Parsnip the Cat Kids Yoga Class Plan by Cosmic Kids Yoga by cosmickids1

Parsnip the Cat Kids Yoga Class Plan In this story we learn how to STAY FOCUSED and choose not to be DISTRACTED when we are supposed to be doing something else. Parsnip is an acrobatic cat so we head to the circus where we meet lots of other talented animals and a rather naughty mouse called Meldrum who has a history of distracting Parsnip when sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performing her act. Have a wonderful time!

Set at the circus

Story script

Staying focused, not distracting others

Pose checklist

Best for 2 to 5 year olds

Watch Jaime do this story on YouTube.

Character image

Colouring activity

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

ÂŠ Cosmic Kids 2018

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Parsnip the Cat Â© Cosmic Kids 2018

Parsnip the Cat - Story Script

Today we’re off to meet a cat called Parsnip. To get ourselves ready for our adventure let’s come onto all fours and do some cat stretches to get us into a cat-like mood. As we arch our back and look into our tummies we say ‘meow’! As we lift our chest and head we wiggle waggle our tail and say ‘meow’ again! Now cats adore cleaning themselves so let’s do the same by rubbing our faces with our ‘paws’ and cleaning our ears by giving them a rub all the way from the bottom to the top. Cats love to have their backs scratched, so let’s rock and roll back and forward to give our backs a lovely scratch, saying ‘meow’ with each roll! Now we lie down on our backs and stretch out long to get our tummies tickled! Cats love the sunshine so let’s bring it out now with a hello sun, first with the proper words, then again with meows on each part of the move!

Parsnip lives in a nice house, in a nice street in a nice town. She has a lady owner called Mrs Webb who Parsnip likes for three very good reasons – the lovely cuddles they enjoy together, the warm cosy bed (bridge pose) she gets to sleep in and most importantly the delicious food (pat head and rub tummy with legs crossed) she is given twice a day. What more could a pussycat want? Parsnip loves the garden too, especially playing with the butterflies (ask the children what colour their butterfly wings are and lift each leg in butterfly wings pose with each suggestion). She also loves chasing the birds who tweet at her as they fly away (tweety bird) Parsnip also loves bouncing about in the grass with the grass hoppers.

So all in all Parsnip is a normal cat! Although - she isn’t really... because Parsnip has a secret!

Every night she creeps and crawls out of the cat flap, reaching one paw (one arm), 2 paws (other arm), 3 paws (one leg) and 4 paws (other leg). Then she tiptoes silently on her pawtips down to the bottom of the garden. She climbs up the big tree, using her claws to help her climb, “up we go, up we go, up we, up we, up we go!” She hears a noise so stands very still (tree pose) on the branches of the big strong tree. Then she climbs a little bit higher, standing still again on the other side (tree pose), to check the coast is clear. She gets ready to jump down (dog pose) folding forward, stepping back and bending her knees ready to pounce. Then she looks between her hands and jumps her feet forward between her front paws (dog pose jump through) into the field behind her house where her other world begins!

Parsnip’s other world is...a circus! And Parsnip is in fact an acrobatic cat. That’s right - every night she performs in the big top tent. She goes in through the back of the tent and says hello to all her circus friends. There’s Ted the Elephant who makes a great big trumpet sound to say hello. There’s Morris the dancing Monkey who does three big monkey jumps. There’s Alice the very posh Horse who trots in (horse pose), clip clopping showing off her sequins off on one side then turns the other way (horse pose other side) to show off the other. Finally, there’s Stan the magician’s rabbit (hare pose) lifts up his big white ears and does a special bunny hop to say hello.

Tonight Parsnip is walking the high wire tightrope and will be doing some special tricks - balancing jumps and juggling! She is feeling a bit nervous and feels like she has fluttery butterflies in her tummy (raining pitter patters). All will be fine as long as naughty little Meldrum the Mouse stays away. He is so distracting. He loves getting Parsnip to chase him, so always does his best to distract her and make her run after him instead.

