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15 Feb

Review & Giveaway: Musical Yoga Adventures – World Journey CD

Posted by OMazing Kids Yoga in CD, Contest, Giveaway, music, product review, products. 6 Comments

Are you ready to go on another musical yoga adventure to stretch your body, tune your mind, and lift your spirit?

Linda Lara, composer, musician, certified yoga teacher & special education music teacher, has come out with her much anticipated 2^nd CD “Musical Yoga Adventures: World Journey”. It is designed for kids & teens ages 7 to 14.

Musical Yoga Adventures: World Journey combines the abundant benefits of music and yoga. The words and rhythms are specifically designed to enhance your ability to learn and remember the yoga poses and sequences.

The CD has music influenced by Africa, China, Egypt, Japan, Latin America & Native America and is divided into vocal and instrumental sections. Each song creates the ambience of that special & unique place in our world with instruments and nature/animal sounds from that location. It also includes a song “Lean on Me” for Partner Poses & a relaxation track “Sa Ta Na Ma” which includes a beautiful blessing from Shakta Khalsa of Radiant Child Yoga to all children.

What I LOVE about this CD:

The music will appeal to a wide age range of kids & teens (and even those of us who are adults but “kids at heart”!).
Great mix of energizing & calming rhythms.
The vocal tracks are slow enough to actually be able to do yoga along with them.
Each song truly gives you the feeling of being in that location…. The background nature/animal sounds are fabulous!
All the songs are so great & unique in their own way that I can’t pick a “fave”…. Love them all!
Love the inclusion of the partner poses song & the Sa Ta Na Ma blessing

Song Previews:

http://musicalyogaadventures.com/?page_id=431 or go to the links for Amazon, iTunes or CD Baby listed below (those sites include previews of the vocal & instrumental tracks).

Linda is in the process of developing yoga routines for this new CD (like they had for the 1^st CD)

Free Musical Yoga Adventures Coloring Pages: (click on each pic to go to open the PDF)

CD Price at the time of this post: $15.00

Available for purchase on her website using PayPal: http://musicalyogaadventures.com/?page_id=13.

The CD & mp3 downloads (album & individual song track) are also available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Musical-Yoga-Adventures-World-Journey/dp/B006H6NT18, iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/musical-yoga-adventures-world/id501362373 and CD Baby: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lindalara10.

Be sure to “like” Musical Yoga Adventures” on Facebook for all the latest info & updates: www.facebook.com/pages/Musical-Yoga-Adventures/196620200370052

More Info About Linda: http://musicalyogaadventures.com/?page_id=17

She also has a “MUSICAL YOGA ADVENTURES: Helping All Children Learn through Sequence, Song and Creativity” training coming up on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at ChildLight Yoga. Go to http://www.childlightyoga.com/Music_and_Movement_Kids_Yoga_Routines_p/training_musicmovement01.htm for more information.

Disclaimer: I received a free sample of this product to facilitate my review. Opinions expressed are my own.

How to enter the giveaway:

Enter via the “Giveaways” tab on the OMazing Kids Yoga FB page (http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga?v=app_197602066931325) & how you would be using this CD with your child or the children you work with. (comments must be in English; must include full first & last name; 1 entry per Facebook account).
For one additional entry, leave a comment on this blog post. Must mention how you would be using this CD with your child or the children you work with. (comments must be in English; 1 entry per person; must have a valid e-mail address)
Tips: Entering via the “Giveaways” tab will save me the step of having to obtain your mailing address – the info you complete on the tab comes directly to me via an e-mail. You increase your odds of winning by entering via both methods.

Entry Deadline: Enter by any of the methods listed above by 11:59pm CST on February 17, 2012.

Rules of Participation:

Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address.
International entries are being allowed for this particular giveaway.
Employees or family members of OMazing Kids Yoga, LLC or the product’s company are not eligible.
No purchase required.
Comments submitted via the Enter Giveaways Here…. tab on Facebook may be copied & pasted into the blog post.
Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
Three (3) winners will be chosen via a random drawing of valid entries on February 18, 2012.
The winners will each get one (1) copy of the “Musical Yoga Adventures: World Journey” CD.
The winners will be notified via e-mail and will be posted on the blog post.
If a winner only entered via blog post, their mailing address will be obtained via e-mail.
In the event that a winner does not respond within 24 hours, a new winner will be selected via a random drawing.
The winner’s address will be forwarded to the company and they will be mailing the product directly to the winner.
Prize Value: retail price $15.00

Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just a kids CD but just to be safe here is all the legal stuff…

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids Yoga, LLC – inclusive yoga for kids & teens of all abilities in Norman, Oklahoma

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the wavy divider bar. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here.

13 Feb

Review & Giveaway: Love is the Color of a Rainbow…. plus some “rainbow” yoga ideas

Posted by OMazing Kids Yoga in books, Contest, eco-friendly, Giveaway, printables, product review, products, Relaxation, yoga group themes. Tagged: children yoga, Giveaway, Kathy Parra, kids yoga, Love is the Color of a Rainbow, OMazing Kids Yoga, product review. 7 Comments

Love is the Color of a Rainbow – a wonderful heartfelt story!

