coming by Penelope Torribio
  • April Showers Bring May Flowers by Amanda Ellis, MT-BC
  • Underneath the Rainbow by Kira Willey

Plus the HMH Kids Spring Book collection (1 copy of each book donated by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers):

• Cheer Up Mouse by Jed Henry (kids yoga ideas: http://tinyurl.com/ccauva6)
• Curious George Plants a Tree by HA Rey (kids yoga ideas: http://tinyurl.com/d9g8evk)
• Like A Windy Day by Frank Asch (kids yoga ideas: http://tinyurl.com/csh6dap)
• Lots of Lambs by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Lynn Munsinger (kids yoga ideas: http://tinyurl.com/buc3fv9)
• My First Day by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page (kids yoga ideas: http://tinyurl.com/chllljw)
• Possum and the Peeper by Anne Hunter (kids yoga ideas: http://tinyurl.com/c3vzv79)

For the “Way to Give” portion of this giveaway, you will also nominate a friend, relative, teacher, therapist, school, clinic, library, etc… it can be any individual (other than yourself) or a setting that you feel would benefit from the HMH Kids Spring Book collection plus the book RAIN! by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Christian Robinson.

How to enter the A Way to Give – Giveaway:

This particular giveaway is a “fans only” giveaway. It is only open to folks who like/follow all of the following:

• HMH Kids Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/HMHTeen)
• HMH Kids Twitter (https://twitter.com/hmhkids)
• Happy Planet Yoga Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Happy-Planet-Yoga/267920929910987)
• Happy Planet Yoga Twitter (https://twitter.com/happyplanetyoga)
• OMazing Kids Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga)
• OMazing Kids Twitter (https://twitter.com/amoorad)

Leave a comment on this blog post letting me know you have done that step (this is required to be eligible to enter this giveaway).

Then Enter via the “Giveaways” tab on the OMazing Kids – Contests & Giveaways Facebook page (http://a.pgtb.me/plpbTf) & mention:

1. Why you would benefit from having the Rain-Themed Kids Yoga Collection (RAIN! by Linda Ashman illustrated by Christian Robinson donated by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers; the kids yoga lesson plan, an Energy Ball & PDF of emotions flashcards from Happy Planet Yoga; & three rain-themed mp3 songs from OMazing Kids) plus the HMH Kids Spring Book collection (My First Day by Steve Jenkins, Lots of Lambs by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Lynn Munsinger, Like A Windy Day by Frank Asch, Possum and the Peeper by Anne Hunter, Cheer Up Mouse by Jed Henry & Curious George Plants a Tree by HA Rey).
2. Also nominate a friend, relative, teacher, therapist, school, clinic, library, etc… it can be any individual (other than yourself) or setting & why they would benefit from having the HMH Kids Spring Book collection (My First Day by Steve Jenkins, Lots of Lambs by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Lynn Munsinger, Like A Windy Day by Frank Asch, Possum and the Peeper by Anne Hunter, Cheer Up Mouse by Jed Henry & Curious George Plants a Tree by HA Rey) + the book RAIN! by Linda Ashman illustrated by Christian Robinson.

Details will count in selecting the winner. Comments must be in English; must include full first & last name; must use respectful people-first language, 1 entry per person.

• Bonus Entry Options  (only available after liking/following all the pages above + entering via the Facebook tab):

1. Invite some friends to “like” the OMazing Kids Facebook page (comment here on this blog post to let me know you did)
2. Share this review on Facebook & include a @OMazing Kids to tag my page – (comment here on this blog post to let me know you did)

• Helpful Info & Tips: I use the “Giveaways” tab because it saves me the step having to obtain your mailing address – the info you complete on the tab comes directly to me via an e-mail. FYI…. I use a free app from Shortstack for that tab and have no control over technical difficulties either on their end or on Facebook. The Facebook tab may not work on a cell phone. If you experience that, try again on a computer. Make sure you are logged in as yourself (not a page) when using the tab. In the event that you experience difficulties with the FB entry tab, 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 tab problems

• Examples of “people-first” language are “children with autism” vs. “autistic children”and “children with disabilities” vs. “disabled children” (see more examples at: http://www.inclusionproject.org/nip_userfiles/file/People%20First%20Chart.pdf)

Entry Deadline: 11:59pm CST on April 25, 2013 .

Rules of Participation:

• Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address.
• Only USA entries are being allowed for this particular giveaway. (each company that I host a giveaway for decides how this is handled. It is often based on shipping costs & the focus of where they are marketing their products)
• Employees or family members of OMazing Kids, LLC or the product’s company are not eligible.
• No purchase required.
• Comments submitted via the Enter Giveaways Here…. tab on Facebook may be copied & pasted into the blog post.
• Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
• The winner will be chosen via a drawing of valid entries on April 26, 2013.
• The winner will receive the items listed in the “Rain-Themed Kids Yoga Collection” & the “HMH Kids Spring Book collection” described above. The “HMH Kids Spring Book collection” described above + the book “Rain!” will be sent to the person or place they nominated in their winning entry (I know this is a bit out-of-the box & different than most typical giveaways where the person who enters wins all the “stuff”.  This is the “A Way To Give” portion of giveaways on OMazing Kids. I was inspired to make giveaways more meaningful after this experience. Think of it as a way to plant some seeds.)
• The winners will be notified via e-mail, will be posted on the blog post & will be posted on the OMazing Kids Facebook page. The company offering the prize may also post the winner’s name on their website, blog, Facebook page and/or other social media sites at their discretion.
• The winner’s address will be forwarded to the company and they will be mailing the prizes directly to the winners. Any questions about the prize should be directed to the company.

Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just kids books, printables, mp3’s & an Energy Ball 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.

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

Speech-Language Pathologist

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

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

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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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