Mindful Reading Book List- Holiday Gift Ideas

Here are my top 12 picks of mindfulness books and social-emotional learning books 📚 for children.

It’s no secret I love children’s yoga 🧘🏻‍♀️ 

and mindfulness books 📚 

After all I wrote my own book 📖 Lucinda’s Magical 🪄 Yoga Adventure because I wanted to share the wonder & whimsy of yoga with children everywhere! 

I’m such an advocate for mindfulness and SEL books for children that I became a book 📖 doula and coach and have helped 14 authors (and counting) to write, edit self publish and market their beautiful books 📚 

But I’ve been using, book,  particularly those with an emphasis on feelings and mindfulness, for over 24 years in my children’s yoga 🧘🏻‍♀️ classes.

AND I use them on the daily with my 6 year-old daughter Cadenze who is a little mindful📖 Bookworm 🐛 too!

📚Books teach kids important life skills, values and ways to support social-emotional learning. 

📚Books are a gateway to a world of learning about challenging situations and feelings which is so needed in this complex with we are living in. 

📚Books are a way to support kids who are struggling emotionally and promote mental health.

So when parents or teachers ask me what my fav mindfulness tool is 

BOOKS 📚 📚📚📚

is my # 1 answer. 

This list includes my book, some books written by the authors I have mentored and a few books from some of my favorite author and mindfulness educator friends! 

By: Category: Uncategorized

Earth Day Yoga Fun

Earth Hands Rainbow

Earth Day is an opportunity to teach children that taking care of the Earth is in our hands.

Today, why not go outside or to the park to enjoy some yoga outdoors?
What a gift to be able to spend some time outside with your child/students playing, singing and celebrating our big, beautiful planet Earth!

Doing yoga outdoors helps children really identify with the Earth and all the animals, plants and creatures that share the Earth as our HOME. 

The ACTIVITY PACK includes yoga and movement you can enjoy outdoors with your child and an Earth Day and a fun Scavenger Hunt too!  After celebrating Earth Day with these fun activities, you can repeat this Earth Day poem together.

The earth is ours, Yours and mine,

Ours to live on, ours to share,

Ours to treat with gentle care —

The earth is ours, Yours and mine.

Click the BUTTON below to download a FREE EARTH DAY Activity Pack to do with your child or students.

EARTH DAY ACTIVITY PACK

For more Nature Yoga Ideas to do with your child, take a look at my 

Activity Plans for Calm, Confident Kids in my SHOP:

By: Category: Children, Creativity, Inspiration, Kids Yoga, Music, Nature, Poetry, Teaching, Theme Classes, Yoga

HAVE YOURSELF A MINDFUL LITTLE HOLIDAYS

The Holiday Season is here! 

While the greatest PRESENT we can give our children is our PRESENCE, there are so many wonderful resources to share mindfulness and social-emotional learning with your child, students or favorite teacher.  The gift of mindfulness and emotional intelligence will keep on giving as children learn to connect with themselves and regulate their emotions through breathing, yoga, and focusing their attention on what is going on in their INNER world.  

One of the questions I’m asked most by parents is how to make mindfulness a part of their child’s everyday life. My answer is always the same~ make it fun and PLAY! 

That’s why I’ve collected some of my favorite yoga, mindfulness and social-emotional learning tools, toys and games for children ages 2 through preteen is this special MINDFUL HOLIDAY GUIDE!  All these resources have been kid-tested (and loved!) time and time again by the students in my classes and by my own daughter. 

Please NOTE: This blog post and the MINDFUL GIFT GUIDE contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission for purchases made through these links.

My book Lucinda’s Magical Yoga Adventure is the perfect introduction to yoga and mindfulness. Children will join Lucinda in exploring popular yoga poses, breathing and relaxation as they pretend to be the animals and characters they meet in the story.

My Mindful Magic Kit contains all the Mindfulness tools and props your child needs to find their inner calm! This Kit is filled with a Lavender and Flaxseed Cotton Eye pillow for relaxation, a bottle of bubbles for breathing, a bag of pom poms for playing TOE-ga game for focus, a set of 10 animal finger puppets for interactive yoga and movement storytelling all tucked in a a cute cotton pouch so kids can take their mindful goodies ON THE GO!! Comes wth printer Instructions for guiding kids through all the mindful activities.