Product description: This softcover book is a heartfelt story about Willow, a little girl who has been blind since birth, who hears pit-pats of the first summer rain and quickly encourages her Mama to go outside. Mama shares all the colors of a rainbow with Willow through nature and Willow experiences that “Love is the Color of a Rainbow”. The gentle pastel chalk illustrations invite kids to experience nature through their senses to discover the colors of the rainbow.

Here’s what I LOVE about this book:

positive portrayal of a child with special needs
beautiful illustrations
the nurturing relationship portrayed between the mother & daughter in the story
the book has several opportunities to incorporate yoga poses (raindrop tapping – either individually on own chest or as partner pose on each others backs – note: great opportunity for kids to work on social skills to ask each other to be partners, ask permission before touching, ask their partner if they want “rain” pats (more of a slow deep pressure) or light “tickle taps” on their back – be mindful of kids individual sensory needs, frog, snail – child’s pose, tree, bird, tomatoes – stretch & reach overhead to “pick”, flower, butterfly, sun – sun stretch & breath – for details & a sun printable see my previous post at: http://wp.me/p1t7TU-1T, blue sky – lay in star pose, hug – hug knees into chest)
the book is printed on eco-friendly 100% Post Consumer recycled paper
the author donates a portion of the sales to support nature & environmental organizations

The only improvement I would suggest for the book would for the text to be in a larger font to make it easier to read.

A sneek peek at a few pages inside the book:

Price at the time of this post: $12.00 – available for purchase on the author’s website: http://www.kathyparra.com/

Author’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ByKathyParra

Disclaimer: I received a free sample of this product to facilitate my review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Other things to go with a Rainbow theme:

Relaxing Rainbow – guided relaxation script card - (inspired by a post on www.childmeditations.com)

Click on picture above to open the PDF, print, cut out, fold in half & laminate. Show picture side to the kids so they can get an image in their mind of what a rainbow looks like before laying down. The adult then reads the relaxation script in a slow calming manner with frequent pauses.

Craft – Make a Rainbow Shaker (from Making Learning Fun) – click on the picture to go to their website

Rainbow Coloring Pages (4 page PDF) – click on picture to open

Encourage healthy habits by “eating the colors of the rainbow”: http://www.celebratehealthyeating.org/pdf/spr/dan_eatrainbow.pdf

My Favorite Color Guided Relaxation from Yoga in My School: http://yogainmyschool.com/2010/06/15/my-favourite-colour-a-guided-visualization-for-relaxation/

Rainbow Guided relaxations for kids mp3′s: http://www.amazon.com/Rainbow-Friend-Meditation/dp/B003MRGGT2, http://www.amazon.com/Rainbow-Blanket/dp/B001NW77UU/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1329153092&sr=1-9

R. Carlos Nakai – World Of Rainbows (Canyon Trilogy Track 11) -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaM__sGVJuY, on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QMW4RY/ref=dm_dp_trk11?ie=UTF8&qid=1329153030&sr=1-25

Piano instrumental version of Over the Rainbow: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012JT3DS/ref=dm_dp_trk7?ie=UTF8&qid=1329153092&sr=1-11

How to enter the giveaway:

Enter via the “Giveaways” tab on the OMazing Kids Yoga FB page (http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga?v=app_197602066931325) & mention your favorite color & how you would be using this book with your child or the children you work with. (comments must be in English; must include full first & last name; 1 entry per Facebook account).
For one additional entry, leave a comment on this blog post. Must mention your favorite color & how you would be using this book with your child or the children you work with. (comments must be in English; 1 entry per person; must have a valid e-mail address)
Tips: You increase your odds of winning by entering via both methods. Entering via the “Giveaways” tab will save me the step of having to obtain your mailing address – the info you complete on the tab comes directly to me via an e-mail.

Entry Deadline: Enter by any of the methods listed above by 11:59pm CST on February 14, 2012.

Rules of Participation:

Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address.
International entries are being allowed for this particular giveaway.
Employees or family members of OMazing Kids Yoga, LLC or the product’s company are not eligible.
No purchase required.
Comments submitted via the Enter Giveaways Here…. tab on Facebook may be copied & pasted into the blog post.
Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
Two (2) winners will be chosen via a random drawing of valid entries on February 15, 2012.
The winners will each get one (1) copy of the “Love is the Color of a Rainbow” book.
The winners will be notified via e-mail and will be posted on the blog post.
If a winner only entered via blog post, their mailing address will be obtained via e-mail.
In the event that a winner does not respond within 24 hours, a new winner will be selected via a random drawing.
The winner’s address will be forwarded to the company and they will be mailing the product directly to the winner.
Prize Value: retail price $12.00

Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just a kids book but just to be safe here is all the legal stuff…

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids Yoga, LLC – inclusive yoga for kids & teens of all abilities in Norman, Oklahoma

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

Happy Valentine’s Day Mouse – symbols (1 page PDF)

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the wavy divider bar. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here.

