Stella the Stick Insect - Kids Yoga Lesson Plan by cosmickids1

Stella the Stick Insect Kids Yoga Class Plan In this story we learn about having the confidence to be ourselves. The Bug Ball is coming up - and Stella the Stick Insect isn’t feeling very confident or special. We help Stella learn how to BELIEVE IN HERSELF and BE HERSELF. We have a word for this and it’s CONFIDENCE!

Set in the woods

Story script

The confidence to be yourself

Pose checklist

Best for 4 to 8 year olds

Watch Jaime leading this adventure on YouTube

Character image

Growth Mindset Activity

Things to remember Print out the Growth Mindset activityand the Stella character image for you to show the kids.

Bring a red and green pens (or pencils) so you can colour in phrases in the activity.

Stella the Stick Insect

Â© Cosmic Kids 2019

Stell the Stick Insect - Story Script

Today we’re off to the park where our friend Stella the Stick Insect lives. She’s not very easy to find mind you, as she looks like a stick, or a leaf or the bark of a tree!

Let’s begin our story lying in our beds. Lying all the way down, making our body nice and long and feeling relaxed. We’re going to pretend it’s Saturday morning. Ah! Bliss! We wake up and have a big stretch lengthening our arms up above our heads. We come up to sit, crossing our legs and stretch again! Then we stand up and fold all the way forwards, reaching our arms forwards to open the curtains. Oh! It’s a bit rainy today. Let’s have a shower in the rain. Standing up tall we pitter patter pitter patter with our fingers all over our head, face and body. Now we rub ourselves dry - stroking our arms down, and legs and tummies! That’s better! Time to go downstairs and have some breakfast. Marching as we sing! Down we go, down we go, down we, down we, down we go! We sit down with our legs crossed and we reach up to get the biggest pot, popping it down in front of us.

We’re going to make a nice big bowl of porridge! So we twist one way to get our oats - turning back to the front. Let’s shake them into the pot. Shake ‘em shake ‘em shake ‘em! Now we twist the other way to get our milk. We pour it in the pot...shhhhhhh! Now we need to stir it! We take our legs out wide and pick up a foot! We stir it, stir it, stir it! And the other way using our other foot! It’s ready! We cross our legs, fold forwards to rest on our elbows, keeping our bottom planted firmly on the floor and we gobble it all up! Mmmmm! We rub a hand on our tummy and pat our heads at the same time! Delicious! We hug everyone goodbye. Then we open the door and close it behind us. Off we go on our bikes! We pedal really slowly as we go up the hill and quickly as we cycle down hill! Yay! We arrive at the park. Let’s have a go on the swings (chair pose with arms up count 1,2,3 then swoosh arms down) Weeeee! Now let’s have a go on the slide - coming into our slide pose! That was brilliant fun!

We see a little lake. Drawing the soles of our feet together, make a big diamond shape with your legs. On this lake there is a tiny little boat - coming into boat pose! We row this little boat across the lake. Row row row the boat gently down the....BBBBRIIINNG BBBBRIIINNG! That’s the telephone! Let’s answer it – (Picking up foot/phone) Hello? Oh! There’s going to be a bug ball right here in the park. Yes! We’d love to come! Ok! See you soon. Byeee! We put the phone down and row with the other foot! Row row row the boat gently down the....BBBBRIIINNG BBBBRIIINNG! That’s the phone again! Let’s answer this one too! (Picking up foot/ phone)Hello? Oh hello Stella! It’s Stella the stick insect! Oh... You want to go to the ball? But you’re in a bit of a pickle...ok - we’re on our way to help! Rightio! See you in a mo! We come to the bank of the lake and step out of the boat doing big squidgy mud walks to reach the mossy woods. Squidge! Squodge! Squelch!

We come to a clearing which must be where the bug ball is happening later! How exciting! We find all of the bees tuning up (bumble bee breaths) They are all humming and getting themselves ready for making musical honey tonight at the ball.

Everywhere there are beautiful butterflies - they are going to do the decorations for tonight’s ball. There are also lots of rather wonderful caterpillars wiggling around, chewing the leaves and checking they are tasty and fresh enough for everyone to eat. Next we see grasshoppers in the Hopper Hair Salon chattering away to each other, getting their wings trimmed and highlighted for the dance. When we ask whether they can tell us where Stella, they point us in the direction of a broken branch. We look very carefully at the broken branch, turning our legs over to the other side to see where she is. Stella is an expert at being camouflaged which means she looks just like the sticks on the broken branch!

