Nibs the Octopus - Kids Yoga Lesson Plan by cosmickids1

Nibs the Octopus Kids Yoga Class Plan We head to the ocean to see Nibs the Octopus. There’s a big talent contest happening - ‘The Sea Factor’ - and Nibs is supposed to be dancing…the only problem is her nerves! She is super terrified and isn’t sure how she can perform when she’s feeling so NERVOUS. We help her find that CONFIDENCE and CALM HER NERVES, so she can go out and shine!

Set under the sea

Story script

Performance and nerves!

Pose checklist

Best for 4 to 8 year olds

Watch Jaime leading this adventure on YouTube

Character image

Spot the Difference activity

Things to remember Print out the Spot the Difference game - once for each child and the Nibs character image (once) for you to show the kids.

Bring pens or pencils so the kids can circle the differences on the Spot the Difference game

Nibs the Octopus

Â© Cosmic Kids 2019

Nibs the Octopus - Story Script

Today we are off to meet a very shy Octopus called Nibs. Nibs happens to be very good at dancing, but she often finds her nerves hold her back. Let’s go and find her in the ocean and see if we can help! We’re ready to go but the rain (pitter patter on heads and body) is pouring! Let’s make a special sun wish (sitting, hands in prayer, eyes closed) and blow (long blow) the rain away. We take a train (group train pose or individually on the spot) to the docks where our sailing boat awaits. Ready to set sail me hearties? Aye Aye, Captain!

There are lots of jobs to do on our boat. Climbing the rigging, singing Up we go, up we go, up we, up we up we go! Scrubbing the decks on all fours (hands and knees), reaching forwards with our arms to scrub and backwards with our legs to scrub! We have to heave-ho the sails up and down (Warrior 1 reach forward and pull back) standing one foot forward and one foot back, bend the front knee and reach forward, pull back, reach forward and pull back. Let’s look through the telescope (submarine pose) lying on our back with one leg in the air – boop, boop, boop – and the other side – boop, boop, boop - we see the island ahead…. Land ahoy! Time to drop the anchor (woodchopper pose) and jump in our little rowing boat to row to shore. Row row row your boat gently down the stream.

We made it! What a lovely island! The palm trees sway in the breeze. The sand is warm beneath our feet as we stand still (mountain pose) and enjoy the lovely feeling of the waves gently washing over our feet. Nestled among the rocks we find a mermaid, who flicks her tail round one way and says Ooo La La then flicks it round the other way and says Ooo La La! She seems a little worried though… She tells us that all of the sea creatures are very excited about tonight’s singing and dance competition called the Sea Factor! They all come together and take turns to perform to the judges… the mighty lionfish (lion pose) and the great white shark (shark pose).

Everyone is ready apart from little Nibs the Octopus who is just too shy to enter. The mermaid tells us that Nibs is a beautiful dancer, she just needs to find some confidence, some courage and she’ll be wonderful.

“Having to do something hard for the first time can feel scary - but it will help us become stronger and learn more in the end. “

Hmmm… Maybe we can help. Let’s go find Nibs and see if we can make her feel confident about herself. We stand and dive (reach up to ragdoll) into the ocean and swim down to the ocean bed. There are crabs scuttling everywhere… practising the ‘can can’ crab dance for the upcoming competition. We join in with them for a few scuttles (side to side in crab pose with kicks of the legs)! We arrive at a long tunnel (house pose or dog pose - option to do as a group pose with the children wiggling through on their tummies) which the mermaid says will lead us to Nibs’ hidey hole. © Cosmic Kids 2019

Norris the baby seahorse (horse pose) is bobbing about and says that Nibs has blocked up her hole with piles and piles of rocks. He turns and looks at us (seahorse pose other side) She can’t stay in there all cooped up… time is ticking and it’s not long before the competition begins.

We push the rocks with our hands (one foot forward and one back warrior 1 - both arms press forward), trying to press them away. It’s no good - we need to try another way. So we try from half handstand (use the wall or dog pose with alternate leg lifts) to push the rocks with our feet. Ah ha! Look! We see a little gap in the rocks. Let’s wiggle through on our tummies (snake pose). We find Nibs sitting wrapped up with her tentacles covering her ears (Bumble Bee), singing la, la, la, as if pretending not to hear/see anything.

We know it takes masses of courage to get up and do something in front of others, but really there is nothing to lose by having a go and actually it might be fun!

