Dodgson the Dodo Kids Yoga Class Plan from Cosmic Kids Yoga by cosmickids1

Dodgson the Dodo Kids Yoga Class Plan This is a story all about ACCEPTANCE and CONFIDENCE. Dodgson is a dodo who wishes he could belong - so he goes on a mission to find others who are the same as him. However, he learns he is indeed one of a kind - and that being different, being himself is the best he can be. He learns to LOVE HIMSELF for who he is. We hope to inspire the kids to feel this confidence in themselves.

Set 500 years ago!

Story script

You are unique and PERFECT Be yourself!

Pose checklist

Best for 2 to 5 year olds

Character image

Watch Jaime leading this adventure on YouTube

Colouring activity

Things to remember A print out of the character image and one each of the colouring activity

Colouring pens and pencils if you plan to draw and colour in during the class. ÂŠ Cosmic Kids 2018

Chimes if you want to play the chimes game at the end

W IE EV PR

Dodgson the Dodo

Â© Cosmic Kids 2018

Dodgson the Dodo - Story Script Today we’re off to meet Dodgson the Dodo! Now Dodgson the Dodo is a bird (parrot pose). The thing is, Dodos have only got tiny little wings which means they can’t fly. So they’re a bit like penguins. Dodos are also extinct… Extinct means they used to live here on our lovely planet, but now there are none left, just like dinosaurs. So today we’re going in a time machine (house pose) to travel back in time 500 years to meet Dodgson.

On all fours, we crawl in - reaching one arm, two arms, one leg, two legs. We sit up tall, our legs long in front of us and lean forward to twiddle all the knobs (using fingers to twiddle toes) to get the time machine ready. Time for take off everyone! Bending our knees, coming into bridge pose we lift and lower our hips as we count down from 5,4,3,2,1. Blast off! We zoom back in time with our legs long in the air in candle pose, floating back through time. Shh...Listen - We can hear something! It’s the ticking time machine clock! Sitting up we cross our legs and rock side to side saying Tick tock like a clock until we find our centre.

Yay! We’ve landed! Come to your knees, tuck yourself up into a tiny little landing ball (mouse). Now let’s go meet Dodgson! We sit up, open up the door (door pose) and see Dodgson the Dodo right there in front of us! What a sweet little bird! He’s got two long legs - sitting on our bottoms, hands behind us we stretch up one leg and stretch out two (butterfly wings with hands down) - two little long legs! He has a very long neck - sitting nice and tall to show off your long neck! A long yellow beak (nose massage). And a fluffy body (rub your body) Fluffy fluffy fluffy fluffy! With two little wings on either side. (Hands on hips and elbows pointing back). Coming forward onto your knees now, toes tucked. The only thing Dodgson can say is “Do-do-do-do-do-Dodgson!” as he flaps his little wings forward and back. Let’s do it together! “Do-do-do-do-do-Dodgson!” Oh Dodgson - you’re great!

What a lovely happy Dodo Dodgson is! But he wasn’t always this happy. When Dodgson was little he didn’t know who he was or where he belonged. He tells us the story of how his life began - He started life in an egg. Sitting up, knees bent, wrap your arms around your legs. Can you lift up one foot? Now two? And balance on a point like a little Cosmic Egg? It was time for him to hatch out of his egg, so on his tummy, Dodgson wriggled and jiggled (snake pose) eventually cracking out from his egg. He looked to one side but couldn’t find his mummy and to the other side to see if his daddy was there, but there was no-one. Dodgson was all alone and wanted to find out who he was and where he belonged. He knew he needed to look after himself and keep warm so he made himself a nest (bowl pose). Lie on your tummy, grab your ankles and kick your feet into your hands. The nest was made out of twigs and bits of eggshell.

Dodgson woke up one morning and stretched his little body long in bed. He sat up and crossed his legs to do a big yawn. Today he’d decided to go and find out who he really was and where he belonged. He had seen the birds flying through the trees and thought maybe he was like them, so he set off to go and find one to talk to!

Dodgson is different to everyone else. But that is a good thing!