It’s helpful to know who we find distracting. So we can get better at staying focused when we need to.

Parsnip wondered if she can stay focused tonight and not be drawn into his naughty little mousey world? Let’s hope she can! It’s time! Parsnip trots (arms wide, chest broad and knees lifting) into the main arena, smiling and waving to the audience. She climbs up the ladder “up we go, up we go, up we, up we, up we go!” to the high wire and takes a few deep dragon fire breaths to feel brave.

Breathing exercises can help us feel calmer and steady our nerves.

She takes small steps onto the wire, balancing with her front paws (our arms) out wide to the sides. Then she takes a big step forward (warrior 1) stretching her legs and bending her front knee. She does a big jump and turns to face to other way (warrior 1 other side). All is going brilliantly so far and the audience gives her a round of applause (wide leg forward bend, clapping hands around in a big circle).

Now for the juggling. Morris the monkey, jumps up three times to throw her the balls. One ball, two balls, three balls (count 1,2,3 before each jump to get everyone jumping together). Parsnip catches them all and begins juggling (high lunge, miming juggling with arms – can also sing the ‘circus’ song) But oh no, here comes Meldrum the mouse squeaking and scurrying towards Parsnip on the high wire! He stands up, puts his paws on his little mousey hips and wiggles from side to side saying, “Look at me Parsnip, look at me!” Parsnip is still juggling (high lunge, miming juggling with arms) but can see what Meldrum is doing. She focuses her attention on the juggling, ignoring Meldrum, then jumps and turns the other way! She won’t be distracted by the silly little mouse.

attention. We can decide to what and who we give our to focus If someone is distracting us, we can decide on what we are supposed to be doing.

Meldrum starts to bounce up and down (standing squats with hands on the hips) making the wire all wobbly. But Parsnip stays balanced and keeps juggling. Meldrum bounces more, but loses his balance and falls off the high wire, (sit down and rock n roll backwards) landing in the net below holding his little mousey feet (happy baby pose), saying, “I’ll get you next time Parsnip!”

Parsnip has done it! She throws all three balls up into the air, steps both feet together and bows (parrot pose – arms wide), triumphantly catching the balls on her back. The crowd gives her another big round of applause (clapping hands ‘round’ in a big circle), and she climbs down the ladder to her circus friends singing “down we go, down we go, down we down we down we go!” Ted the elephant gives her a big celebratory trumpet. Morris the monkey gives her a ‘well done’ monkey jump. Alice the horse clip clops a ‘bravo’ one way then the other. Stan the rabbit (hare pose) lifts up his big ears and then bunny hops for joy!

Parsnip is so happy she managed to do so well. That she kept going and didn’t let that naughty little mouse distract her! She is exhausted and it’s time to get back home to Mrs Webb. She crawls back through the cat flap reaching one paw (one arm), 2 paws (other arm), 3 paws (one leg) and 4 paws (other leg). She gets into her bed (bridge pose) and lays down for a well earned rest.

Relaxation

We get ourselves as comfy as possible and feel pleased to rest our bodies after that exciting adventure. We take a big breathe in like we are filling a balloon in our tummies, then sigh out all the air, emptying the balloon. We scrunch up our hands into tight fists, then stretch the fingers wide before letting our hands go floppy. We scrunch and release our toes, feet and legs letting them go floppy, followed by our face, scrunching up the eyes, nose, mouth, forehead and eyebrows like a little pointy pixie face then releasing and letting it all go floppy again. Finally we scrunch our whole body before releasing it and letting it all go floppy. It’s great that Parsnip didn’t let Meldrum the Mouse distract her. We have to concentrate extra hard sometimes, especially if someone like Meldrum the mouse is trying to distract us. It’s helpful to notice who distracts us or perhaps if we are being distracting to others. There are times when we all need to concentrate, just like Parsnip with her juggling on the highwire. If we can do our best to stay focused on the task we are supposed to be doing, we will be much better off for it.