8 Feb

Give Love: A Valentine’s Day Lesson Plan from OMazing Kids Yoga

Posted by OMazing Kids Yoga in books, lesson plan, OMazing Kids Yoga, printables, yoga group themes. Tagged: Happy Valentine's Day Mouse, kids yoga lesson plan, mandalas, OMazing Kids Yoga, Valentine's Day. 11 Comments

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Mouse!” by Laura Numeroff is one of my favorite Valentine’s Day books. There are several animals (mouse, dog, cat, bunny, moose, fox, pig) so it is great for a kids yoga class. Each animal in the story has a unique strength & I love how Mouse takes the time to make a special card for each of his friends…. and the friends have a special surprise for Mouse :)

How we did the poses for this book: mouse – child’s pose, upward facing dog, cat, bunny breaths (3 quick sniffs in), moose -a variation on “deer” pose from Yoga In My School (http://yogainmyschool.com/2010/07/19/kids-yoga-poses-deer-pose-marichiyasana-ii/) - we added holding our hands up on our heads as antlers, fox – the sign for “fox” http://www.babysignlanguagedictionary-mysmarthands.com/fox_-_ASL_sign_for_fox.html - looks like the Gyan mudra around the nose, & pig - the yoga freeze dance since pig & mouse are dancing on that page in the book

Here are symbols I made to use with the book:

I think Pig & Mouse are dancing to the MC Yogi song “Give Love”… so we did Yoga Freeze Dance to this song. When the music stops you freeze in your favorite yoga pose.

(http://www.yogafriends.com/mc_yogi_give_love.mp3 - “right click” on this link & “save target as” to save the mp3)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpVUih5nY9g

The Valentine’s Day playlist on my Soundcloud:

http://soundcloud.com/omazing-kids-yoga/sets/valentines-day-playlist/

Hugs & Kisses Pose from Yoga Rocks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvLeXxbA2Wc

This is a great feel good pose, hugging yourself and throwing kisses out to the world. This pose helps kids to feel love and give love.

Sitting tall on your yoga mat, bend your legs so your knees are up and your feet are close to you. Wrap your arms around your legs and give yourself a big squeeze for “Hug”. Then open your arms and legs up and out into a big “X” for “Kiss” making a kiss sound.

Heart Pose from Sprout

Mini video on Sprout website: http://50.57.13.175/sprout/Activities/detail.aspx?id=5a853f61-20b4-4f4c-ae7a-997a0181a942

Partner Heart Pose from Yoga in Mar Vista

click on the photo to go to their Facebook page

Strike a Valentine’s Day Yoga Pose! 5 Festive Stretches For Kids

Heart Mudra - Sit with your legs crossed. Then hide your arms behind your back before you show your valentine the heart you made for them with your hands.

See all 5 poses from Lara Benusis, the youth program director at Pure Yoga at: http://www.lilsugar.com/Valentines-Day-Yoga-Poses-Kids-13881568

We worked on friendship social skills during our Valentine’s Day yoga class by asking each other about our two favorite colors & two favorite animal valentines. Then we colored two animal valentines to give to each of our friends in the class.

animal valentines to color

Depending on how much time you have, you could also do yoga poses for the animals on the valentines.

We made this super easy heart-shaped valentine holder from Making Learning Fun: http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/ValentineHeartHolder.htm

I saved it as a PDF to make it easier to print: heart valentine holder printable

Heart Mandalas: I saved 24 heart mandalas in a PDF document to make it easier to print them – heart mandalas. A valentine’s gift of 2 dozen mandalas :) Coloring mandalas is a calming activity for most kids. Some of these mandalas are simple & some are more complex so please keep each child’s level of fine motor skills & ability to handle detail in mind when picking ones for them to color.

Links to the source for each mandala can be found on each picture in the album on my OMazing Kids Yoga Facebook page: www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.317072695010409.90378.174264525957894&type=3

Note: These mandalas are for non-commercial use only.

Look at the cool handout that Laura Fuller from Yoga in Mar Vista made with one of the Heart Mandalas! Click on each pic to open up that PDF (2 separate 1-page PDF’s):

Link to the HeartMath website (mentioned on page 2 of the mandala handout): www.heartmath.org,

Shift and Shine Technique^® for Ages 3-6: http://www.heartmath.org/free-services/tools-for-well-being/shift-and-shine-age-3-to-6.html?submenuheader=2,

HeartShift™ Tool for Ages 7 – 11: http://www.heartmath.org/free-services/tools-for-well-being/heartshift-age-7-to-11.html?submenuheader=2

The Quick Coherence Technique® for Ages 12-18: http://www.heartmath.org/free-services/tools-for-well-being/quick-coherence-age-12-to-18.html?submenuheader=2

Loving Kindness Meditation - click pic to open PDF (Source: SoulShine Life – Yoga for Kids and Families – Facebook post)

Valentine’s Day Finger Puppets:

Valentine finger puppets (color version)

