Flying Yogis
Yoga & Acrobatics for Kids
Week 2 OUTLINE
HERE IS A GUIDE ON HOW TO STRUCTURE YOUR YAMAS LESSON.
CLASS INTRO (15 MINS)
ACTIVITY 1: LINKED TO SOCIAL TOPIC (15 MINS)
ACTIVITY 2: LINKED TO PHYSICAL TOPIC (15 MINS)
CONCLUSION AND MEDITATION (10 MINS)
THIS WEEKS SOCIAL FOCUS IS : Self Awareness
THIS WEEKS PHYSICAL FOCUS IS : Coordination
1. CLASS INTRO - 15 MINS
A. WELCOME CLASS AND INTRO TO TOPIC- 5 mins
GET THE GROUP SEATED AND FOCUSED, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND SESSION RULES.
UNDERSTANDING SELF AWARENESS
When kids are self-aware, they understand that how they see themselves may be different from how others see them. Kids who are self-aware recognize their strengths and their challenges. Self-awareness makes it easier for kids to build self-esteem and speak up for what they need.
Questions to start discussions:
What is self-awareness? Why do I need self-awareness? Can you notice when others are being mindful or mindless? When am I at my best?
What kind of person do I want to be today?
UNDERSTANDING COORDINATION
Physical coordination is the smooth functioning of multiple body parts when executing a particular movement. For example, doing a jumping jack requires moving the arms and legs at the same time as one coordinated action
Questions to start discussions:
Why coordination important?
Good coordination can enhance your ability in sport. It can help prevent all kinds of injuries and help you stay more effective as you age. The more coordinated you are the more things you can juggle in life!
B. COMPLETE JOURNAL OR WORKSHEET- 5 mins
NO LONGER THAN 5 MINS
Stick in and complete necessary worksheet, write thoughts and topic definition (worksheet will say the weeks social skill and the weeks physical skill)
C. Quick 5 pose stretch/warm up:- 5 mins
NO LONGER THAN 5 MINS
(5 new poses or stretches each week) Salutes if desired
Quick Coordination challenge included for this week.
Move-in a square- Combines bear crawl and crab crawl. Coordination challenge
2. SOCIAL TOPIC GAME/ ACTIVITY (15 min)
Topic- Self Awareness
There are 3 activity options below, select the one best suited to your age group. If you have spare time feel free to complete 2+ activities with your group.
A. Game #1 Self Awareness questions with a Partner
Description: Get the children in pairs, ask a question and get the children to share their answer with their partner:
Questions:
What am I best at?
What do I struggle with most?
My favourite thing about school is…
The most stressful part about my day is…
I’d like some help with…
I feel angry when…
I feel joyful when…
I feel unhappy when…
I feel hope when…
I wish I didn’t have to…
I enjoy…
I feel afraid when…
Give myself a compliment.
Lesson Learnt:
Students are given a few minutes to answer the following questions to help improve their self-awareness.
Self-reflection is one of the best ways to deepen your inner knowledge and discover how to do your best work. It can also improve your confidence. As with most good habits, self-reflection is most valuable when done consistently.
B. GAME #2 RECOGNISING AND VISUALISING
Description:
1. Begin by discussing how our feelings can be described or imagined as colours.
2. Tell the kids to close their eyes and imagine the colours they feel in respect to different aspects of life – School, Friends, Themself, Their favourite and least favourite things
3. BRING A large laminated colour wheel and show the kids how they can chart the colour/feeling they have towards each topic.
***Print out versions should be sent to the school for the kids to reuse each day and assess how their colours and feelings change and they can visualise areas of struggle or success etc.
C. GAME #3 TOSS THE BALL
Description:
Stand as a group in a circle (can make 2 balls for 2 smaller groups)
1. Take turns tossing the ball to one another.
2. The person who catches the ball looks to the question that their thumb lands on.
Then, he/she must respond to that question.
3. Even if another child gets a repeat question, they’ll still be able to answer it in their own unique way
NOTES:
This game is great as you can play it with larger groups endlessly.