“We might feel nervous, but there’s more to gain from trying, than doing nothing”

Nibs can see we are all there for her… to support her and encourage her. She breathes deeply (calming those nerves and still feeling a little of that fear) and comes forward from her hiding place. Octopus pose (partner pose with one child sat with legs wide, and another child sat in the space between the first child’s legs - both facing out. Both lift up legs and arms to wave them around like the 8 tentacles of an octopus). Nibs can do it! With our support she feels happy to have a go.

“When we support others, we are helping them feel courage. This is what it means to be ‘encouraging’!”

We swim up and out (from kneeling, lift and sweep arms up as we breathe in, lower arms and sit back as we breathe out). On the way to the Sea Factor centre we pass a group of oysters (treasure chest) with their shells closed. On our bottoms, soles of the feet together and close down over your legs like an oyster protecting it’s pearl. As they see Nibs on her way, they open up their shells each revealing a lucky pearl to send Nibs on her way with good fortune. When we arrive Nibs can see the line-up of amazing singers and dancers. There’s a starfish who sings Soprano – standing legs apart, arms wide making a big star shape. There are two tangoing lobsters - turn out the toes, bend the knees and bring up the arms making two claws with your hands – like a lobster. Finally there is a whale who has her own special song and dance!. In come the judges, the mighty lionfish (lion pose) and the great white shark.

First up is the starfish….She takes her position – legs and arms stretch wide in full starfish pose, then she sings her heart out…Laaa

Ok! Marks out of 10? The judges agree…Six! Come to kneel. After the count of three we hold up the score using our fingers & thumbs to show what it is. Ready? 1,2,3 - hold up six fingers. Next to go are the tangoing lobsters. Bending into our lobster pose, claws at the ready, here they go – moving side to side…Uh oh! They’ve tangoed themselves into a heap on the floor! Rock and roll back and forwards. Oh dear - The Lobsters are on their backs holding their feet with their claws (happy baby pose)! Marks out of 10? Four! Come to kneel. After the count of three we hold up the score using our fingers & thumbs to show what it is. Ready? 1,2,3 - hold up four fingers.

Now the whale. Lying on our backs we come into whale pose and the dance begins. We lift up our hips as we sing bubble bubble bubble bubble pop and down (repeat). That was great! Marks out of 10? Seven. Come to kneel. After the count of three we hold up the score using our fingers & thumbs to show what it is. Ready? 1,2,3 - hold up seven fingers. Nibs is of course as good as all these acts, but her nerves make her tentacles tangle up. Coming into Eagle pose. Crossing our legs, and our arms into a twizzle. And the other way! Oh dear! We help untie the knots and she’s ready!

“Nerves can make us feel shakey in our body. If we feel this, the best thing to feel steady is to breathe slowly!”

Nibs glides forward and assumes her first position. We watch full of admiration for her courage and hope for her performance. And it begins, her tentacles are a whirr of grace, strength and poise (standing spins or more free movement if you like) She moves around full of energy and passion. She shows a wonderful dancer pose using her tentacles on one side and then on the other. Letting her body guide her – freely, unstoppable. The crowd are amazed and so are the judges…

Her marks are in…(whisper to the children that it’s going to be a 10!) Come to kneel. After the count of three we hold up the score using our fingers & thumbs to show what it is. Ready? 1,2,3 - hold up ten fingers. The crowd cheers! She’s done it! Nibs has finally found her confidence. Doing this performance she has discovered something magical about herself and we are so happy for her achievement. It’s time to go home though and leave the sea creatures to celebrate the end of the Sea factor competition. Popcorn the dolphin comes to find us and we lie on her back, resting on our tummies as she gives us a ride back to the shore.

Relaxation

Once we are back on the beach we take a few moments to lie back on the warm sand and enjoy the sun drying us off. We feel happily exhausted but delighted at experiencing Nibs’ success. Sometimes we might feel nervous, but if we are brave and have a go we can often surprise ourselves and have a fun time too. Confidence is having belief in yourself – believing that you can – that anything is possible. So next time you feel afraid to try something, ask yourself – do I really need to be afraid? Can I be brave and try? And say to yourself I CAN. Now I will say some words and you can repeat them after me - these are called Affirmations. When we say something to ourselves it can powerfully affect us and help us. Let’s try - “I am brave” (the children repeat). “I have courage” (the children repeat). “I am willing to try” (the children repeat). Time to come back now. We take a big breath in and sigh out of our mouths (repeat). We stretch long, pointing our toes down and our arms up. We hug our knees into our chests and roll to the side. We sit up with our legs crossed and bring our hands to our hearts where we can say our secret yoga code word - Namaste.