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Medddy Teddy is a posable yoga and meditation bearwho makes the perfect yoga buddy for children. Kids can choose to bend and twist him into any yoga pose imaginable as they play yoga with him!

The KidScents Little Oilers Premium Starter Bundle has everything you need to surround little ones with the comforting aromas of KidScents essential oils. Includes Feather the Owl Diffuser and a complete set of five Child-Safe Essential Oils to support kids with sleep, congestion, digestion, anxiety and focus for school~ SleepyIze, SnifflEase, TummyGize, Owie and GeneYus.

“My Space to Be” is the perfect companion for children ages 7-11 to explore yoga and mindfulness. The Audio CD guides children through yoga and mindfulness exercises and practices that can be used throughout their day The companion spiral bound guidebook “Space to Be” allows them to identify and their feelings, while visualizing and interacting with the book. through writing, coloring and tracking their mindfulness. When paired together, the CD and book provide youth with a full mindfulness experience. Be sure to use the code BETTY for $5 off your order.

Peacemaker Cards help children and adults connect in daily, playful ways around the things that matter most: our feelings. Each card delivers a unique, affirmation designed to nurture emotional intelligence including self-love, social skills, a growth mindset, confidence, and more. Snuggle Buddies are plush animal toys that help children name and regulate their emotions with 4 adorable mood emojis that live inside each SnuggleBuddies friend.  The Peacemaker Cards and Snuggle Buddies are available from Generation Mindful.

Mindful Buddiez are a collection of sweet plush toys that encourage children to practice mindfulness. The core concept is simple~ it’s about stopping, breathing and giving your body and mind a chance to reset. Teaching kids how to Stop, Breathe & Reset is a life skill that will benefit them long into adulthood. Each Mindful Buddiez includes a guided recording of visualizations, breathing, affirmations, intention setting or soothing sleep meditations, depending on the buddy you choose. Use code BEYOGA10 for 10% off your order.

The Yoga Pretzel Deck is fun for kids of all ages! Kids can stretch their way to a fun and healthy lifestyle with each of the 50 yoga poses in this colorful deck, which include forward bends, back bends, partner poses, and balance poses.

The YOGI DICE game by Yogi Fun is an engaging game that first-timers and yogis alike will have a lot of fun playing! Kids will enjoy rolling the yoga dice and doing the variety of yoga poses. An ideal recreational activity for the whole family, it helps kids form stronger bonds with siblings, friends, parents, and/or grandparents while learning yoga poses.

By: Category: Uncategorized

Creating a CALM SPACE for Kids

Children, especially toddlers and preschoolers, have BIG FEELINGS.

When kids feel overstimulated or “flooded with feelings”, they don’t know what to do with them.  That is why they usually ACT on them or ACT OUT- by screaming, throwing things, hitting, biting, or some other physical way to release their feelings.   

It’s our job as parents to teach them how to regulate their feelings.  This takes patience and practice.  We can model how it’s done by remaining calm, taking a deep breath and offering them an alternative to having a meltdown or tantrum.

One way to promote mindfulness and emotional regulation is by setting up a SAFE SPACE for kids to calm down and manage their feelings in a healthy way. You can call it a Calm Space, Calm Down Spot, Cozy Corner or Tune In Nook. This offers a more gentle option than Time-OUTS by giving them a safe space to take some Time-IN and move through their feelings in a way that is free from blame or shame.

It’s never too early to make room for a Calm Space. You can introduce your baby to a quiet corner with soothing music and sensory objects like stuffies and a blanket, then continue to build on its use as your child grows by adding tools for mindfulness.

5 STEPS TO CREATING A CALM SPACE FOR KIDS

1. Choose an area in your home that is QUIET and not too busy. It could be an cozy corner or area in their bedroom, playroom or family room.

2. Delineate the space  by setting up a tent/teepee, hanging a canopy or curtain from the ceiling, using a soft comfy chair, or simply laying out a cozy blanket or rug. Make the space COZY and welcoming with pillows, a floor cushion or blankets.  Let your child make the space their own by adding their own items like a favorite blankie or stuffie.

3. Create a CALM DOWN KIT ( like the one below) for your child to use when they are feeling stressed or upset, Fill a bin or basket with mindfulness tools and items that will help calm them down.  A few favorite books (yoga and mindfulness books are a plus), play dough, affirmation cards, breathing props such as feathers or a pinwheel, an eye pillow for relaxation, some coloring sheets with crayons and a stuffed friend to hold and hug.