Follow-on Activity (Colouring Parsnip the Cat)

Lay out pots of colouring pencils to share and hand out copies of the picture of Parsnip standing by her Big Top Tent. Spend 10 minutes at the end of the session colouring peacefully to give everyone some calm time. If time doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allow, the children can take the pictures home to colour in their own time. Spending time colouring not only gives everyone some quiet time, but also helps the children remember the story and what it taught us.

ÂŠ Cosmic Kids 2018

Parsnip the Cat - Pose Summary

... and cleaning our ears by giving them a rub.

cats adore cleaning themselves so let’s do the same by rubbing our faces

Now we lie down on our backs and stretch out long to get our tummies tickled!

Cats love the sunshine so let’s bring it out now with a hello sun (with meows!)

Parsnip lives in a nice house, in a nice street in a nice town, with Mrs Webb

Parsnip loves the lovely cuddles they enjoy together

the warm cosy bed

and most importantly the delicious food (pat head and rub tummy)

Parsnip loves the garden too, especially playing with the butterflies

What colour are your butterfly wings? (Lift each leg in butterfly wings pose with each suggestion)

Parsnip also loves bouncing about in the grass with the grass hoppers.

Parsnip has a secret! Every night she creeps and crawls out of the cat flap

Then she tiptoes silently on her pawtips down to the bottom of the garden.

We’re meeting a cat called Parsnip. Let’s do a cat stretches to get us into a catlike mood! (Waggle your tail!)

She also loves chasing the birds who tweet at her as they fly away (tweety bird)

Cats love to have their backs scratched, so let’s rock and roll back and forward

Parsnip is in fact an acrobatic cat. Every night she performs in the big top tent with her friends.

There’s Ted the Elephant who makes a great big trumpet sound to say hello.

Finally, there’s Stan the magician’s rabbit (hare pose)

...who does a special bunny hop to say hello.

She hears a noise so stands very still (tree pose) on the branches of the big strong tree.

She gets ready to jump down (dog pose) ready to pounce

She climbs up the big tree, using her claws to help her climb, (“up we go!”)

There’s Morris the dancing Monkey who does three big monkey jumps.

It’s time! Parsnip trots (arms wide, chest broad and knees lifting) into the main arena,

She climbs up the ladder to the high wire - “Up we go!”

...Then she jumps forward (dog pose jump through) into the field behind her house where her other world begins!

There’s Alice the very posh Horse who trots in (horse pose)

Tonight Parsnip is walking the high wire. She has butterflies in her tummy (raining pitter patters)

All will be fine as long as distracting Meldrum the Mouse stays away.

...and takes a few deep dragon fire breaths to feel brave.

She takes small steps onto the wire

W Morris the monkey, jumps up three times to throw her the juggling balls

The audience gives her a round of applause!

Meldrum the mouse squeaks and scurries towards Parsnip on the high wire!

He stands up, puts his paws on his hips and wiggles from side to side. “Look at me Parsnip!”

Parsnip focuses her attention on the juggling, ignoring Meldrum

Meldrum bounces up and down making the wire all wobbly

...and loses his balance and falls off the high wire, (rock n roll)

landing in the net below holding his feet (happy baby pose) “I’ll get you next time, Parsnip!”

She’s done it! Parsnip bows, triumphantly catching the balls on her back.

Ted the elephant gives her a big celebratory trumpet.

Morris the monkey gives her a ‘well done’ monkey jump.

Then she takes a big step forward (Warrior 1), does a big jump and does it the other way.

The crowd gives her another big round of applause

...and she climbs down the ladder to her circus friends “Down we go!”

Parsnip catches them all and begins juggling (high lunge, juggling with arms).

then jumps and turns the other way! She won’t be distracted by him.

gets into bed

and lays down for a well earned rest.

Stan the rabbit (hare pose) lifts up his big ears

...and then bunny hops for joy!

Alice the horse clip clops a ‘bravo’ one way then the other.

Parsnip crawls back through the cat flap

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