& Valentine finger puppets (black & white version – for kids to color)

A fun idea for Valentine’s Day Affirmations from Stress Free Kids:

More Valentine’s Day coloring pages: http://twistynoodle.com/coloring-pages/holiday/valentines-day/

Lots of great free Valentine’s Day stuff on the Super Simple Songs website: http://www.supersimplesongs.com/valentines/

A craft for later: These would take more time than we would have in a kids yoga class but would be fun to make at home and a great way to reuse broken crayons: http://thelongthread.com/?p=5646 & more tips: http://www.makeandtakes.com/recycled-chunky-crayons

Want even more ideas for Valentine’s Day themed yoga? Check out these posts: http://yogainmyschool.com/2010/02/11/kids-valentines-day-yoga-class/, http://yogainmyschool.com/2012/02/13/valentines-week-tlc-challenge/ & http://www.lilsugar.com/Valentines-Day-Yoga-Poses-Kids-13881568.

Looking for even more great books?

Love and Kisses by Sarah Wilson

Here are the symbols I made to go with it. I put a small piece of velcro on the back of each heart & on the front of each character so kids can add a “kiss” to each one as we read the book…. great for working on vocabulary, following directions, great book for kids yoga with the added message of the love you give coming back to you…. http://omazingkidsyoga.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/love-kisses.pdf

All Kinds of Kisses by Nancy Trafuri

Totally LOVING the new book “All Kinds of Kisses” by Nancy Tafuri! Each spread has an animal and how they kiss their little ones (ex: “Little Piglet loves Oink kisses.”). Again lots of animals so it would be great for kids yoga, great for teaching vocabulary (including names for the babies of each animal), teaching animal sounds, great repeated line (good for emergent literacy, use of a BigMack voice output communication aide, intraverbal fill-ins in an ABA Verbal Behavior program, etc…) and the bluebird is included somewhere on each page so it encourages looking for that detail. I made symbols for this book too: http://omazingkidsyoga.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/all-kinds-of-kisses.pdf

Big Hugs, Little Hugs by Felicia Bond

I love this new book by Felicia Bond too! Although it would fit with a Valentine’s Day theme, it could be used anytime of the year & has tons of opportunities for kids yoga poses/activities. And for SLP’s out there, lots of great vocabulary & opposites word pairs. I got a great deal on this book at Sam’s Club Here are the symbols I made to go with the book: http://omazingkidsyoga.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/big-hugs-little-hugs.pdf

How Do I Love You? by Marion Dane Bauer

The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond

Never Too Little to Love by Jeanne Willis

My Heart is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall (see ideas on the Storyoga Facebook post: http://tinyurl.com/7p3p6xq; a printable resource guide from the publisher: http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/harperchildrensImages/Printable/my%20heart%20is%20like%20a%20zoo%20activities.pdf )

Cute Carson Dellosa heart crafts to go with this book – click pic to open PDF:

Love is the Color of a Rainbow by Kathy Parra (see my blog post for a review & giveaway: http://omazingkidsyoga.com/2012/02/13/review-giveaway-love-is-the-color-of-a-rainbow-plus-some-rainbow-yoga-ideas/)

Can you tell that I love Valentine’s Day?

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids Yoga, LLC – inclusive yoga for kids & teens of all abilities in Norman, Oklahoma

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the wavy divider bar. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here.

28 Jan

Review: Wise Heart Books – Smart Value Series

Posted by OMazing Kids Yoga in books, character building, product review. Tagged: character education, children yoga, kids yoga, Wise Heart Books, yamas & niyamas. 3 Comments

Looking for a fun way to teach kids positive values?

Then check out the Smart Values Series from Wise Heart Books! The Smart Values Series is a collection of five stories that help children understand the positive and transformative nature of good values. Each story describes how certain values – such as generosity, cleanliness, and honesty – can change us for the better.

Books with clear consequences and a moral to the story are a good way to teach values, character education and to use a yoga term: Yamas & Niyamas. Yamas are social disciplines – how we behave toward others & Niyamas are personal disciplines – how we care for ourselves.

My two favorites in the Smart Values Series are “Manny the Mouse” & “Captain Grimy”. Here are a few details about them:

Captain Grimy – Losing his leg to some greedy pirates turned Captain Grimy into a dirty, mean sea captain. But when a smart dolphin decides to show him respect and love, Captain Grimy cleans himself up and changes his ways. A beautiful story of how we can help change others by seeing the goodness deep inside.

I love how this story shows the power of kind words

Manny the Mouse – After losing his tail to the baker’s cat, Manny the mouse quickly learns the consequences of stealing flour from the bakery. In this delightful and twisted tale of a tail, the mouse learns the importance of respecting what belongs to others.

I love how this story shows a clear consequence for actions & how the mouse learns to make better choices

I love that Wise Heart Books uses a portion of the sales of the books to support educational programs for disadvantaged children around the world & that they have free coloring sheets & discussion questions for each book on their website: http://www.wiseheartbooks.com/educational.html. (PDF of my two faves: Manny the Mouse & Captain Grimy Coloring Sheets)

Thoughts of the other three books in the series: The story line in “Annie the Ant” was a little more difficult to follow. Due to the settings I work in, two of the books in the series will not be as helpful due to the religious tone of “The Wise Woman of the Mountain” & the use of magic in “The Magic Bucket”.