4. Practice using the space by having a daily routine of spending time there together. Choose a daily affirmation card, practice taking deep breaths, do a yoga pose together, color mandalas or journal together if your child is a bit older. Let them know it’s their special place where they can go when they need break or some time to calm down. You can also have some items for YOU to use in the calm space with your child, like an eye pillow or mask for relaxation.

5. When you notice your child is starting to get frustrated or upset, remind your child that it’s ok for them take a break in their Calm Space.

If you would like a MINDFUL ME KIT like the one below, click on the image below. It comes with a set of adorable animal puppets to prompt yoga poses, bubbles and feathers for breathing, pom poms to play “TOE-GA” and choice of lavender flax seed eye pillow- in yoga cats and dogs or yoga monkey pattern- all in a handy drawstring bag for kids to take their mindfulness tools on-the-go! An instruction sheet of the activities is included.

Creating a CALM SPACE for Kids
By: Category: Books, Breathing, Children, Creativity, Imagination, Kids Yoga, Meditation, Mindfulness, Parenting, Peace, Relaxation, Spirituality, Teaching, Uncategorized, Yoga

Books To Teach Kids about RACE and ANTI-RACISM

The recent acts of violence against people of color, the tragic death of George Floyd and the protests in support of the Black Lives Matter Movement have challenged us to educate ourselves and our children about RACE and RACISM. 

It’s simply not enough to be NOT RACIST. We need to model and teach our children to be ANTI-RACISM. 

Racism can be such a complex, painful topic to talk about, but it’s important that we start these conversations with kids so we can change the culture of white privilege. Luckily, there are wonderful children’s books about race and racism that we can read together to spark conversations with kids of all ages.

As an Author and book lover, I have always chosen books to expose my daughter to all kinds of new topics I want to teach her. The past few weeks, I have made it a priority to choose more diverse books (both at the library and to add to our own collection at home) to read with my toddler. 

Here are 4 books I highly recommend for preschoolers and elementary school age readers (ages 2-8) to introduce race and racial differences to young children.  I’ve also included some books for older kids and high schoolers. These can all be found on Amazon by clicking on the title links or book images below.

ONE LOVE by Cedella Marley

Based on Bob Marley’s classic song ONE LOVE, this heartwarming book brings his timeless “feel good” lyrics to life. It’s perfect for teaching kids about the power of people coming together with love in their hearts to bring about change. It is available in both board book and hardcover versions.

COLORS OF US by Karen Katz

The story, “The Colors of Us” celebrates the many shades of skin color. The story follows seven-year-old Lena, a budding artist who wants to paint herself. As she and her mother take a walk through their neighborhood, Lena learns that brown comes in many different shades and the people all around her come in many colors and cultures too.  When Lena returns from her walk, she’s excited to mix her yellow, red, white and black paints to capture her own unique skin tone. 

ALL THE COLORS OF THE EARTH by Sheila Hamanaka

This book begins with “Children come in all the colors of the earth~”

With its vibrant illustrations and simple wording, the book introduces kids to all the beautiful shades of skin color and their connection to the colors found on nature. It also depicts children, families and friends of mixed races, which reinforces that not all people and families look the same. I love how this book celebrates children of all races and has a positive message that all children be happy and free.

THE DAY YOU BEGIN by Jacqueline Woodson 

This book explores the many reasons we may feel different, maybe the way we look or speak, being from a different country or the food we eat.  The story begins on the first day of school and centers around Angelina, who has curly hair and brown skin.  She feels her “otherness” reflecting on her summer spent home playing with her little sister while her classmates share their stories of their summer vacation travels. This book reminds us that we all feel like outsiders sometimes and that it takes courage to share your stories. It promotes self love and acceptance of others as well as the power of your VOICE and the connection that can emerge when you are being yourself!

BOOKS FOR PRESCHOOL TO AGE 8

BOOKS FOR AGES 6 to12

BOOKS FOR TEENS

 
 
By: Category: Blogging, Books, Children, Diversity, Family, Freedom, Imagination, Peace, Teaching Tags: , ,

3 Creative Ways to Do Yoga with Toys

TOYS!  What child doesn’t love them?

