Instructor: Jennifer Faircloth
Community: Ages 3-4 With Developmental Delays, Preschool Classroom, 30 minutes
Plan Creation Date: October 16, 2015
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Stillness
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Belly Breathing – Seated belly breathing with Hoberman sphere: Invite student leader to the front of the room and have them choose three or five breaths. Afterwards, give compliments. Then have the children close their eyes and listen to the stillness for thirty seconds.
Activate
- Rock and Roll – up to standing.
- Top 10 Flow – Lead (part of) Top 10 flow (from mountain to crescent moon):
- Mountain – Stand proud and tall, lift your rocky mountain peak up towards the sun and ground your feet firmly into the earth. Invite student leader to lead mountain. Practice being completely still for three breaths.
- Roots – Rock forward and back, making movements smaller and returning to stillness. Now rock side to side, making your movements smaller and smaller until you return to stillness. Grow your roots into the earth. Think of someone you want to be strong for. Invite them to share with the class.
- Upward Mountain and Crescent Moon – Reach up to the sky, spreading your fingers out like tiger paws. Press your feet down into the earth. Stretch to the right, breath in and out for four counts, return to center. Stretch to the left, breath in and out for four counts, return to the center. Stand in mountain while listening to the stillness.
- Volcano Breath – Bring your hands together at your heart. Take slow, deep breaths. Bring your arms up over your head. Exhale slowly and “explode the volcano,” stretching your arms out to the side and then bring them back together at you heart. Invite a child to the front of the group during this activity.
Calm
- Twist – Lie down on your backs. Have classroom adults help students twist to the right after students bring knees to their chests. Look to the left. Stretch your breath out of your fingertips. Bring knees to the center. Turn legs to the left, look to the right. Stretch breath out of your fingertips.
- Relaxation – Read “On the Night You Were Born” while students lay on their backs or on their right side, listening to the story. Encourage them to be still as they listen to the words.