Mindfulness: How Yoga Helps Kids Focus! Free Sun Salutation Download

Easy

from the mindfulness series

Do your kids need a little focus? – a little more energy?

Step out to the playground, a grassy area or even in the classroom for a quick 10 minute practice

Start with this Simple Sun Salutation Practice

Conscious Childhood

additional content & lesson plans

YOGA GAMES FOR CHILDREN

The authors say that even teachers who have never tried Yoga, now have a proven tool in their collection of interventions

Why Yoga?

How does this practice helps kids focus?

We live in a world where our attention is pulled in so many directions, by external stimuli, that we have lost our sense of center. Our children, not surprisingly, are struggling with developing some of the basic building blocks for learning, such as self regulation, focus, body awareness and social connection. In the wake of the return back to the classroom, the majority of teachers have ranked behavior and mental health challenges as top priorities needing urgent attention, in the coming school years.

In Yoga Games , authors, Danielle Bersma and Marjoke Visscher, explain that yoga activities increase our children’s self-awareness, selfconfidence and social development through breathing and movement. Through daily practice they improve motor skills and physical fitness, develop awareness of the senses, foster creativity and emotional growth, and build social skills. While that may seem like a tall order, children are delighted with and fully engaged in these opportunities to develop a growth mindset.

“By the age of 4 years, as many as 40% of children have sufficient problems with attention to be of concern to parents and preschool teachers”

Palfrey, Levine, Walker, & Sullivan, National Institutes of Health Click on our website below for a full description & buying options

HELLO, SUN! A Yoga Sun Salutation to Start Your Day. Children love “Sun Salutations.” Author Sara Jane Hinder’s colorful picture book has playful, beautiful nature inspired illustrations to delight young kids. The whole class can follow along.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS:

1. Keep each pose brief and encourage creativity.

2. Let them know that mistakes are welcome –that’s why its called a “practice”.

3. Model for them a positive growth mindset by intentionally wobbling, falling, and trying again.

4. Schedule a daily practice..

Sun

Salutations

are ancient yoga movements and poses that were followed in a sequence for the purpose of warming up the body. This easy yoga practice below is a fun way to wake up your students anytime they need a bit of extra focus and vitality.

Directions: Start at the very top circle. Proceed in a clockwise manner. Each illustration demonstrates the position and the words to chant while holding that position for a few moments. After daily repetition, students will be able to memorize the sun salutation chant and positions. You may start very slow and focus on a controlled stretch during the movement. In time, if you wish to pick up the pace in order to inject some more energy into the practice. Have fun!

Then I Bring My Hands Together, Thank You Sun, Goodbye!

Hello, Sun, You Are Bright and Grand

I Stand Up Tall and Raise My Hands High

Salutation

Your Light Spreads Across the Land

I Bend Down and Touch the Flowers with Great Care

Then I Walk my Hands Back Like a Big Brown Bear

I Bend Up Like a Triangle With My Hips in the Air

I Drop my Tummy Down and Look Up at the Sky

I Walk My Hands Forward With My Hips in the Air

I Straighten My Back Like a Strong Dragonfly

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATOR

TIP: Substitute the name “Sun” for “God”

CreativeCharacters

Student Name: __________________________

Directions: Choose a partner for this lesson. Next, decide on an animal, person or object for the character. Then think of some traits for the character. Then choose an action using some yoga movements. Create a sentence or two as you both act out the character’s traits and actions. Mostimportantly,besillyandhavefun!

Yoga Poses:

Word Banks:

Character / Object Trait Action

Brave Playful Tall

Clever Patient Pretty

Strong Friendly Tiny

Grateful Soft Bright

Curious Wise Gentle

Sample:

Lion Cow Giraffe

Cat Snake Flamingo

Hero Angel Queen

Tree Cloud Wave

Wind Sun Snowflake

Hunts Bends Stands

Sleeps Crawls Flies

Stretches Shines Smiles

Grows Moves Touches

Looks Sparkles Floats

The curious cat looks up at the tiny bird. The strong tree grows tall toward the sky.

TIP: You can add new movements like a sitting cat, or waving branches to your sentence.

Create your sentence on the back of page:

First, you and your partner create motions (using some yoga poses and your own) to show us your character’s traits and actions. On the back of this page, write a sentence or two about your character.

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https://www.consciouschildhood.org