Game suggestion - Yoga Statues

Yoga statues or Yoga Freeze is a great game to continue the dancing theme. Play some music to get everyone dancing and randomly stop it. When the music stops ask the children to make a statue in a yoga pose from the story. You can give a few ideas as reminders - crab, lobster, starfish, seahorse etc.

Follow on Activity - Spot the Difference

Print and handout copies of the following printable spot the difference puzzle pictures along with a pencil for each child.

The kids have to try and find the 10 differences between the two pictures. After they’ve had 5-10 minutes to do it, go through all the differences together. If time doesn’t allow for it to happen in class, the kids can take their puzzle home. Spot the difference is a great way to focus attention and improve powers of observation.

Let’s make a special sun wish (sitting, hands in prayer eyes closed)...

...where our sailing boat awaits. Ready to set sail me hearties? Aye Aye! captain!!

There are lots of jobs to do on our boat. Climbing the rigging! Up we go!

...and blow (long blow) the rain away.

We’re ready to go and find Nibs but the rain (pitter patter on heads and body) is pouring!

Nibs the Octopus - Pose Summary

Scrubbing the decks! (Hands and knees, reaching forwards with arms then back with legs).

We heave-ho the sails up and down (Warrior 1 reach forward and pull back)

and jump in our little rowing boat to row to shore.

Row row row your boat gently down the stream.

EV Time to drop the anchor (woodchopper pose)

What a lovely island! The palm trees sway in the breeze.

We stand still (mountain pose) and enjoy the feeling of the waves on our feet.

We look through our telescope boop, boop, boop – both sides and we see the island ahead….

We take a train (group train pose or individually on the spot) to the docks...

Nestled among the rocks...

...we find a mermaid! She flicks her tail round. Ooo La La! Both sides. She tells us about the Sea Factor.

W Maybe we can help! Let’s go & find Nibs! We dive (reach up then Ragdoll) into the ocean...

We arrive at a long tunnel (group pose?) which leads to Nibs’s hidey hole.

Norris the baby seahorse (horse pose) says that Nibs has blocked up her hidey hole with rocks!

There are crabs scuttling everywhere… practising the ‘Can Can’ for the competition!

...and so is the Great White Shark. Everyone is ready apart from Nibs who is too shy to enter!

The mighty lionfish (lion pose) is taking part...

So we try from half handstand (use the wall or dog pose with alternate leg lifts) to push the rocks with our feet.

We trying pushing the rocks with our hands. It’s no good!

Nibs can see we are all there for her. She breathes deeply, calming those nerves a little...

...and comes forward from her hiding place. Octopus pose (in pairs). With our support she feels happy to have a go.

AHA! We make a little gap in the rocks. Let’s wiggle through on our tummies (snake pose).

We swim up and out. On the way to the Sea Factor centre we pass a group of...

...and swim down to the ocean bed.

He turns and looks at us (horse pose other side) saying ‘she can’t stay cooped up in there! Time is ticking!’

We find Nibs sitting with her tentacles covering her ears (Bumble Bee breaths), singing la, la, la, trying not to hear/see anything.

oysters (treasure chest) with their shells closed. They open up their shells each revealing a lucky pearl for Nibs!

... and the Great White Shark.

First up is the starfish. She sings her heart out…Laaa!

There are two tangoing lobsters!

And there is a whale who has her own special song and dance!.

When we arrive Nibs can see the line-up of performers! There’s a starfish who sings Soprano...

OK! Marks out of 10? The judges agree…Six! (Lion Pose, holding up six fingers).

The Lobsters are on their backs holding their feet with their claws (happy baby pose)!

Uh oh! They’ve tangoed themselves into a heap on the floor! Rock and roll back and forwards.

Marks out of 10? Seven. (Lion Pose, holding up seven fingers).

Nibs nerves make her tentacles tangle up! (Eagle Pose). We help untie the knots and she’s ready!

Marks out of 10? Four! (Lion Pose, holding up four fingers).

Nibs begins her dance with grace! (Standing spins - or just free movement if you like)

In come the judges! The mighty lionfish (lion pose)...

Next to go are the tangoing lobsters moving side to side.

Now the whale. We lift up our hips as we sing bubble bubble bubble bubble pop and down (repeat).

She shows a wonderful dancer pose. First one side then the other!

The crowd cheers! She’s done it! Nibs has found her confidence. We are so happy for her achievement.

It’s time to go home. Popcorn the dolphin comes to find us....

...and we lie on her back, resting on our tummies as she gives us a ride back to the shore.

Her marks are in… TEN! (Lion Pose, holding up TEN fingers).

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

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

Spot the Difference!

Can you find the 10 differences between the pictures?

ÂŠ Cosmic Kids 2019