Kids Yoga for Disabilities

First off, take a look at this fun video of two Canadians, Rick Mercer (comedian/host) and Rick Hanson (Man in Motion hero/educator) blowing away all ideas of what one can and cannot do when one has a disability:

Pretty Amazing, Eh!

This Friday marks the beginning of the Paralympic Games  in Vancouver.   It’s another event that shows how ABLE all people are.  The first Paralympics Games were held in 1976 in Sweden and this Paralympics has  five sports:

• alpine skiing
• biathlon
• cross-country skiing
• ice sledge hockey
• wheelchair curling

Here’s a link to a whole page of activities from Official Website of the Paralympic Movement. I’m looking forward to reading this worksheet in my kids classes:  A Fairytale:  A Class Discussion of Inclusion it’s a great story with discussion questions included.

I also want to try the Sitting Volleyball Skills Sheet with a soft volley ball for younger kids.

When it comes to yoga, are there any limitations that could prevent a child from joining a class?  Considering that kids yoga is already so imaginative I think kids yoga can be done by all.

The best tip for teaching yoga to someone with a disability:  talk to the person to  find out what works and what won’t work for their particular situation.  They’ll be able to tell you what they need to make it possible, what they want to try and what they can’t.  Don’t make assumptions!

If you’re stuck for ideas – a simple Google search of “wheelchair yoga” produces over 400,000 results!

Finally, this book  Susan Laughs by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross is recommended for discussing disabilities with young kids.  It looks like a great book that I’ve just added to my wish list.  Let me know if you’ve seen this book or if you have any other ideas for including all kids in yoga classes.

Contest: Win an Animal Yoga Book

Animals Do Yoga… and So Do I

book by Angela Faith Miller, illustrated by Susie McColgan

US $12 softcover, $18 hardcover

This book review comes with thanks to the author, Angela Miller of AnimalsDoYoga.com. She  sent me two complimentary copies. One I used in my kids yoga classes to see how it worked with real kids.  One copy will go to a random reader who leaves a comment on this post – so please leave a comment for a chance to win!

Animals Do Yoga… and So Do I is a beautifully illustrated picture book.  Eleven animal pictures go with the eleven yoga pose pictures.  The pics are big and bright and the text is minimal.  Click here to see a couple sample pages.

Animal Yoga is a Hit with Kids
Kids love animals so the theme is a winner especially with young kids.  I also like the full-page pictures for holding up in front of a class.

When I introduced this yoga book to my preschool classes I wanted to see how the kids would follow along.  I read it as written, without giving any extra directions. Most of the poses were easy for the 2 – 6 year old kids to do.   In the thirty minute classes, we got through seven or eight poses.  We also did a short relaxation/meditation at the end of class that was not in the book.

This book also has, what I consider for preschool kids, intermediate poses.  These poses take more instruction and skill to teach, which is not given in the book.  They also take time and patience for the learners and the teachers.  For example, it took me about 6 minutes to help fifteen 2 – 4 year old’s learn to hold Fish pose for a few seconds.  The pictures and text in the book don’t always give enough explanation to do the poses.

My Recommendations:
I recommend this book for Kids Yoga Teachers, Yoga Teachers with kids, and experienced Yogis with kids.  The themes of yoga and animals will surely inspire children who like picture books.  I think it would be especially fun to do as a family or one-on-one, and in situations where you have time to learn the Intermediate poses.

However there are no explanations of the yoga poses in the book.  Beginners may want more info on the details of the yoga poses.  I wish there was a short pose guide for beginners at the end of the book.

Once the kids learn the poses, I could see young yogis pulling out this book to do on their own.  Animals Do Yoga… and So Do I could be a catalyst for a yogic lifestyle, a lifestyle that many of us wish we started when we were kids!

If you’d like to win the book, leave a comment on this post.  Contest closes Thursday morning at 11 am (March 4, 2010) when I’ll announce the winner and do a post about Teaching Yoga to Preschool Kids.

Character Development: Fairness

Fairness and Balance in Yoga

by Donna Freeman
www.YogaInMySchool.com

Fairness refers to justice, equality and the absence of bias. Children seem to intrinsically know what is fair and what isn’t.  There is even a series of advertisements which underline children’s innate ability to know when they are, and when they are not, being treated fairly.

Fairness with Ease and Strength
There are a number of ways this principle relates to yoga. The most prevalent is the ideals of Sukha (easy, pleasant, gentle) and Sthira (solid, durable, strong). The goal when practicing yoga is to have equal amounts of these two opposing philosophies present at all times.

Yogis are always looking to balance the effort with the ease, the soft and the hard. To treat both aspects of the poses with fairness in order to allow the body and mind to expand to its full potential. If Sukha is too much of a focus, the consequence is laziness and lack of will power. If Sthira is stressed, then injury or burnout may result. Neither extreme is healthy, but a balance of the two permits beautiful expression and growth.