He waddles along through the forest – crouching up on your toes, wings at your sides (hands on hips with elbows pointing back) and a waddly body as we sing “Do-do-do-do-do-Dodgson! Do-do-do-dodo-Dodgson!” (I like to sing this a bit like a dum-de-dum song - you can listen/watch the video at 6.38). He comes to a huge beautiful tree - a rainbow tree with colourful branches. Tree pose with a tree test for strength. Let’s try the other side (go round and ask each child what colours the leaves of their trees are). The rainbow tree is full of birds of paradise (parrot pose), fluttering their fluffy blue wings. Dodgson calls up to them with his friendliest call. On our knees, wings at our side, lifting our chest up (camel pose with less back bend) to ask… “Do-do-do-do-Dodgson?”. But all he hears from the birds of paradise as we wrap our arms around our shoulders and wiggle our elbows up and down (tweety bird), was a titter and a laugh. Hehehehehe!!!

Dodgson tries again. Hands on hips with elbows pointing back like littel wings, lifting your chest up (camel pose with less back bend)…“Do-do-do-do-Dodgson?”. But once again wrapping our arms the other way now (tweety bird), he hears titters and laughs. Hehehehehe!!! Dodgson, feels very sad at being laughed at and sits down, kneeling, hanging his head low. One of the birds of paradise flies down (owl pose) to meet him. Rising up as you lift your wings (arms) and lowering down as your wings (arms) flutter down. She looks at him, cocking her head one way then the other (ear to shoulder both sides) before saying “I am sorry, but you don’t belong here. Go and find your own family and tree”. Then she flutters back up (owl pose). Dodgson, still kneeling, looks up and watches her go, thinking, ‘at least I know I’m not a bird of paradise.’

rself What is more important? Being able to like you or others liking you?

He arrives at the river. He’s very hot so he plops in (standing tall, reach up and fold) and starts to swim (swimming pose). ‘Hey!’ He thinks… ‘I can swim! Maybe I’m a swimming bird’. Placing our hands beneath our shoulders to lift up into snake pose. Ahead Dodgson can see some tall pink birds standing on one leg in the shallows of the river. Flamingos! ‘Ooo! Maybe I am a Flamingo!’ Dodgson thinks. He swims over to ask. Coming onto our knees, wings at our side, lifting up (camel pose with less back bend) and saying “Do-do-do-do-Dodgson?” The flamingo, who is standing up tall – on one leg, hasn’t a clue what this funny ‘thing’ is in front of her so she hops around and turns her back on him. Dodgson asks again. Coming onto our knees, wings at our side, lifting up (camel pose with less back bend) “Dodo-do-do-Dodgson?” Holding the other leg now - the Flamingo, hops around to face him and says (I like to voice Flamingos as if they are posh la-di-da ladies to add character.) “You are in the wrong place. We are Flamingos and you...?” she pauses, looking at Dodgson with a confused expression wondering indeed what on earth he is... Then says, “Are NOT a flamingo!” And with that, she hops back round again to her flamingo friends. © Cosmic Kids 2018

Poor Dodgson sits back kneeling again and hangs his head. Oh well, he thinks, I will just keep searching. And so he did. He asks a snake, - Coming to our knees, little wings, lifting up (camel pose with less back bend) “Do-do-do-do-Dodgson?” but the snake (snake pose) lifts its head and hisses ‘ssss no! ssss-silly! Ssss-sausage!.

He asks a monkey! Coming to our knees, little wings, lifting up (camel pose with less back bend) “Dodo-do-do-Dodgson?” but the monkey jumps out of his skin when he sees Dodgson – ready after 3 1,2,3 ooaa aa aaah! He asks a.... lion!! Coming to our knees, little wings, lifting up (camel pose with less back bend) “Dododo-do-Dodgson?” the lion has just had his lunch and was trying to settle down for an afternoon nap, so does an enormous lion roar to send Dodgson on his way. Onto our knees, ready? 1,2,3 Roarrrr.

He even asks an elephant!!! Coming to our knees, little wings, lifting up (camel pose with less back bend) “Do-do-do-do-Dodgson?” The elephant has never heard anything more funny – standing with our feet apart, we raise up our trunk to trumpet a great big laugh at funny little Dodgson! Then the elephant stomps off (dinosaur pose).

