Kids Yoga Activity: The Pose of Destiny

One of my go-to kids yoga activities is what I call "The pose of Destiny."

It is a simple, cost-free activity where all you will need are 3 slips of paper per student, pens and a container (hat, bowl, bag, basket, etc).

Pass out 3 small slips of paper to each student and instruct them to write down one pose on each slip:

1 pose they really like to do and feel they are good at 

1 pose they don’t like or find hard

1 pose they would like to work on and improve

Once students write their answers, they will place them into the container. Begin to pass the container around your circle. When a student draws a pose, ask the student to read it aloud and if they wish, have them teach the group how to get into the pose. If they are feeling shy and do not want to teach the group, step in and guide the students into the pose.  encourage them to ask questions, use props, and help from one another to find their best expression.  Make sure to encourage full deep breathing!  

I like to tell my students that like life, we are working with a mixed bag of ease and challenge. You never know what you will get or when you will get it. The practice is about accepting whatever you are dealt and using it as an opportunity to learn, challenge yourself and grow! 

5 minute Strong Standing Yoga Flow

Here's a quick and easy way to get some energy flowing!  It's amazing what 5 minutes can do.  This short vide can bring you energy and strength to your legs and core.  It is great if you are pressed for time and just need a small energetic shift to help you feel grounded, strong, open, and connected.



When stress hits, it sends chemical signals to the skeletal muscles.   The legs hold some of the largest skeletal muscles in the body. By strongly working the legs and core, you can help move stress hormones out of the body and feel more clear and grounded.

3 Ways to Improve your Chaturanga

Chaturanga Dandasana, or four-limbed staff pose (sometimes called low-plank pose) is a foundational pose for vinyasa flow yoga classes.  It is a pose that pose risk for injury when done with improper alignment.  This video is intended to give you a couple ways to practice the pose to fine tune your alignment and get in touch  with parts that should be engaging to keep your body safe and healthy.

Strategy number one is to really dial in youner alignment, finding the lines of the elbows facing forward, setting the elbows over the wrists and lowering the shoulders to elbow height.  This can be practiced with knees lowered to the ground or with consistant practice, knees lifted.
Strategy 2 is to strap around the elbows creating a hammock-like support for the torso.  With the weight of the body out of the equation it can be a great way for you to tap into the parts of the body that need to be working and tune into the more subtle energetics of the pose.
The third strategy is to use a set of blocks or a bolster under the ribcage.  This is another way to take the weight of the body out of the equation and fine-tune the alignment and structure of the pose so you use more awareness and less effort

LOVE: a poem

Take things slow and move with love.
When you slow down, you may realize how much space is available for love.
Love can dwell in every space around you.
Love is not something you have to look for, it is something you uncover because it is there in every moment. Love dwells underneath chaos, stress and fear.
Love is the deepest element inside.  
Love is an unbelievably powerful force. Love has no edges, no walls, and no limits.  Love can transcend your body.  
When you let love inspire your life, you will be lead in the right direction.  When challenges arise, turn to love to help you through.  Love will carry you farther than any train, bus, plane or car.
Love defeats fear.
When you act from out of fear, you will be limited in what you can accomplish, but when you act from love, the impossible becomes possible.
Love wins. Love breaks down barriers.
Begin your day with love, continue your day with love, end your day with love.  Embrace the power of love and let it heal you, nourish you and transform you.

-Chelsea Brady :) 

Kids Yoga Activity: Calm Pouches

This is a great activity to help students relax that can be made for little to no money. All you need is some fabric, some herbs, and string. I collect herbs from my yard and around my neighborhood, using whatever is in season.  I prefer to use fresh herbs, but you can use dried herbs as well.  

 supplies needed: 

-Fabric squares- cut a 5x5 or larger piece of fabric into a square (old t-shirts work well!) 

-Fresh or dried herbs 

-String or twine: (you can also use old t-shirts for this by cutting strips and stretching them out) 

Above: Herbs from left to right- Mint, Lemon verbeena, rosemary, lavender, sage 

Have students smell each herb and find the ones they think are calming or soothing. 

Tear off small pieces of herbs and place them in the center of the pouch.  

Use the string or twine to close up the pouches. 

While we make the pouches I like to engage students in conversations about things that make them feel calm.  Then use them for a relaxing savasana practice.

10 minute Morning Yoga Flow

Need a nice quick yoga routine to start your day?  Here's one I like to do that gets energy moving and gets your day off to a nice start! 

Challenge

Challenges happen in every aspect of life.  Challenge is what makes us grow and build strength in the body and mind.

What do you do when you find yourself in a challenging position?
Do you resist it? Give up? Do you try to get out of it?  or change it so it isn't so hard?

Yoga is a great way to practice facing challenges. When you practice challenging yourself physically, you exercise the mental muscle of enduring and moving through so when challenges happen in life you are better prepared to face them and move through with grace and ease.

What poses do you find challenging? Put yourself into those poses.  Get comfortable being there.  If you have a hard time finding ways to challenge yourself, find a teacher who can challenge you.
Notice at what point you want to give up and then hold it one or two breaths more.  Keep doing that every day.  What originally felt really challenging will eventually become less of a challenge.

Eventually when you are faced with challenge you will feel calm, in control and aware of your own energy.  When that happens, find another way to challenge yourself. Keep moving into the struggle and facing the challenges head on!