Yoga Poses to Teach Fairness
In addition, balance poses teach much about fairness. Poses such as tree pose, dancer pose and eagle pose help to refine the sense of equality. Performing these poses always seems easier on one side, but both sides need the same opportunity to work the pose. The lessons, however, are more than physical. Children learn to focus and concentrate, training their minds as well as their bodies.

Finally fairness is underscored with Satya (honesty). Satya is the virtue of being true to and honest with yourself and those you encounter. This includes in speech and action. The ideal of fairness is completely redundant without honesty. Being able to see the world through realistic lenses helps to overcome selfishness and encourages compassion.

Teaching honesty to children is an ongoing endeavor.
Personal integrity is an elusive but essential aspect of society’s morals. Practising compass pose (Bikram half moon) with an accompanying discussion on how compasses help guide individuals through the storms of life provides a kinaesthetic reinforcement of these ideals.

The principles of fairness and equality are threaded throughout yoga. Children know the difference between right and wrong, justice and injustice. Allow yoga to help develop this knowledge through balance and honesty.

5 Benefits of Kids Yoga

Yoga is Playful and Helps Kids in So Many Ways

Guest Post by Susan White

(Note from Aruna:  This week I’ve been attending to some family matters as well as my yoga classes and Teacher Training so I hope you enjoy this guest post, which may be especially useful for those marketing their kids yoga classes. I’ll be back next week with some new stories and games.)

This post is written by Susan White, who writes on the topic of Radiologist Technician Schools . She welcomes your comments at her email id: susan.white33@gmail.com .

We all know that yoga has benefits beyond the physical alone and that if you’re a yoga enthusiast, you’re likely to be in the fittest of both physical and mental health. But how many of us think of the benefits that this ancient eastern art holds for kids? When it comes to health and fitness for children, we focus on a sport and outdoor play rather than think of exercising at the gym or following a workout routine. But another form of exercise that offers them various advantages is yoga, a fact that is not as well known as it should be. Yoga helps children by:

1. Enhancing concentration: When your child gets used to the asanas or postures of yoga, they automatically improve their concentration skills. Ancient sages used yoga as a form of meditation, and their powers of concentration are legendary. Your child learns how to sit still in one place and focus on what’s important as opposed to letting their mind wander and be distracted easily. This helps them in their lessons and at school, boosts their attention span and improves their grades.
2. Increasing flexibility and balance: Yoga helps improve flexibility and balance and tones their muscles too. It makes them stronger and less likely to suffer sprains and fractures through accidental falls.
3. Improving general well-being: Kids who practice yoga regularly feel good about themselves and are healthier and happier than those who don’t. They feel both mentally and physically rejuvenated after a yoga session and this improves their mental and physical health.
4. Boosting confidence: When your child is able to display great agility and flexibility, it does wonders for their confidence. Their improved performance at school also helps boost their popularity and their self assurance. They become more poised and start to believe in their abilities. This feeling provides them with the adrenaline they need to achieve success in all their endeavors.
5. Relaxing their minds: Even kids are subject to a great deal of stress these days because of their workload at school and the high expectations that their parents have for them. They are pushed to be achievers at every single point of their lives, and when they fail, they take it to heart and become depressed. Yoga helps them relax and de-stress when they feel upset or depressed. It soothes their frayed minds and helps them get back to a normal mental state.

Children are more flexible and agile than adults, so the earlier you get kids started on to yoga, the more benefits they gain.

Character Development: Teamwork

( In my city, Toronto (Canada), school teachers have been given a monthly theme to teach in the classroom. The Toronto District School Board calls it Character Development. I went to the Yoga In My School specialist – Donna Freeman for some insight into the monthly themes. Thanks to Donna for this monthly series on Character Development.)

Teamwork In Partner Yoga

Teamwork the Ultimate Aim of Yoga

By Donna Freeman
www.Yogainmyschool.com

The word Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word yuj meaning ‘yoke’ or ‘union.’ The very foundation of yoga is a joining, or bringing together, of the body, breath, and mind. Flexibility, strength, and good health are all wonderful benefits of this practise, but its ultimate aim is to create more togetherness, personally and universally.

One key way yoga achieves this union is through breathing techniques. Training the body to breathe correctly requires concentration and clarity of thought. As various breathing exercises are learned and mastered, yogis become more in tune with their body and can use their breath to relax the nervous system, improve the body’s use of oxygen and achieve a sense of calm. This turning inward allows children to connect with themselves on a deeper level. Once kids have a solid sense of self they are prepared to interact with others in a positive, giving manner from a foundation of cooperation and trust.