Coming to our knees again. Dodgson is about to give up hope when all of a sudden, coming towards him is a bird. It was the same height as him and has the same fluffy body. Could it be? Dodgson’s heart filled with hope. The bird comes closer – and as it does, standing with legs wide, take your arms back behind you fold forward (woodchopper pose) we see a great wave of blue and turquoise feathers that fan out (opening arms wide behind and spreading the fingers) to surround the bird. This is a peacock! Dodgson stands still like a mountain and stares in amazement. Never has he seen anything quite so beautiful. He bows - putting one foot forward and one foot behind, tucking his wings in behind his back (holding opposite elbows behind our back) and folds forward, beak to knee thinking this must be a king or a queen. He then bows again on the other side.

He has to ask his question, so he comes to his knees, little wings at his side and asks (camel pose with less back bend) “Do-do-do-do-Dodgson?” The bird sits, (butterfly pose with hands pressing the ground behind to lift our chest) joining its feet together and lowering its feathers down behind. “I am a Peacock. My name is Pierre. You, my friend, are a Dodo. I want to help you see that you are perfect just as you are. Nobody else can tell you who to be or what you are, for you are yourself. Dodgson the Dodo. Only you are the best at being yourself. Nobody can do it better.” Sitting with his legs crossed, Dodgson’s heart fills with joy and he feels happy. Place hands on heart. He no longer needs to search any more. Now he realises he is completely perfect just being himself Dodgson the Dodo. He finally accepts himself. This makes us think of ourselves. How we are all different. We are all unique. We are all perfect.

When we accept and love ourselves we are strong and happy. Happiness lives inside us.

We leave Dodgson, giving him a big hug, having learnt a valuable lesson about ourselves and we lie back in our time machine to travel back to our time. (Option to lie with legs up the wall in candle pose) © Cosmic Kids 2018

Relaxation

Game idea - Pass the chimes

We close our eyes and slow down our breath. We can feel the warmth inside our bodies and feel lots of love for who we are. We never need to try and be like someone else… Being ourselves is enough. Of course we can learn things from others and that makes us wiser and more understanding of life, of others and our world - but to do this we need to feel happy and accepting of ourselves. Here are some phrases you can say to yourself that can help you get stronger from the inside out. We call them affirmations. I’ll say the phrase then you repeat it - I am me. I love. I am enough. I accept myself and can love myself. Slowly now we start to come back. We wiggle our fingers and toes, we stretch up long like spaghetti. We hug our knees into our chest and roll over onto our sides. We rest for a moment before pressing our hand into the ground and lifting ourselves up to sit. We cross our legs, bring our palms together at our hearts and finish with our magic secret yoga code word - Namaste.

For this game you need a set of chimes. Start by demonstrating what to do - chime the two bells together and close your eyes as you listen to the ring. Silently make a special little wish for yourself or for someone else. Once your wish is made carefully pass them on (trying not to make them ting again) to your neighbour. Continue round until everyone has had a turn.

Follow-on Activity (Colouring Dodgson in a yoga pose)

Find the colouring outline of Dodgson the Dodo. Print out enough copies for everyone in your class and hand out pots/jars of colouring pencils. Ask the children to try and identify the yoga pose Dodgson is doing (it’s boat pose!) If they try and do it themselves it’s likely they will find it easier to remember! If they can, have the children write the missing letters in the blank spaces to spell the pose word. This is a great activity to bring some quiet mindful colouring time at the end of the session as well as some writing practice!

They can’t fly. So they’re a bit like penguins.

On all fours, we crawl in - reaching one arm, two arms, one leg, two legs.

We sit up tall, our legs long in front of us and lean forward to twiddle all the knobs

They’re extinct which means there are none left, just like dinosaurs.

Now Dodgson the Dodo is a bird (parrot pose)

Dodgson the Dodo - Pose Summary

Time for take off everyone! In bridge pose we lift and lower our hips as we count down 5,4,3,2,1 BLAST OFF!

Come to your knees, tuck yourself up into a tiny little landing ball (mouse).

We can hear the ticking time machine clock! We tick tock like a clock until we find our centre.

He has a very long neck - sitting nice and tall

A long yellow beak (nose massage).