Game adaption ***Different scenarios can be written on each side of the ball, the child must answer what emotion the character may be feeling, and how they might deal with that situation***
Video guides below if available
3. PHYSICAL SKILL- GAME/ ACTIVITY (15 min)
Topic- Coordination
There are 3 activity options below, select the one best suited to your age group. If you have spare time feel free to complete 2+ activities with your group.
A. GAME #1 Balloon Limbs
Items Needed:
Packet of balloons
Playlist on phone
speaker
Description:
1.Ideally use same balloons all day. kids hit the balloon up in the air with:
Right hand ; then Left hand; right then left foot; then knees; elbows; shoulders etc; head.
With kids 7yrs upwards- have 1 balloon for every 4 student- they hit to each other. (Balloon can never hit the floor!)
Lesson Learnt:
Basics of coordination:
(1) knowing right and left.
(2) knowing and connecting and using each body part
B. GAME #2 basic coordination game
Description:
Kids ideally do this with eyes closed so they don’t see other students and copy.
1. Tell the kids you will give them physical instruction. They need to listen to the instruction- think about what they are moving.. Then do the movement.
2. Give a simple instruction- e.g. lift left arm up; or lift right leg .
3. As the kids start to listen to instruction and perform the movement- make instructions more complex: (pull left ear with right hand and take two steps forward)
4. Add a third level of detail if the class is finding the activity easy- or for older groups
Lesson Learnt:
Basics of coordination:
(1) knowing right and left.
(2) knowing and connecting and using each body part
(3) how to listen to instruction; think about instruction- perform it correctly with the body
C. GAME #3 Musical body part.
Description:
**Music and Speaker needed*
A type of musical statues. Kids can do all sorts of bear crawls; hops; jumps; etc while the music is on- but when the music stops- you mention 2 or 3 body parts that need to be : on the floor; touching a wall; touching another person; be as creative as you like.
children who makes the funniest or most original point wins the round
Lesson Learnt:
Basics of coordination:
(1) knowing right and left.
(2) knowing and connecting and using each body part
(3) how to listen to instruction; think about instruction- perform it correctly with the body
Video guides below if available
4. ENDING DISCUSSION & MEDITATION (10 min)
BRING THE GROUP BACK INTO A CENTRAL CIRCLE, DISCUSS ANY LAST IDEAS OR LEARNINGS FROM THE GAMES AND ANSWER ANY LAST QUESTIONS
Ask the kids what they have learnt and how they will carry these skills into the rest of their week
FINISH WITH A NEW MEDITATION EACH WEEK
BREATHING IN A SQUARE- READ SCRIPT AS CHILDREN LAY STILL AND CALM
Namaste everyone. My name is __teachers name__….. I often experience anxiety and I have found this very simple breathing technique works….
It’s called breathing in a square. ……
Sit down or lie in a comfortable position. Close your eyes… then relax your breath. Gently breathe in… … gently breathe out. …….
We have four parts to our breath…. The inhale – where we breathe in…. Holding our breath on the inhale…. The exhale (breathing out)… then holding the breath on the exhale. ……………………
Now imagine you are doing the 4 parts of the breath along a square. When you inhale- you will imagine drawing the line up… as you hold the breath you will imagine drawing the top line of the square……as you exhale, imagine drawing the line down… and as you hold the breath on the exhale.. Imagine you are completing the box. ………
Take one last gentle breath in and out……… And we will start by breathing to four counts. You can use your finger if you like to help draw the box…….
Inhale- …..1……….2………3……….4
Hold the breath 1……….2…….3………4…………
Exhale 1………2……….3………..4………….
Hold the breath 1………2………..3………….4………….
Continue for a short while. If you start to think of other things… think about drawing your square again.
Break …
………. Now increase to 6 counts.
Inhale- …..1……….2………3……….4…………5………….6
Hold the breath 1……….2…….3………4…………5………….6
Exhale 1………2……….3………..4…………5………….6
Hold the breath 1………2………..3………….4…………5………….6
…..pause…
You can keep increasing gradually … dont force……. this breathing exercise is for relaxing.
May all beings be happy and free…….
Namaste Yogis