Puppets, stuffed animals, dolls, toy trains, planes & trucks, the list goes on and on…

I’m sure your child got an assortment of toys for the holidays that they have been enjoying playing with.

But, did you know that toys are a perfect prop for teaching children yoga, focus, and relaxation?

Yoga with Toys

As a yoga teacher, I have experimented with different kinds of props and have found that some of my most popular lessons have been using simple toys to spark a child’s imagination.  I have my very own collection of stuffed animals and puppets which I love using in my classes.

Here are three ways to use what’s in your child’s toy chest or play room to teach your children positive, healthy yoga and movement activities while having FUN!

1) Toys are great for exploring Yoga Poses and Movement.  

Grab your child’s favorite stuffed animals, dolls, trucks or puppets and go on a yoga adventure with them.   A toy can be a wonderful prompt to MOVE and BE like the animal or object which the toy represents.  Bark in Downward Dog Pose, Fly in Airplane Pose, Arch your Back in Cat Pose, Squat in Frog Pose…You don’t even need to be familiar with the yoga poses to enjoy this play time with your child. Just ask your child how a snake, a butterfly, or a car or truck moves and then stretch your body this way or that.  Recently, a parent shared with me that once a week her 2 year who is in one of my preschool yoga enrichment classes would lay out a blanket and her stuffed animals and pretend to be the ‘yoga teacher’!

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2) Toys are wonderful props for developing focus and concentration.

Whenever I bring out my bag of finger puppets, all my students get excited and are ready to explore our yoga poses together.  They all watch and listen in anticipation as each child chooses a puppet from the bag and leads the class in a yoga pose!  Doing yoga with a toy helps children focus while trying some of the more challenging poses.  For example, ask your child to hold the puppet or toy out in front of them or place it on their head when doing a Tree Pose, which helps keep their attention on standing still and steady in the pose.

You can buy a set of adorable plush animal finger puppets for your child on my shop by following this link HERE or clicking on the image below.
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3) Stuffed animals or beanie babies are a fun breathing or relaxation ‘buddy’.

Your child’s favorite stuffie is the perfect companion for breathing exercises or relaxation time.  Place the beanie baby or stuffie on your child’s belly as they are lying on the ground or snuggled up in bed.  Have your child close his or her eyes and breathe in and out, slowly as they give their stuffed animal friend a gentle ride on their belly.  The kids love this!   This breathing exercise can be done right before bedtime so children can enjoy a restful night’s sleep.

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For more creative ideas on using props for yoga, look at some of my other posts:

Fun Finger Puppets as Yoga Props

Imagination Kids Yoga Props

Kids Yoga Props on a Budget

 

 

 

 

 

By: Category: Breathing, Children, Creativity, Family, Fun, Imagination, Inspiration, Kids Yoga, Meditation, Partner Yoga, Props, Relaxation, Teaching, Theme Classes, Yoga

Kids Yoga Props on a Budget

Yoga Props and Books are essential teaching tools for kids yoga teachers.

I have written several posts about my favorite yoga props, books and music, but I realize that many teachers who are just starting out may have a limited budget, so I wanted to share with you some of the awesome props I found at my local Dollar Tree and Amazing Savings discount stores.  Yoga props do not need to be expensive to be FUN!

I’ve tried out all these props in my classes over the past few weeks and the children LOVE THEM!!

Of course, Books are my favorite yoga prop!

