Kickapoo the Kangaroo - A Kids Yoga Class Plan by Cosmic Kids Yoga by cosmickids1

Kickapoo the Kangaroo Kids Yoga Class Plan In this story we learn how to ask politely for help and avoid judging others on their appearance. We travel to awesome Australia to meet Kickapoo the Baby Kangaroo (a joey) who has confidence in speaking up and we help her find her friends. There is lots of hopping and kangaroo crouching in this one so be ready to give the legs a good workout! Have a bonzer time with the nippers!

Set in Australia

Story script

Being polite Asking questions Introducing yourself Not judging on looks

Pose checklist

Best for 4 to 7 year olds

Watch Jaime do this story on YouTube.

Character image

Colouring activity

Things to remember Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a game in this story (Musical Kangaroos) which needs music, so bring a speaker!

ÂŠ Cosmic Kids 2018

Bring print outs of the colouring activity (and coloured pencils if you want to do the colouring today!)

W IE EV PR

Kickapoo the Kangaroo

Â© Cosmic Kids 2018

Kickapoo the Kangaroo - Story Script

We’re off down under to Australia today to meet a kangaroo called Kickapoo! We’ve got a big long journey ahead so let’s pack a suitcase with all the things we need. Oooop! We touch our toes and lift our arms to open it up! We twist each way for everything we need to camp (ask the kids for suggestions of what to pack). It’s a long flight to Australia, so let’s get our bodies ready. Sitting tall with our legs crossed let’s roll our shoulders. Now we twiddle our wrists and feet. And let’s roll our heads all the way round one way, then the other to loosen our necks. We board the aeroplane, and take off. Neowww round one side of the world, then swapping sides to Neowww round the other side too! Australia is a long way away! When we arrive we stretch up and yawn. It’s hot and sunny so we say Hello Sun (making the dog a Dingo…an Australian Dog). Then we cool ourselves down with some Sithali Straw breaths. We get into our bumpy truck, and we drive up hills (leaning back), down hills (leaning forward) and round the windy roads (side to side) into the Australian bush. We pass people, sit up tall and twist to and say “G’day!” First one way, then the other.

We arrive into the bush land, we’re super tired and decide to set up camp for the night. We put up our tent and check the zipper (straight back – bending from the waist)… all the way down, then all the way up (fun to make it get stuck a few times so you have to do a few more zips). We crawl inside (reach one arm, two arms, one leg, two legs) and rest for the night.

In the morning we wake up, sit up tall and stretch, then hear the birds singing (tweety bird). They’re singing... “Kookaburra sits in the Old Gum Tree!”. (See Jaime sing the song on the Kickapoo video YouTube at 6.09) We crawl out of our tent and take a big deep breath of the fresh morning air, then sigh it out of our mouth. Sitting outside is a little kangaroo She looks a little worried. She says “G’day, my name is Kickapoo… I don’t like being out here in the bush all by myself. I’ve lost my friends… will you help me find them?” Well of course we will. We pack up our things and together with Kickapoo we hop off (bunny hops). We come to a big tree. Now I wonder if I can blow you over? Let me try. You stand very still and I’ll have a go. Ready? (Blow the children and be amazed at how still and strong they are.) See if on the other side we can count together to ten!

Kickapoo points up to a branch… where we see a rather scary snake slithering down towards us, hissing. Kickapoo (kangaroo) isn’t scared and politely says to the snake “Excuse me, but have you seen a group of kangaroos passing by? They’re my friends and I can’t find them.” Wow… we would never think of being so nice to a snake, but the snake to our surprise is really rather nice and says “No, I’m afraid not, but I can help you look if you like.” Kickapoo is delighted and now we have a new friend in our gang!

If we smile, ask clearly and politely, others will help us.

We come to the river where we see a long large crocodile basking in the sunshine. Kickapoo, hops (bunny hops) towards him, sits up tall (kangaroo) and says “Excuse me, but have you seen a group of Kangaroos passing by? They’re my friends and I can’t find them.” Wow… we would never be so brave to ask a crocodile. The crocodile yawns his big jaws (open and close arms) and says, “No, but if you’d like to cross the river I can help you get across”. That’s nice of him! We weren’t expecting that. Kickapoo smiles, thanks him. We all step and balance on his back (stand up tall – arms out to side to balance and stay steady) Isn’t it funny… you think because someone looks mean and nasty, they will be when actually they are really friendly when you’re nice to them.

. Be kind and judge others by their actions rather than appearance

We get to the other side and hop off the crocodile saying Namaste to thank him. Now we meet a big dog - a dingo! He’s got big sharp teeth and is licking his chops. Kickapoo boldly hops (bunny hops) up to the dingo and asks sitting in Kangaroo pose, ““Excuse me, but have you seen a group of Kangaroos passing by? They’re my friends and I can’t find them.” The dingo dog stretches (down dog then upward dog) and sits back (hero pose). He says “Ah mate… you know what I think I saw them headed towards the caves… follow me, I’ll show you.” We follow the Dingo towards the caves. Inside it’s dark and damp!