Wise Heart Books

Website: http://www.wiseheartbooks.com/ - order books on their website. Books are available in a set or individually.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wiseheartbooks

Blog: http://readingandgiving.blogspot.com/

They are in the process of developing a 2nd book series so be sure to “like” their Facebook page to get updates!

Disclaimer: I received a free sample of this product to facilitate my review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids Yoga, LLC – inclusive yoga for kids & teens of all abilities in Norman, Oklahoma

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the wavy divider bar. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here.

21 Jan

Not A Box: An OMazing Kids Yoga Lesson Plan & Book Review

Posted by OMazing Kids Yoga in adapted yoga, autism, books, JD McCarty Center, lesson plan, OMazing Kids Yoga, printables, yoga group themes, yoga groups. Tagged: book review, kids yoga, kids yoga lesson plan, Not A Box by Antoinette Portis, OMazing Kids Yoga. 5 Comments

Not A Box: An OMazing Kids Yoga Lesson Plan & Book Review

We had SO much fun in OMazing Kids Yoga this week doing yoga to the story “Not a Box” by Antoinette Portis!

I brought a medium sized cardboard box for each child since we had a small group of 5 kids & I wanted them to be able to experience being “in” and “out” of the box. I also selected this size of boxes since I wanted large surfaces for them to be able to put pictures on since the kids I see in that group have difficulty with fine motor control. The paper template in the Not A Box Activity Guide listed below would be great if you had a very large group and the kids had the ability to handle that level of fine motor task. Or you could also have each child bring their own box to the group (of course have a few extra boxes on hand in case someone forgets to bring one).

As a motivator/reinforcer for the kids to participate, they earned a coloring sheet for each pose they participated in and then got to glue it on their own box. To keep the flow of the group going, we saved the coloring of the pictures for the end. Worked like a charm…. the child who had so much difficulty staying engaged last week was a great yogi this week and was SO proud of his “not a box” creation. Wish I could have taken pictures to share but that’s not possible in the hospital setting due to HIPAA rules.

Opportunities for yoga poses/activities in this book:

bunny breath
racecar (Could do as group pose or individually sitting in your box or on the yoga mat. Sit with legs & arms straight out. Point/flex feet to hit the gas pedal or brakes. “Steer” your car with arm motions or could also add a hula hoop to be the steering wheel.)
mountain (We stood in the box to do mountain pose. It was a great opportunity for the kids to use motor planning skills to figure out how to get in/out of the box and to practice asking for help when they needed it.)
firefighter (a variation on elephant pose & crescent moon pose – hold hand together at midline to be the firefighter’s hose and then bend in different directions as you squirt water on the burning building)
robot (move & freeze like robots. Could also incorporate mindfulness to see how closely the kids can imitate specific robot movements)
pirate
balloon breathing
elephant
boat
humming breath (as we are thinking “Hmm”)
rocket (variation of volcano pose – squat down with hands together at heart, countdown (we did 3, 2, 1 given our kids short attention spans), then “blast off” as you jump up, lift your arms and exhale loudly)
star
planets (group activity – one child in the middle as the “sun” and the rest of the group move in a circle “orbiting” around the sun)
Affirmation: I am creative – I use my imagination!
Relaxation: Listening to relaxing music as we colored all the pictures we had glued on the “not a box” creations. Each child was given only 2 crayons so they would have the opportunity to practice social skills in asking to trade colors with the other kids.
Each child took their “not a box” creation with them to play with later

This book will also be great to use in my work as a Speech-Language Pathologist. So here are several other reasons I LOVE this book:

Simple text.
Clear illustrations (combination of black, white, red & yellow) are great for young kids and will especially be helpful for kids who may have difficulty attending to pictures in other books due to visual impairments or conditions like ADD/ADHD or Autism. Many kids with cortical visual impairments tend to respond well to these specific colors so I can’t wait to try this book out the next time I have a patient with CVI. (Here’s a great CVI tip sheet: http://www.unr.edu/educ/ndsip/tipsheets/cvi.pdf)
Great repeated line “It’s NOT a box”. Repeated lines provide great predictability for emergent readers, are great for intraverbal fill-ins in a ABA Verbal Behavior program and are great opportunities for kids to participate in reading the story either verbally or through the use of a single message voice output communication aide (ex: BigMACK).
Opportunities for practicing inferencing & predicting skills (looking at the details in a picture for “clues”).
Lots of practice of “positional” words (in, on top, beside, behind, etc…)
Great use of two “Wh” questions (why, what)
Great way to teach “negation” (the concept of “not”)
Encourages “flexibile” thinking & creativity (often very difficult for many kids with special needs…. Especially those with an Autism Spectrum Disorder).

