Instructor: Margaret Craford
Community: Preschool/Kindergarten Ages, 30-40 minutes
Plan Creation Date: August 1, 2013
Yoga Calm Principle/Lesson Goal: Listening
Academic/Therapeutic/Other Goals: Ecology, taking turns, sharing
Props/Music Resources Required: Bear puppet, snack, forest treasures
Lesson Plan:
Calm
- Belly Breathing – 3 min, 5 breaths, supine. When Winnie the Pooh was faced with a big task, he said, “Letʼs begin by taking a smallish nap or two.” Close your eyes, and feel your breath gently rise. Let it expand and fill your belly. Let your belly become as round, and full as Pooh Bearʼs! Note: A leader can be used to count the breath with the bear.
Activate
- Chair 15, Activate/Relax Game – 1 min run, 2 – 3 min seated sharing. Pooh said, “Always watch where you are going. Otherwise, you may step on a little piece of the forest that was left out by mistake.” I am going to beat the drum. Walk carefully in the forest. You can be any animal you choose. Listen carefully! When you hear the drum stop, freeze! Invite students to tell which animal they chose and why. Note: Were students careful where they stepped in the forest? Did they follow directions?
- Tree – 2 min, standing. Pooh lived in a tree. Make your tree strong for Pooh to climb. Find the four corners of your feet and root yourself to the ground – 2 to 5 minutes. Students who were successful following directions in the previous activities are invited to lead. It is fun to run and play in the forest. Pooh said, “It is more fun to talk with someone who doesnʼt use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like, ʻWhat about lunch?”
Calm
- Mindful Snack – 15 minute simple snack with napkin setting of items from the forest – pinecones, ferns with a discussion of bringing the beauty of nature into our lives. Is it more fun to play alone or with a friend? What animal did they choose to be when playing in the forest and why? What do they think they would hear if they were very still? Would forest animals come? Discuss manners and sharing. Eeyore said, “A little consideration, a little thought for others… Makes all the difference.”
- Relaxation – 2 min./floor w/ 1 min. exploration. Piglet tells us, “Sometimes the smallest things take the most room in your heart.” Feel your heart beat. Rest. Breathe in the day playing in the sunshine with friends. Expand your breathe to take in the sunshine through the leaves of the trees. Pooh loved to play in the forest with friends. He said, “I think we dream so we donʼt have to be apart so long. If weʼre in each otherʼs dreams, we can be together all the time.” As children depart, invite them to take a momento of their day with them, offering a bowl with stones, pinecones, or other items. Note: In school, this activity can be used to transition students to story time or a trip to the library as well as to science relating to forest animals and habitats.