22 Mar 2019
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?
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’!
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.
For more creative ideas on using props for yoga, look at some of my other posts:
Fun Finger Puppets as Yoga Props
2 Jul 2020
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