I purchased my copy of the book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Not-Box-Antoinette-Portis/dp/0061123226

Free Activity Guide (9 page PDF): http://files.harpercollins.com/PDF/ActivitiesGuides/0061123226.pdf (also saved on my blog at: Not A Box Activity Guide)

See the entire book in this cute YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KXuBcdmktY

Great review & ideas from Picture Books & Pirouettes http://kerryaradhya.blogspot.com/2011/04/its-not-box-so-what-could-it-be.html & Maria’s Movers http://mariasmovers.com/2011/04/26/its-a-box-not/

Great blog post from another SLP with more ideas for this book: http://all4mychild.com/not-a-box/

Here’s a great “think outside the box” mini poster from FableVision Learning to go with this theme: http://fablevisionlearning.com/blog/2011/06/think-outside-the-box/

(1 page PDF – http://www.fablevisionlearning.com/posters/fablevision_thinker.pdf / also saved on my blog at: Think Outside The Box mini poster)

Feel free to comment & share your “not a box” ideas

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids Yoga, LLC – inclusive yoga for kids & teens of all abilities in Norman, Oklahoma

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

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21 Jan

Asana Alphabet Workshops coming to Oklahoma – February & March 2012

Posted by OMazing Kids Yoga in adapted yoga, kids yoga in Oklahoma, kids yoga teacher training, workshop. Tagged: 3rd Street Yoga Studio, Asana Alphabet, kids yoga teacher training, kids yoga workshops, OMazing Kids Yoga, teen yoga teacher training. Leave a Comment

Asana Alphabet has several workshops planned in Edmond, Oklahoma in February & March 2012! Here’s the scoop:

Teaching Teen and Preteen Yoga

February 10 – 12, 2012

Friday: 7pm-9pm

Saturday: 11am-5pm

Sunday: 11am-4pm

This workshop is for teachers, yoga teachers, family members and others who want to pass the gift of yoga on to today’s teenagers. Asana Alphabet’s teaching preteen and teen intensive gives informed guidance in how to modify techniques and reach regular tweens/teens and at-risk populations (addressing stress, learning disabilities, depression, anxiety and other issues this age group faces). Pulling from Kundalini Yoga and Hatha yoga forms, the course includes demo and lecture from Ann Robideaux, along with ready-to-go lesson plans for easy implementation. Yoga poses, community building, yamas/niyamas integration, breathwork and deep relaxation/meditation covered. Take as a stand alone or in conjunction with our certification program. Includes our teen teaching guide. Letter of completion with number of credit hours given at course end (can be used towards Yoga Alliance hours).

Pricing: $225 if registered by February 3, 2012; $275 after February 3

Friday/Saturday Only (Partial Workshop): $175

Decompress: Yoga Class for Teens (as part of the teacher training that Sunday)

Sunday, February 12, 2012

11am-12pm

Students in middle school and high school are invited to this hour-long yoga class on Sunday. Sun salutations, Kundalini fun, Partner Yoga and Deep Relaxation all included. Bring your friends!!

Suggested Donation: $5

Asana Alphabet’s Teaching Yoga to Babies and Families

Saturday, March 10, 2012

11am-4pm

This intensive workshop will give yoga practitioners, caretakers, and teachers essential know-how to create amazing yoga classes for babies and families. Dozens of baby songs, baby massage, benefits, developmental stages, lesson plans and video samples all comprise this comprehensive training. Teaching guide and other yoga goodies included. Baby/family yoga is a great way to assist healthy physical, mental and social development in children.

Pricing: $108 if registered up by March 1, 2012; $125 after March 1

Teaching Yoga to Kids with Special Needs

Saturday, March 10, 2012

5pm-9pm

Case studies and discussion on symptoms and strategies for working with children with autism spectrum disorder, asperger’s, sensory issues, ADD, and ADHD. Registered yoga alliance teacher and Asana Alphabet™ founder Ann Robideaux guides participants in yoga know-how for reaching these populations. Can be taken as a stand alone or as part of advanced kids yoga certification with Asana Alphabet™.

I’m totally pumped that Ann has invited me to be a guest teacher to help at this workshop!

Pricing: $108 if registered by March 1, 2012; $125 after March 1

ABCs of Yoga: PreK-First Grade

Sunday, March 11, 2012

11am-4pm

A is for Archer, B is for Bow….this workshop gives you 26 lesson plans following the letters of the alphabet primarily for students in PreK-First Grade (though certainly other ages love it too). Integrating children’s books and stories into fun yoga classes also included. Lesson plans and “Yogi and Yogette’s” kids book included. This is a must for anyone interested in working with young kids! Can be taken as a stand alone or as part of advanced kids yoga certification with Asana Alphabet™.

Pricing: $115 if registered by March 1, 2012; $135 after March 1

Kundalini Yoga: Strengthen your Glandular System

Sunday, March 11, 2012

5-7pm

Your glands are the guardians of your health. Tonight we’ll take Kundalini yoga kriyas and a breath meditation to help keep your glandular system in tip top shape. Ann Robideaux, native Oklahoman and long-time Kundalini teacher, visits from NYC!

