Instructor: Chris Elersich

Community: 3-6 year olds, Setting?

Plan Creation Date: May 1, 2013

Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Listening

Lesson Plan:

Calm

  • Belly Breathing – Breath using Hoberman/ or use hands in place of Hoberman sphere. Ask students a number as a goal of how many breaths to take:
  • Pulse count – (When working with children ages 3-4 it may be difficult to find pulse and count so we do this together with a lot of encouragement and help.)

Activate

  • Mountain Pose – standing tall like a very strong mountain/ listen to the wind- what do you hear? Can you hear the wind?, can you hear birds chirping in the distance? Ask the students to tell you what they hear. You have to be very still and quiet to hear the animals in the background!
  • Upward Mountain Pose – feel the strength in your arms, legs and entire body. Feel the sun streaming down onto your arms, head and body. Listen quietly to the sounds in nature around the mountain. This is a quiet time all the while the body is active in its strength.
  • Back to Mountain – with hands in heart space. Feel how strong you are, your legs are like the roots of a tree! Practice putting weight on right foot, and then the left foot. Do this 4 times each side.
  • Tree Pose – (with younger children I assist and do this with a partner). Feel the breeze flowing through your leaves-hear the birds trying to find the best branch!
  • Forward Bend – like a waterfall, listen to the sound of the water flowing over the mountain like a waterfall-can you hear the water hitting and splashing on the rocks below?
  • Chair Pose – strong legs-arms reaching out-and then back to upward mountain.
  • Roots – a tree is strong and its roots are very strong! Feel the roots dig deep into the earth, bringing the important nutrients up to the tree. If you are very still and listen carefully you can almost hear the roots digging through the earth to find the water!

Calm

  • Back to sitting position
  • Pinwheel Breath – it takes a quiet breath to blow the pinwheel.
  • Twist – during twist read from “Ready, Set, Relax: pg. 104: Rainbow Wear. After a twist to each side, then go to relaxation pose for 5-10 min. listen to quiet music/ I like to use music that has either the sound of birds, or water in the background and prompt the students to listen for them.

 

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