Another way yoga promotes teamwork is through meditation. Meditation means awareness and involves reducing all the scattered activity of the mind to one. Often when meditating, mantras (sounds and words) are used to help focus the mind. Many mantras focus the intention on world peace, happiness and union. An example of this is Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu. Mantras assist in creating greater unity one individual at a time and promote setting aside personal agendas for the greater good.

A third way yoga teaches teamwork is with partner poses. Partner poses develop trust, intimacy and connections. These can be especially fun with children as they interact with others in a social and physical manner. Most yoga poses can be developed into partner poses and can help all individuals experience healing touch, playfulness and the power that comes from working together toward a common goal. The most extreme form of partner yoga is Acro Yoga where one partner is the base while the other flies above doing various yoga acrobatics. A sense of togetherness and connection result whenever partner poses are practiced.

Breathing exercises, meditation and partner poses are but three means by which yoga develops teamwork. When doing yoga, the principle aim is to join your body, breath and mind to produce positive change physically, emotionally and spiritually. This sense of union will benefit the individual as well as the group.

Character Development: Kindness and Caring

( In my city, Toronto (Canada), school teachers have been given a monthly theme to teach in the classroom. The Toronto District School Board calls it Character Development. I went to the Yoga In My School specialist – Donna Freeman for some insight into the monthly themes. Thanks to Donna for this monthly series on Character Development.)

December Character Development Theme:  Kindness and Caring

Kindness and Caring the Foundation of Yogic Philosophy

By Donna Freeman
www.yogainmyschool.com

In our home we have one rule. Yes, remarkably, one principle rule to govern all our actions and interactions. It is “Be Kind.” When that one rule is followed life is in harmony. We respect one another. We are responsible for our things and our time. We help without whining. We use kind words. We express gratitude. We show love through small, thoughtful actions. Truly kindness is the key to a happy home and a fulfilling life.

Ahimsa—non violence—is the yogic philosophy which teaches kindness and caring. It is in essence living with an attitude of not wanting to harm anyone or anything, including yourself, in work, thought or action. From this basic core value all other yamas and niyamas are erected. Ahimsa is the foundation upon which basic values are built.

The first step to living with ahimsa is becoming aware of our habits. Only through awareness do we realise exactly how we are living. Once we are aware we are able to improve upon our weakness and build upon our strengths.

Throughout life there will be times which naturally call for greater ahimsa. Tragedies bring out our compassion. Life’s curve balls will teach us kindness as we recognize the help and thoughtfulness shown to us by others during our times of need. Involving children in acts of service and charity is a wonderful way to instill in them a sense of concern and caring for others.

Christmas is an Opportunity to Look Outside of Selfishness
Christmas, with its season of giving and goodwill toward all men, is often an opportunity to look outside of selfish wants and desires and serve others. Volunteering at a soup kitchen, giving generously to a charity, filling boxes at the local food bank, and many other opportunities of service to our fellow man are ways to live with ahimsa: to embody kindness and caring.

Often the most difficult way of incorporating this principle into our life is though regarding ourselves through ahimsa. Negative self-talk, always striving for perfection, and personal expectations of our behaviour and accomplishments need to be tempered through a feeling of kindness to self. Be gentle with yourself. Develop your softer side. Do something you love. Treat your body and mind with care.

Take the time today to live with ahimsa.

• Begin by becoming aware of your interactions. Do you approach life from a foundation of non-violence?
• Next decide to interact with people positively: to express compassion in thoughts and actions.
• Finally remember that you are worth the same kindness and care you express to others.

Remember the one rule “Be Kind” and enjoy a joyful and rewarding life.

www.Yogainmyschool.com

Contest: Win “Seven Spirals, A Chakra Sutra for Kids”

It seems like a perfect time for a contest, leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a copy of this beautiful book I’m going to review today. Mushroom Hollow Press sent me two free copies of this book, one to review and one to give away, but other than this, I’m not an affiliate of this product.  Contest closes Sunday, December 6/09 at midnight so leave a comment for a chance to win.

Illustration for the First Chakra
from Seven Spirals, A Chaktra Sutra for Kids
by Deena Haiber and Aimee MacDonald

When I opened up Seven Spirals a couple weeks ago I was first in awe of the drawings.  There’s rich colours and a simple format, a story for each chakra and then a big picture on the next 2 pages (like the picture above for the first Chakra).

What surprised me when I read it, was the minimal focus on the technical aspects of the chakra system.  Instead, this book tells stories of what the chakras mean in our lives.  It’s a departure from the typical chakra books out there, but I think it works – especially for kids.

Our book follows seven everyday-kids through a weekend
of their lives, giving us a glimpse at the meaning of the seven chakras,
and how they affect us every day.
Mushroom Hollow Press.

In my ten plus years teaching kids yoga, I have to admit that I rarely teach the chakras.  It’s complicated to explain the concept quickly and  in a way that kids will understand.  Whenever I’ve covered this topic, it’s been in longer classes or day camps.  So I brought Seven Sprials into five different 30 minute classes recently to see how the kids would react to the story-telling approach of this book.