Books keep children engaged and eager to turn the page to find out what yoga poses they will meet in the story.  The 3 books pictured here worked with different ages.
The board book Hello Lion with the LION puppet attached was a big hit with my younger preschoolers (ages 2 to 3).  I pretended to make a deep lion voice as I read the book and they had fun doing the poses ELEPHANT, MONKEY, TREE, BUTTERFLY, SNAKE and of course the “King of the Jungle” LION!
Mommy, Where are You is also a fun book for preschoolers. It’s about a little MOUSE who wakes up and can’t find his mother.  Each page shows an illustration that appears to be the mouse’s mommy, but is actually another animal. We did the yoga poses of each animal or nature element in the book and the children really enjoyed the idea of guessing which character they would meet on the next page.
The last book was a fun, double-sided book! One side is called You are a Gift to the World and the other side, The World is a Gift to You.  The book is perfect for elementary school age children to reinforce the concept of our connection to the earth and being part of it all.  There are so many poses in the book and it is such a positive message for children to realize their own unique gift  and that the Earth provides so many gifts to us.
Stickers are a favorite prop because what child does not like stickers?
There are a wide variety of stickers available at the Dollar Store in the education aisle.   Children love being able to choose a sticker and lead the class in the yoga pose represented by the animal or object on the sticker.  Stickers are great for animal, nature or transportation theme classes!
Animal Picture Cards are a wonderful visual prompt for yoga.
The cards are an excellent way to teach yoga poses once the kids are familiar with animal and sea creature yoga poses.  Children can each get a turn to come pick a card and then the whole class does the pose together!
Stuffed Animals are another popular yoga prop for kids!
They are plentiful at the Dollar store and the kids love visuals, so they make a great prompt for yoga! You can have each child choose a stuffed animal or create an interactive  yoga story with the stuffies. Stuffed animal are great for relaxation too.  Place the toy on the child’s belly and pretend to give them a ride with your breath!
All these props cost me less than $16!
So, when you are on a budget, make a trip to your local dollar store and use your imagination to find some really awesome props for your classes!

By: Category: Books, Breathing, Children, Creativity, Family, Fun, Imagination, Kids Yoga, Props, Teaching, Yoga

Spooky Halloween Yoga Fun!

namaste cat

What better holiday to stimulate a child’s imagination than Halloween?

I have always loved the creativity and self expression involved in  choosing a costume and dressing up for Halloween- it’s a day of PLAY and PRETENDING  that’s fun for ALL!
This year, why not give your children a special TREAT by having them choose spooky poses for some Halloween yoga.
Peek-a-Boo-Halloween-by-Ghost-Coloring-PageBegin by doing a GHOST BREATH
Take a long, deep inhale and then exhale “BOOOOOOO!!” You can even close your eyes and let out a long BOOOO in a spooky voice.
Pretend you are going to a costume party in a Haunted House which is wayyyy up on a big tall Mountain.
Ask your child to come up with ideas on how to get there.
You can Take a Train (Choo Choo BREATH) or a Plane (AIRPLANE POSE), ride a Witch’s Broom (TRIANGLE POSE for Witches Hat), ride a Magic Carpet (sitting on your YOGA MATS) or even a Spaceship!
When you finally make it up to the top, do MOUNTAIN POSE and TREE POSE. 
You can even make some CROOKED BRANCHES  with your arms.  
We you get to the house, pretend to knock on the door and open the creaky door…
Inside you meet some creepy Halloween creatures.
black cat a Black Cat (CAT POSE)
bat        a Bat (Sitting on the ground, lift up your legs in the air and flap them up and down like BAT WINGS)
spider a Spider (CRAWLING or SPINNING WEBS with arms outstretched) singing and doing the movements to the Itsy Bitsy Spider
Of course you’ll see lots of other fun Costumes like
Super Hero Cartoon with Capea Superhero (WARRIOR or HERO POSE)
lion and a Scary Lion (LION’s BREATH)
At the party, there is a Table (TABLE POSE) full of lots of tasty treats.
After DANCING to your favorite Halloween tunes (My favorites are Thriller and the Monster Mash)  it is time to rest.
Pretend to snuggle in bed, all wrapped up like a MUMMY  in your Yoga Mats.
Relax in SAVASANA.
There are so many possibilities for Halloween Yoga and the best part is that kids get to be creative and even make up their own poses!

By: Category: Uncategorized

Yoga Easter Egg Hunt

Spring is in the air and as Nature starts to show signs of new life, it is the perfect time for children to discover their connection to the natural world through yoga! Yoga allows kids to appreciate how things grow and the beauty all around them.
Instead of tossing those Easter baskets aside, why not use them to explore some fun Nature yoga and breathing exercises?  You can recycle those plastic Easter Eggs and plan a yoga egg hunt indoors or outdoors that your kids will love! It makes a great rainy day activity too!
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Prep and hide your plastic Easter Eggs with animal stickers or use this sheet of cute Easter Clip Art you can cut out.