Price: $12 pre-registered: $15 day of workshop

For all workshops:

Please email AsanaAlphabet@gmail.com for more information.

Printable PDF flier with workshop info: Asana Alphabet workshop flier – Oklahoma – Feb-March 2012

Asana Alphabet

E-mail: AsanaAlphabet@gmail.com

Website: www.asanaalphabet.com

Blog: http://asanaalphabetblog.wordpress.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Asana-Alphabet/177726452014

YouTube: www.youtube.com/AsanaAlphabet

3^rd Street Yoga Studio

106 W. 3rd Street

Edmond, OK 73003

(405) 330-2211

E-mail: info@3rdstreetyogastudio.com

Website: www.3rdstreetyogastudio.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/3rd-Street-Yoga-Studio/143215447588

We need your help…… As is the case with any workshop or training they will have to have a certain number of folks register for it to be offered. So please help spread the word by sharing this info with as many folks as you can. This is a rare opportunity for affordable kids/youth yoga teacher training here in central Oklahoma.

Thanks!

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids Yoga, LLC – inclusive yoga for kids & teens of all abilities in Norman, Oklahoma

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

http://www.inclusionproject.org/

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the wavy divider bar. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here.

16 Jan

Universal Design for Inclusive Kids Yoga: Inclusion is Belonging

Posted by OMazing Kids Yoga in Inclusion, Universal design. Tagged: childrens yoga, inclusion, inclusive, inclusive yoga, kids yoga, OMazing Kids Yoga, special needs, universal design. 3 Comments

I have had this on my heart to share for a while and decided that today would be a good day as we celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Inclusion & Universal Design

Inclusive programs create accepting environments and send a powerful message that all children are welcomed and valued.

When inclusive practices are fully embraced, we provide all children with an authentic sense of belonging.

Materials and programs that are developed with “universal design” concepts are designed from the beginning to be flexible enough to accommodate the unique needs of a wide range of individuals, including those with and without disabilities.

The intent of “universal design” is to simplify life for everyone by making products and programs usable by as many people as possible at little or no extra cost. Universal design benefits people of all ages and abilities. Have you ever used automatic doors or “curb cut” ramps? Then you have benefitted from universal design.

Inclusion is Belonging – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9-XX9227ek

Here’s my dream: Let’s use the concept of “universal design” as we develop and implement yoga programs and materials for kids and youth. What simple modifications can we make to be inclusive and supportive of kids and youth of all abilities and needs in our classes? Can we add visual supports? Simplify instructions? Modify poses for specific physical and/or sensory needs?

Before offering “separate” classes or creating “separate” materials for kids & youth with special needs, consider what could be done to support inclusion in what is already available.

Ok….. I’m not Pollyanna. I know that inclusion may take more thought and planning. Inclusion may be uncomfortable the first time you are faced with how to handle a challenging behavior. And there may some situations where it would not be safe for a particular child to be included at that point in time (ex: due to extremely aggressive behaviors). But based on my 21 years experience working with kids of all ages (0-21 years) & a wide variety of special needs, it is pretty rare to have a child with that extreme of a behavioral issue unless you are working in a program/setting specifically designed for those intense needs.

Who better to “be the change we want to see in the world” than those of us doing yoga with kids & youth?
Where better to truly teach the concept of inclusion than in yoga programs for kids & youth?

Need help knowing how to take steps towards inclusion? One great resource would be to collaborate with folks who are passionate about inclusion in your own community. Look for a teacher, a parent of a child with special needs, a speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, social worker, etc… who shares your passion for inclusion.

And I’m here to brainstorm ideas via my OMazing Kids Yoga Facebook page….. The reason I established it was as a means to promote inclusive yoga for kids & teens of all abilities…. So I’d love to help!

Here are some great online resources for inclusion:

http://www.includingsamuel.com/resources/inclusion.aspx

Supporting Inclusion for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Community Programs

http://www.kitonline.org/html/about/publications/Supporting-Children-with-Autism-Disabilities/eMagFiles/source/Binder1.pdf

Supporting Social Emotional Needs

http://www.kitonline.org/html/about/publications/KITSocial-Emo-Bookletindd/eMagFiles/source/KITSocial%20Emo%20Booklet.pdf

Supporting Children with Developmental Disabilities

http://www.kitonline.org/html/about/publications/Supporting-Children-with-Development/eMagFiles/source/Special%20Hope%20Resource%20Guide.pdf

Visual Support Video Series: How to Use Pictures to Enhance Activities

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=720vEFf40ls

Visual Support Video Series: How to Use Picture and Object Schedules

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpsJoZSn61c

Defining expectations: How to Teach Children What is Expected of Them

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZb_FqBAu7Q

Sensory support: How to Accommodate Children Who Are Over or Under-Sensitive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmsPYQd_Gmk

My goal in providing these thoughts & resources is to inspire and support inclusion. Namaste!