All of a sudden we hear someone crying! It’s Stella the stick insect (side plank)! She’s feeling very sad. “Nobody can see me! So what’s the point of me going to the ball?” We sit on our knees. Stella - we can help with that problem - why not wear some nice bright party clothes, then everyone will see you! Stella thinks this is a great idea, but we need to do a wash in our washing machine pose! We cross our legs, criss cross our fingers behind our head and twist from side to side saying wisha washa wisha washa wisha washa woo! Now we tumble dry them, blowing our fingers around and around! There…Now she has lovely bright coloured clean clothes to wear. Stella shows them off (stick insect / side plank the other side) enjoying wearing her party clothes. “That’s better! I feel alright now! Shall we go?”

“You will enjoy yourself more if you feel good about yourself“

Yes! And we want to arrive in style so we take a ride in the special Ladybug Limo - Child’s Pose clasping our hands together at the base of our spine. We lift and lower our elbows like little ladybird wings.

Once we arrive we see the dancing is in full swing. Stella doesn’t know what to do! She stands and stiffens up “I’m a stick insect. So all I can do is copy what others do – I don’t know how to dance and just be myself. I’m worried what everyone will think of me if I try” We can’t believe this - so we encourage Stella to just have a go and see what happens! But sure enough - Stella really isn’t very good at being herself - she just copies everyone else!

“We think others look cool, so copy them, rather than finding our own way of being.”

First she copies the Termite’s doing the twist! Jump your feet wide...and twist! Then she follows the caterpillars doing their caterpillar dance! Moving from dog pose, to hands and knees, lower to the ground then press up into snake (or caterpillar)! Finally she joins the beetles break dancing on their backs to some beatbox music! Coming into our beetle happy baby pose and try to beat box!

Stella is great at copying others, but she would be really amazing if she relaxed and tuned into her own way of dancing. We take a break and have a glass of firefly fizz through a straw. Mmmm.

All of a sudden, landing in front of us is a Fairy God Praying Mantis! We come into a squat position with our hands in prayer. The Fairy God Praying Mantis has some special advice for our Stella! “Dearest Stella – wherever you go whatever you do, never be afraid to be completely you. Believe in yourself, trust and let go, forget all the others, and let your light shine through! And with that the Fairy God Praying Mantis launches off like a ninja in the night. Ready after three, a big jump! 1,2,3 JUMP!

Wow! That was awesome! Now Stella feels ready to be completely herself and she takes to the dance floor in all her Stick Insect glory. Coming back into our stick insect pose. Her antennae wave around one way (sweep top arm around) Then the other antennae waves too - stick insect pose on the other side with the arm swooping around). Now Stella is dancing from her heart and she smiles as it feels just right. And she needn’t have worried what the others think. With Stella being completely herself, she radiates strength and inspires everyone else to believe in themselves. Her confidence is captivating!

“When you are being you - not trying to be like anyone else, you will shine more than ever!”

Here comes Steve the Spider! He seems to have fallen completely in love with Stella and he shyly asks “ Stella – may I have this dance?” Stella sits up tall on her knees. She beams her biggest Stick Insect smile, then gives Steve a ginormous hug, sending him into orbit. We better leave these two love bugs alone! We sit back and blow them a kiss. We hop on the back of the Ladybug Limo to ride back to the park. We find our bicycles to cycle all the way home.

Relaxation

It’s really dark, so we have to tiptoe up the stairs and into bed. We pull up the duvet, snuggle down and relax. That was an incredible adventure. The words of the Fairy God Praying Mantis are still crystal clear in our minds and we repeat them – “Wherever you go, whatever you do never be afraid to be completely you. Believe in yourself, trust and let go. Forget all the others and let your light shine through.” Wise words and we hope we can follow the advice. We each have our own light inside that makes us special. When we relax, we’re not worried what others think, that light shines through. We smile to ourselves as we feel a warmth inside – our light is on and we breath into it’s warmth. Knowing it’s there and feeling brave we slowly come back from our peaceful place. Wiggling fingers and toes and slowly coming up back to sit.

Follow-on Activity (Thoughts to help grow confidence)

Print and handout copies of the helpful/unhelpful thoughts along with red and green pencils to colour in the words. Colour the helpful thoughts in green and the unhelpful ones in red. Recognising that thoughts can have an effect on confidence is powerful. When we notice thoughts objectively we can act on the ones that help us, rather than get lost in the ones that don’t. If time doesn’t allow, the children can take their thought colouring home.

We’re going to pretend it’s Saturday morning. Ah! Bliss! We wake up and have a big stretch!