Here what I found using the book in a kids yoga class:

• the book is easy to divide into small parts:  In a 30 minute class we covered the first three chakras in one class, then the next weeks we did a quick re-cap and added another chakra, and so on till the finish.
• the stories were memorable, the kids were excited about the book and even a week later, the kids remembered the stories,
• You’ll need to give some time for the kids to comment, the stories are short but they lead to conversation,
• There are no yoga exercises in the book – so you’ll have to choose these on your own, there is a short chakra meditation at the end.

I recommend adding this book to your kids yoga library as a welcome addition to other more technical books on the chakras.  The simple stories and pictures captured the kids attention in my classes.  The book highlights poignant moments that give meaning in life, it creates a sense of balance.

If you would like to win a copy of Seven Spirals leave a comment by Sunday on this blog post.  One person will be chosen randomly from all the comments to receive a copy of the book.

And if you don’t win you can always pick up your own copy at  www.MushroomHollow.com.

Good luck to everyone!

Aruna Humphrys
Aruna@YoungYogaMasters.com

© K. Humphrys

Character Development Theme: Empathy

Character Development Theme: Responsibility

Do You Believe in Yourself Enough? Complimentary Tele-Class Tonight and Link

Complimentary Tele-Seminar: Raise Your Belief Level
This topic is crucial for us as teachers. Most of the questions I get from kids yoga teachers are from those not sure how to manage a class or certain situations in a kids yoga class.

Often teachers resort to blaming the child and writing them off as “Un-teachable.” It’s not me, no one can teach them. For instance, this summer in one of my daycare classes, I had a 2 1/2 year who was difficult for me.

This child had developed a habit of not listening, and not only not listening but being disruptive as he wandered out of the group and drew everyone’s attention away from the yoga class. Not only the kids attention – but mine as the teacher as well.

I resisted the temptation of nagging at the child to sit down and listen. Eventually, I gave him the consequence of leaving the class. The daycare teacher took him out, and I was relieved to not have him there for the rest of the class. It went smoothly.

After class, I found out that this problem was happening with this child in all the classes. But the teacher didn’t want to label the child so didn’t warn me about it.

What is my Belief Level?
Here is my challenge as a teacher: Do I believe I can teach this child? or Do I get frustrated and let it build and build with each class, spending my time waiting for this class to be over? As teachers we have to continually look at what we believe, our mindset, as we go about teaching. Are we aware of what we believe?

Here’s what happened in this class:

I felt the desire in me to accept this challenge. Even though I didn’t know how it would happen, I set the intention that I would figure out how to engage this child so he could stay the whole class.

The second class came knowing the challenge with this child, I tried again with new strategies – but I ended up asking him to leave the class again. (Just so you know, he wasn’t crying or upset when he left, I think he was used to it!)

Third class – eventually I asked the teacher to take him out.

Can I teach this child? Should I give up? I don’t know how I will do it but I know I will hold on to the belief that I can do it.

The next week, he was away on holidays. Whew! The whole dynamic of the class changed.

The next week – away again. I almost forget about the issue.

The sixth week – he’s back and going through an adjustment period all over again (he’s only 2 1/2 years old). He stays about half the class this time. But I hold onto my Vision of him staying, although it is only an 8 week session so I’m not sure how it will happen.

Seventh week – he’s away again. This time I’m a little disappointed that he’s not here. How will we get to do the whole class together if he’s not here?

Eighth week – last class. He’s back and joins the class. We’re having a yoga party, playing all our favorite games and activities and songs. He’s joining in!

He’s doing everything!

He stays the whole class!

This may seem like a co-incidence but I don’t think it is. My teacher, Tulshi Sen says:

We don’t get what we want, we get what we are.
- Tulshi Sen

The question is, are we aware of what we are? What we are is our mindset. Do we give up on our belief too early before it has a chance to manifest?

I can’t say exactly what I did differently with this student. But I do know, whenever I started feeling frustrated, I thought of what I wanted. I’ve spent many years in the study of Raising my Belief Level, as a teacher, as an entrepreneur, and as a person and these situations happen more and more often and make it all worth it.

Tulshi Sen has been my mentor in these matters for many years. He is giving a series of complimentary tele-seminars leading up to his two workshops, one in Vancouver (Sept. 19) and one in Toronto (November 21). Mr. Sen’s principles have been life-changing. I don’t think I could be teaching children more than 10 years without his guidance.

If you missed Tulshi Sen’s last tele-seminar you can listen to it right now here.

The next Tele-Seminar is tonight at 10 pm Toronto, Canada time. There is no-charge (except your long-distance if any) and the talks are only 30 minutes so don’t be late!

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