There are bats hanging from the ceiling with big wide eyes, watching us, but they’re not mean. They smile and wave (in bat pose upside down through the legs). Suddenly we stop. We’re stuck. We’ve walked into a spider’s web (star pose) and there’s a spider scuttling over to see us…To our surprise, the spider says “Oh, dear, you are in a tangle! Your kangaroo friends hopped through only a few minutes ago… Let me get you untangled and you can carry on.” Wow, once again there was nothing to be scared of! The spider unspins (standing spinal twists) her web and off we hop (bunny hops).

don’t need to. Sometimes our fear makes us worry when we go away. If we stay calm and breathe, we help our fear

Out through the other side of the cave, there is a circle of rocks (mouse pose). And there in the circle are some giggling, hopping, happy kangaroos! It’s Kickapoo’s friends! One of them is playing a didgeridoo (seated cross legged and mime playing didgeridoo – with sound effect!) They are playing a game called Musical Kangaroos which is just like musical statues/freeze! We join in and play too, dancing and bouncing like Kangaroos (play music and everyone dances/bounces. When you stop the music everyone has to freeze, like a statue. Repeat as many times as you choose.) © Cosmic Kids 2018

Now that we have helped Kickapoo find her friends, it’s time for us to go. We hug Kickapoo and the kangaroos goodbye. An eagle lands, to fly us home. We get on her back (parrot pose) and hold on as she spreads her wings and we take off. We lie down on our tummies (makrasana) and nestle into the soft warm feathers, taking this time to have a little rest.

Relaxation

Settling down into this soft bed of feathers we let our bodies go, relaxing each and every part. Starting with your toes, now your ankles and knees let them relax too. Your legs, let them go, your hips melting into the softness beneath you, your tummy relaxes, and your shoulders let go, your arms and your face. We enjoyed helping Kickapoo find her friends and great that we made a few new ones on the way. We’ve brilliant adventure in Australia and learnt that sometimes we might think someone isn’t going to be very nice, but if we give them a chance, smile and be polite, then we might find we can make friends no matter what they look like. Now start to wake up by wiggling your fingers and toes, taking a big long stretch and hugging your knees into your chest. Roll over to the side and come to sitting with your legs crossed and hands together at your heart.

Follow-on Activity (Kangaroo headband)

Decorate and cut out a pair of kangaroo ears to wear. Print out the Kangaroo headband template onto card and cut them out. The children can colour them in before you attach the ribbon and tie them on. Or they can take the templates home to make them in their own time.

Twisting to reach behind for all the things we need.

Now let’s roll our heads.

We board the aeroplane, and Neowww one way, then the other!

Sitting tall with our legs crossed let’s roll our shoulders.

Let’s pack a suitcase

Kickapoo the Kangaroo - Pose Summary

When we arrive we stretch and yawn

We get into our bumpy truck, and drive up, down and round the windy roads. .

We cool ourselves down with some Sithali Straw breaths.

Check the zipper… all the way down, then all the way up (getting stuck a few times!)

We crawl into our tent .

...and unfold our legs to twiddle our wrists and feet..

It’s hot and sunny so we say Hello Sun.

We pass people, sit up tall and twist to and say “G’day!” First one way, then the other

We get to the campsite and put up our tent.

And we rest for the night.

In the morning we wake up, sit up tall and stretch.

Together with Kickapoo we hop off (bunny hops)

We come to a tree. Can I blow you over? And the other side!

We crawl out of our tent.

And take a big deep breath of the fresh morning air.

We hear the birds singing (tweety bird). Kookabura sits in the old gum tree!

We see a scary snake slithering down towards us SSssssss

We come to the river where we see a long large crocodile.

The crocodile yawns his big jaws and says, “No, but I can help you get across the river”.

We all step and balance on his back to cross.

The snake is nice and says ““No, I’m afraid not, but I can help you look if you like.”

Sitting outside is a little kangaroo

Kickapoo (kangaroo) isn’t scared and politely talks to the snake.

Kickapoo, hops (bunny hops) towards him.

She sits up tall (kangaroo) and says “Excuse me...

We get to the other side and hop off the crocodile saying Namaste to thank him.

Now we meet a big dog - a dingo!

We follow the Dingo towards the caves.

There are bats hanging from the ceiling

She sits up (kangaroo) to ask..

The dingo dog stretches (down dog then upward dog)

Kickapoo boldly hops (bunny hops) up to the dingo...

With big wide eyes! They’re watching us!

The spider unspins (standing spinal twists) her web.

And there’s a spider scuttling over to see us.

There in the circle are some giggling, hopping, happy kangaroos!

One of them is playing a didgeridoo (mime playing didgeridoo – with sound effect!)

And off we hop (bunny hops).

We join in a game of musical kangaroos, dancing and bouncing like Kangaroos!

then sits back (hero pose)

Suddenly we’re stuck! We’ve walked into a spider’s web (star pose).

Out the other side of the cave is a circle of rocks.

It’s time for us to go. We hug her goodbye

We get on his back (parrot pose) and hold on as he spreads his wings and we take off.

We lie down on our tummies (makrasana) and take some time to have a little rest.

An eagle lands, to fly us home.

For more detailed guidance on how to instruct the poses, download our 253 page The Big Book of Kids Yoga Postures •

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220 kids yoga poses, including partner poses and breathing exercises 400 high quality pose images Clear, child friendly instructions into each posture Anatomical focus, benefits and contra-indications for each pose Teaching tips to make the poses work for kids A linking index to each pose

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