... reaching our arms forwards to open the curtains.

Oh! It’s a bit rainy today. Standing up tall we pitter patter with our fingers all over our head, face and body.

We come up to sit, crossing our legs and stretch again!

Then we stand up and fold all the way forwards...

Let’s begin our story lying in our beds.

Stella the Stick Insect - Pose Summary

Now we rub ourselves dry stroking our arms down, and legs and tummies!

We twist one way to get our oats. Shake ‘em shake ‘em shake ‘em!

We cross our legs, fold forwards to rest on our elbows, and we gobble it all up!

Mmmmm! We rub a hand on our tummy and pat our heads at the same time!

We sit down legs crossed and reach up to get the biggest pot. We’re going to make a bowl of porridge!

Now we twist the other way to get our milk. We pour it in the pot...shhhhhhh!

We hug everyone goodbye.

Time to go downstairs and have some breakfast. Marching as we sing! Down we go!

Now we stir it! We take our legs out wide and pick up a foot! We stir it, stir it, stir it! (Both sides)

Then we open the door and close it behind us.

On this lake there is a tiny little boat - coming into boat pose! .

We row this little boat across the lake. Row row row the boat gently down the.... BBBBRIIINNG!

We arrive at the park. Let’s have a go on the swings (chair pose with arms up count 1,2,3 then swoosh arms down)

Now let’s have a go on the slide coming into our slide pose! That was brilliant fun!

Off we go on our bikes! We pedal really slowly up the hill and quickly as we cycle down hill!

That’s the telephone! Let’s answer it! “Hello? Yes! We’d love to go to the Bug Ball!”

We step out of the boat doing big squidgy mud walks to reach the mossy woods. Squidge! Squodge! Squelch!

That’s the phone again! Let’s answer! It’s Stella the stick insect! You want to go to the ball but you need help? On our way!

There are also lots of caterpillars checking the leaves are tasty and fresh enough for everyone to eat.

Next we see grasshoppers, chattering away. They say Stella is at the broken branch.

We come to where the bug ball is happening later! We find all of the bees tuning up (bumble bee breaths)

We look very carefully at the broken branch, turning our legs over to the other side to see where Stella is.

We see a little lake. Drawing the soles of our feet together, make a big diamond shape with your legs.

We put the phone down and row with the other foot! Row row row the Boat... BBBBRIIINNG!

There are beautiful butterflies everywhere - they are going to do the decorations for tonight’s ball!

All of a sudden we hear someone crying! It’s Stella the stick insect! (side plank) “No one can see me!”

We sit on our knees. “Why not wear some nice bright party clothes, then everyone will see you?”

Stella loves the idea. So we need to do a wash in our washing machine pose! Wisha-washa!

We want to arrive in style so we take a ride in the special Ladybug Limo (child’s pose with hands clasped lift and lower elbows)

The dancing is in full swing. Stella doesn’t know what to do! She stands and stiffens up! “I’m a stick insect! I just copy people!

First she copies the Termite’s doing the twist!

We take a break and have a glass of firefly fizz through a straw. Mmmm. Stella would be amazing if she relaxed and tuned into her own way of dancing!

All of a sudden, a Fairy God Praying Mantis appears, and shares her advice. [“Be yourself!”]

Now we tumble dry them, blowing our fingers around and around!

Finally she joins the beetles break dancing on their backs to some beatbox music! (Happy Baby)

Stella is ready! In our stick insect pose, wave antennae one way (sweep top arm around)

...and the other way (plus sweep arm). Stella is dancing from her heart and it feels just right!

Steve the Spider seems to have fallen in love with Stella and asks “Stella – may I have this dance?”

Stella loves the clothes and shows them off (stick insect other side) enjoying wearing her party clothes

Then the caterpillars’ dance! Dog pose, to hands and knees, to the ground then press to snake (or caterpillar)!

And with that the Fairy God Praying Mantis launches off like a ninja in the night. Ready after three, a big jump! 1,2,3 JUMP!

Stella sits up tall on her knees. She beams her biggest Stick Insect smile...

It’s really dark, so we have to tiptoe up the stairs and into bed

Relaxation: “Wherever you go, whatever you do - never be afraid to be completely you. Believe in yourself, trust and let go. Forget all the others and let your light shine through.”

We better leave these two love bugs alone! We sit back and blow them a kiss.

We hop on the back of the Ladybug Limo to ride back to the park.

We find our bicycles to cycle all the way home.

...and gives Steve a ginormous hug, sending him into orbit.

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