DOWNLOAD EASTER CLIPART HERE

In honor of the Easter Bunny, start with a BUNNY BREATH.  
Wriggle your nose like a bunny, and start taking quick, short breaths out through your nose.
Are you hungry?  Let’s sniff around for some carrots!
Tell your child you will be going on an YOGA EASTER EGG HUNT!
Take turns opening the eggs and doing the yoga poses or movements of the animals or objects on the stickers or printed clipart.

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Some of the Poses you can do are:
Easter Bunny-Hop like a Bunny and do Rabbit Pose.
Butterfly-Bring soles of your feet together and put your hands on shoulders, as you flutter your ‘wings’-arms and legs.
Bee-Bumblebee Breath- take a deep breath in and breathe out making a BUZZZZZZZZING sound)
Bird-Stretch out your arms and flap your ‘wings” as you fly around.
Frog-Squat in Frog Pose
Egg and Chick- Come into Child’s Pose for Egg and pretend you are a little CHICK coming out of your egg.
Turtle-Sit with legs bent and arms tucked under legs, hiding your head in your turtle shell and then peek your head out.

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More ACTIVITY PLANS for CALM, CONFIDENT KIDS are available in my SHOP by clicking the images below.
Yoga Easter Egg Hunt

HERE COME THE CREEPY CRAWLIES

Yoga Easter Egg Hunt

BREATHING FUN FOR EVERYONE!

Yoga Easter Egg Hunt

PLANTING SEEDS OF MY YOGA GARDEN

Yoga Easter Egg Hunt

A CAMPING WE WILL GO!

By: Category: Children, Creativity, Fun, Inspiration, Kids Yoga, Nature, Props, Teaching, Theme Classes, Yoga

Books Make Yoga Come Alive!

 

Books Make Yoga Come Alive!

Do you remember those childhood days of reading your favorite book or bedtime story? 

I love books… I’ve loved books for as long as I can remember.
Every Saturday morning, my mother would take me to the library to pick out some books for the week.
I would get lost in each and every page…becoming part of the story.
I think that’s the reason I felt a calling to become an Author.
As both an author and a children’s yoga instructor, I love that I am able to use storytelling to engage children’s imagination.
It allows me to combine my passions for both books AND yoga!

Like reading, yoga allows us to go a magical journey using our imaginations.

That is why books are the perfect complement to kid’s yoga.  Storytime yoga is a favorite activity in my classes because the children get to experience and integrate the story on a holistic level through their senses and their bodies. They are not only listening to the story, they are actually IN IT!

Every book is an opportunity to take your students on a new whimsical yoga adventure.

Using books in your yoga classes is an effective way to engage all learning styles:  visual, auditory and kinesthetic. Since all children learn differently, the multi-sensory experience of reading and doing yoga together gives each child a way to process what they are learning and understand it in their own unique way.
Another important benefit of reading is that it improves focus and concentration. Children bring their awareness to the words, images and feelings evoked in the story.  One of the challenges of teaching yoga and mindfulness to young children is that they have limited attention spans.  A book is the perfect focal point for yoga because it allows children to place their attention on themselves with each turn of the page.  They are fully immersed in the moment as they respond to the story.
While there are a few story books available, including my own book Lucinda’s Magical Yoga Adventure, that actually have yoga poses in them, almost any children’s book with animals and nature elements can be used. Once you discover the many amazing books out there to use in your yoga classes, you will you will rediscover the magic that reading provides for a child and for yourself!

Here are 5 simple ways to incorporate books into your yoga classes or at home:

  • Choose a book that enhances your class THEME or teaches your child a POSITIVE MESSAGE 
  • Use each page as a PROMPT for a YOGA POSE or activity that reinforces your theme
  • Make it an INTERACTIVE STORY where the children become the characters they meet along the way
  • Play a GAME by asking your students/child to find the yoga poses in the book
  • Encourage children to MAKE UP yoga poses or movements for characters or objects in the story

Here is a list of my favorite of my all-time favorite books to use when doing yoga with children:

How Do I Love You? by Marion Dane Bauer
Mindful Movemements by Thich Nhat Hanh 
I’m Thankful Each Day by P.K. Hallinan
Peaceful Piggy Meditation by Kerry MacLean
What Does it Mean to Be Present? by Rana DiOrio

They are all available on AMAZON by clicking the title or the links below.

 

By: Category: Blogging, Books, Children, Creativity, Family, Imagination, Inspiration, Kids Yoga, Teaching, Theme Classes, Writing, Yoga
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