We’re going in a time machine (house pose) to travel back in time to meet Dodgson.

We zoom back in time with our legs long in the air in candle pose.

We sit up, open up the door (door pose) and see Dodgson the Dodo!

He’s got two long legs. One two!

And a fluffy body (rub your body)

“Do-do-do-do-doDodgson!” Camel Pose (with less backbend than above).

Dodgson woke up one morning and stretched his little body long in bed.

He sat up and crossed his legs to do a big yawn.

To hatch out of his egg, Dodgson wriggled and jiggled on his tummy, (snake pose)

He looked to one side and to the other side to see if his parents were there. No one!

Dodgson tells a story about his life. He started life in an egg. .Can you lift up one foot? Two?

He waddles along through the forest – crouching up on your toes. “Do-do-do-dodo Dodgson!”

He knew he needed to look after himself and keep warm so he made himself a nest (bowl pose).

He comes to a huge beautiful tree - a rainbow tree with colourful branches.

He asks them… “Do-do-do-doDodgson?”. (Camel pose with less back bend than above)

The birds of paradise titter and laugh.(tweety bird), Hehehehehe!!!

Dodgson tries again. (camel pose with less back bend)…“Do-do-dodo-Dodgson?”.

Once again (tweety bird), he hears titters and laughs. Hehehehehe!!!

Dodgson, feels very sad at being laughed at and sits down, kneeling, hanging his head low.

One of the birds of paradise flies down (owl pose) to meet him.

She looks at him, cocking her head one way then the other before saying “You don’t belong here!

The rainbow tree is full of birds of paradise (parrot pose), fluttering their fluffy blue wings.

(Camel pose with less back bend) saying “Do-do-dodo-Dodgson?”

Poor Dodgson sits back kneeling again and hangs his head.

Holding the other leg now - the Flamingo, says “You are NOT a flamingo!”

He asks a monkey! (Camel pose without back bend) “Do-do-do-doDodgson?”

but the monkey jumps out of his skin when he sees Dodgson! 1,2,3 ooaa aa aaah!

and starts to swim (swimming pose) “Maybe I’m a swimming bird!. .

He arrives at the river and he’s warm so he plops in

The flamingo hasn’t a clue what he is so she hops around and turns her back on him.

Placing our hands beneath our shoulders to snake pose - to see some flamingos!

Dodgson, still kneeling, looks up ‘at least I know I’m not a bird of paradise.’

Then she flutters back up (owl pose).

He asks again. (Camel pose with less back bend) “Do-do-do-doDodgson?”

He asks a snake. (Camel pose with less back bend) “Do-do-do-doDodgson?”

but the snake (snake pose) lifts its head and hisses ‘ssss no! ssss-silly! Ssss-sausage!.

He asks a.... lion!! (Camel pose with less back bend) “Do-dodo-do-Dodgson?”

who does a lion roar to send Dodgson on his way. Onto our knees, ready? 1,2,3 Roarrrr!

The elephant has never heard anything as funny and trumpets a big laugh at Dodgson!

Then the elephant stomps off (dinosaur pose).

He even asks an elephant!!! (Camel pose without back bend) “Do-do-dodo-Dodgson?”

It’s a peacock! Dodgson stands still like a mountain and stares in amazement.

Dodgson bows on both sides, thinking this must be a king or queen.

The bird sits, (butterfly pose with hands pressing the ground behind to lift our chest) “You, my friend, are a Dodo. and PERFECT”

Sitting with his legs crossed, Dodgson’s heart fills with joy and he feels happy.

Place hands on heart. He no longer needs to search any more. Now he realises he is completely perfect.

A wave of blue feathers fan out (opening arms and fingers in woodchopper pose)

...and we lie back in our time machine to travel back to our time.

(Option to lie with legs up the wall in candle pose)

Coming to our knees again. Dodgson is about to give up hope, when a bird.appears

He asks the question: Do-dodo-do-Dodgson? (camel pose)

We leave Dodgson, giving him a big hug, having learnt a valuable lesson about ourselves.

Your name:

Colour in the picture of Dodgson the Dodo and spell the name of the yoga pose he is doing!

Pose ÂŠ Cosmic Kids 2018