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids Yoga, LLC – inclusive yoga for kids & teens of all abilities in Norman, Oklahoma

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the wavy divider bar. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here.

14 Jan

Review & Giveaway: Chill Children Guided Relaxation with Global Family Yoga

Posted by OMazing Kids Yoga in CD, Giveaway, product review, products, Relaxation. Tagged: children yoga, Giveaway, Global Family Yoga, kids relaxation, kids yoga, kids yoga nidra, OMazing Kids Yoga, product review. 4 Comments

Looking for a way to help your kids relax? Want a guided relaxation CD that will appeal to a wide range of ages of kids? Then check out the “Chill Children Guided Relaxation with Global Family Yoga” CD!

Product Description: The “Chill Children Guided Relaxation with Global Family Yoga” CD includes seven guided relaxation visualizations spoken by Mira Binzen, founder of Global Family Yoga.

Welcome (1:52) – practice notes to help you get the most out of these guided journeys.
Dead Bug (0:49) – physically shake the limbs to release tension from the body.
Shining Star (6:27) – feel a point of light touch, warm and relax each part of your body.
A Visit With the Worry Witch (7:07) – leave all your worries and concerns with the Worry Witch who will stitch them into her beautiful quilt, leaving you free to explore a very special place.
Waterfall of White Light (2:24) – feel white energy pouring down into the top of your head and through your body, washing away any tension or bad feelings held in the body.
Magic Carpet Ride (12:17) – take an inspiring journey to a place where you feel peaceful, relaxed, safe and protected.
True Nature (5:39) – feel all the elements of nature around you and within you.
Good Night (5:23) – listen in bed to help your mind and body prepare for sleep and drift off into dreams.

What I liked about the CD:

Young kids will enjoy the short “Dead Bug” activity to release tension. Includes the sound of kids giggling and laughing at the end.
Love the chime that sounds as you move to each area of the body for relaxation in “Shining Star”.
Love the beautiful background music in “Magic Carpet Ride” & the nature sounds in “True Nature”…. Adds to the relaxation without being overpowering.
Love the analogy of thoughts being like fireflies in “Good Night”.
Love the inclusion of shorter tracks (for kids with shorter attention spans) and longer tracks (for older kids or for kids to work up to as they progress in their ability to relax).
Mira’s voice has a soothing & reassuring quality to it without sounding childish….. this will make the CD appealing to kids & youth of all ages. Even adults will enjoy many of the tracks on this CD!
While I love the concept of leaving worries behind, I do not like to use images of witches, wizards or anything of that sort due to my own personal religious beliefs. So I won’t be using “A Visit with the Worry Witch”. Instead I will use some of the concepts from that track and incorporate it into my own guided relaxations with the kids.

Price at the time of this post: CD $15.00 http://globalfamilyyoga.com/chill_children_cd/

Preview songs & purchase online at:

Amazon: Download mp3 Album – $7.92 or .99 per song – http://www.amazon.com/Chill-Children-Guided-Relaxation/dp/B006HTGAP2

CD Baby: Download mp3 Album – $9.99 – http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/globalfamilyyoga

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/GlobalFamilyYoga & website: http://globalfamilyyoga.com/

Other free resources for kids relaxation activities: http://kidsrelaxation.com/

Disclaimer: I received a free sample of this product to facilitate my review. Opinions expressed are my own.

How to enter the giveaway:

Enter via the “Giveaways” tab on the OMazing Kids Yoga FB page (http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga?v=app_197602066931325) & mention how you would be using this CD with your child or the children you work with. (comments must be in English; must include full first & last name; 1 entry per Facebook account).
For one additional entry, leave a comment on this blog post. Must mention how you would be using this CD with your child or the children you work with. (comments must be in English; 1 entry per person; must have a valid e-mail address)
Tips: You increase your odds of winning by entering via both methods. Entering via the “Giveaways” tab will save me the step of having to obtain your mailing address – the info you complete on the tab comes directly to me via an e-mail.

Entry Deadline: Enter by any of the methods listed above by 11:59pm CST on January 16, 2012.

Rules of Participation:

Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address.
International entries are being allowed for this particular giveaway.
Employees or family members of OMazing Kids Yoga, LLC or the product’s company are not eligible.
No purchase required.
Comments submitted via the Enter Giveaways Here…. tab on Facebook may be copied & pasted into the blog post.
Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
One (1) winner will be chosen via a random drawing of valid entries on January 17, 2012.
The winner will get one (1) copy of the Chill Children Guided Relaxation With Global Family Yoga CD
The winner will be notified via e-mail and will be posted on the blog post.
If the winner only entered via blog post, their mailing address will be obtained via e-mail.
In the event that the winner does not respond within 24 hours, a new winner will be selected via a random drawing.
The winner’s address will be forwarded to the company and they will be mailing the product directly to the winner.
Prize Value: retail price $15.00

Other Legal Stuff: I know it’s just a kids relaxation CD but just to be safe here is all the legal stuff…

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids Yoga, LLC – inclusive yoga for kids & teens of all abilities in Norman, Oklahoma

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com