Wow…. The new Yoga 4 Classrooms Activity Card Deck has it all!  The Y4C card deck provides an easy to use, well-rounded & comprehensive approach to yoga for kids. It is a “must have” for classroom teachers & kids yoga teachers.

Product Description:

Science has shown and educators have experienced first-hand that when children are anxious, frustrated or stressed, it is nearly impossible for them to learn. It is only from a relaxed, calm and present state of mind and body that children can be psychologically and physiologically learning-ready. With that in mind, ChildLight Yoga, creators of the innovative Yoga 4 Classrooms™ program, has drawn on its 10 years of experience to produce a new tool: the new Yoga 4 Classrooms Activity Card Deck can be used by teachers, students, parents, and counselors.  No prior yoga experience is required.

The Y4C Activity Card Deck includes a Teacher’s Guide & 67 large 6”x8” yoga and mindfulness-based activity cards with illustrated instructions, discussion points, sub-activities, and educational tie-ins, for a total of more than 200 beneficial classroom practices.

Activities fall into six categories:

Let’s Breathe: helps calm and center, or empower and energize. (9 cards)

At Your Desk: provides physical relief from long periods of sitting, improves focus, and keeps body systems functioning efficiently. (11 cards)

Stand Strong: provides simple, structured opportunities to stand up, stretch, balance and strengthen. (14 cards)

Loosen Up: dispels stress through energetic release or introspection and focus. (11 cards)

Imagination Vacation: offers child-friendly approaches to meditation through guided visualization, helping students bring their awareness to the present moment, which is the necessary state for learning. (11 cards)

Be Well: offers a framework for child-friendly discussions on topics supporting health and wellness (11 cards)

• The activities were specially chosen for their suitability for the typical classroom space, and can all be done standing beside or sitting at desks, while bodies and hands remain off the floor, away from dirt and germs.

• The cards include a mix of yoga postures, brain boosting movements, breath exercises, visualizations, mindfulness activities, creative movement and community-building games.

• There are also wellness and character-building discussion points, such as the power of positive thinking, nutrition, and being a peacemaker, that address the whole child – physical, social and emotional.

Here are a few pics of the cards:

See more sample cards at: Yoga 4 Classrooms – sample cards

Here’s what I LOVE about the Y4C Card Deck:

• Yoga is so much more than just “poses” so it is refreshing to see this expressed so well in a kids yoga product!

• The instructions on the back of the card are easy to understand & often provide ideas for partner variations, ideas to include books & music and other classroom extension ideas.

• The cards would be very easy to use in any setting with the use of standing & chair poses (no need for yoga mats or floor space) and do not have anything in them that could be viewed as “religious” (no Sanskrit words, Om symbols, etc..) thus avoiding the potential objections school administration or parents might have.

• The cards are colorful & large enough to be seen in a group setting.

• The cards are color-coded by category.

• The illustrations on the cards depict kids of diverse ethnicities & abilities.

• The words on the front of each card capture the essence & purpose of that activity or pose and would be easy to use as “affirmations”.

• The “Be Well” cards  address “Yamas” & “Niyamas” of yoga via “Character Education” in a classroom-friendly way. Yamas are social disciplines –  how we behave toward others & Niyamas are personal disciplines – how we care for ourselves.

More info about the Y4C Card Deck: http://www.yoga4classrooms.com/_blog/Yoga_4_Classrooms_Blog/post/New_User-Friendly_Card_Deck_Makes_Yoga_Easy_and_Accessible_for_Teachers,_Moms,_Kids_and_Others/

Card Deck Price (as of this post date): $32.00

Available online at: http://www.yoga4classrooms.com/activity-card-deck

Use this promo code to get 10% off: REVIEW (code good through 12/31/11)

Find Y4C & Childlight Yoga on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/yoga4classrooms & www.facebook.com/childlightyoga  and Blogs: http://www.yoga4classrooms.com/_blog/Yoga_4_Classrooms_Blog/ & http://www.thekidsyogaresource.com/. They frequently post info about kids yoga so I follow them all!

Additional Info: Here is what I consider to be a well-balanced approach to kids yoga (slide from my presentation at the Oklahoma Autism Conference – click on the slide if you want to see more info):

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

How to enter the Yoga 4 Classrooms Card Deck giveaway:

1. Enter via the “Giveaways” tab on the OMazing Kids Yoga FB page (http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga?v=app_197602066931325) & mention how you would be using this Card Deck with your child or the children you work with.  (comments must be in English; 1 entry per Facebook account).
2. For one additional entry, leave a comment on this blog post. Must mention how you would be using this Card Deck with your child or the children you work with. (comments must be in English; 1 entry per person; must have a valid e-mail address)
3. Tips: You increase your odds of winning by entering via both methods. Entering via the “Giveaways” tab will save me the step of having to obtain your mailing address – the info you complete on the tab comes directly to me via an e-mail.

Entry Deadline: Enter by any of the methods listed above by 11:59pm CST on December 19, 2011.

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.
• Employees or family members of OMazing Kids Yoga, LLC, Childlight Yoga or Yoga 4 Classrooms 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.
• One (1) winner will be chosen via a random drawing of valid entries on December 20, 2011.
• The winner will get one (1) copy of the Yoga 4 Classrooms Card Deck.
• The winner will be notified via e-mail and will be posted on the blog post.
• If the winner only entered via blog post, their mailing address will be obtained via e-mail.
• In the event that the winner does not respond within 24 hours, a new winner will be selected via a random drawing.
• The winner’s address will be forwarded to Yoga 4 Classrooms & they will be shipping the Card Deck directly to the winner.
• Prize Value: retail price $32.00.

Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just a kids yoga card deck 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 Yoga, 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 Yoga, LLC, which shall be final in all respects; (b) to release, discharge, and hold harmless OMazing Kids Yoga, 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 Yoga, LLC – inclusive yoga for kids & teens of all abilities in Norman, Oklahoma

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

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

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

Blog: https://omazingkidsyoga.wordpress.com

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