We danced over to our Paper White project and dug in! The kids did it all from moistening and breaking up the dirt with their hands, burying the bulbs, and giving it enough water so that it could grow. We then came into Flower Pose and practiced patience once more while balancing and waiting for the plant to start growing. One swore she saw the bud grow, but I reminded her that we probably won't see any growth until at least next week! We placed the plant by the window in the Meditation Room and they are very excited to get back next week to see how it is doing! 
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Growing Up
We danced over to our Paper White project and dug in! The kids did it all from moistening and breaking up the dirt with their hands, burying the bulbs, and giving it enough water so that it could grow. We then came into Flower Pose and practiced patience once more while balancing and waiting for the plant to start growing. One swore she saw the bud grow, but I reminded her that we probably won't see any growth until at least next week! We placed the plant by the window in the Meditation Room and they are very excited to get back next week to see how it is doing! 
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Upside Down
Shoulder stands, headstands, handstands, and forearm stands really get the blood flowing throughout the whole body. When upside down, the brain is refreshed with new oxygenated blood to bring clarity to the mind, while the body develops strength and balance. Inversions are said to have positive effects on 4 major systems including the cardiovascular, lymphatic, endocrine, and nervous system. For kids, it's just fun! Kicking up into headstands and walking up the wall to practice handstands...kids love being upside down! Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Next Session Registration

Monday, January 18, 2010
Now that's Family Yoga!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Martin Luther King Day
 Monday, January 11, 2010
Watermelon Pose!
The New Year always brings a focus on eating right. Wherever you look - commercials, the Internet, bookstores, drug stores, etc. Some of the messages that the media puts out can tend to be misleading at times, especially for children and tweens - focusing on how you should look rather then how you feel. I strongly disagree with those messages, but that's a whole other blogpost! I believe giving your body the proper care and nutrients it needs for the strongest and healthiest YOU is something that should be done year round. But whatever it takes to get people there, so be it.

I came across a great article by Lisa Flynn on The Kid's Yoga Resource site: Food, Mood, Behavior, and Learning - What are You Feeding Your Kids this Year? It was full of great information on nutrition for kids. I started to think how I could incorporate this in my class...I asked Lisa for some suggestions and wah-lah! Her next posting: The Picnic Game: Nutrition Education for Kids contained some awesome nutrition focused activities for kids! And I had a wonderful class lined up for my 4-7 yr olds! We started with a focus on what the kids had for breakfast, that it was the most important meal of the day and gave us energy so we could move and have fun in yoga class! We read "Little Pea" by Amy Krouse Rosenthal - the story of the little pea who would get no spinach for dessert if he didn't finish his candy! We then played the Picnic Game recommended by Lisa. The kids checked out their play-food choices and did some yoga poses to mimic the food, which was very entertaining! Ask a your little yogi what they think Watermelon Pose looks like and see what you get! We then did a coloring activity break down of the Food Pyramid recommended by Team Nutrition at the USDA. The kids enjoyed themselves because it was a fun and interactive way of learning how to take care of ourselves! Not to mention, they are able to walk away with some information that they can value the rest of their lives. You can never start too young!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Hope is a Game Changer
 "Hope is the most important thing that people need to move forward. The slightest ray of hope can ignite the human spirit's ability to overcome: The Power of the Invisible Sun." - Bobby SagerTuesday, January 5, 2010
Yoga Toes
 
Favors for our birthday parties at Alluem Kids are always changing. Our most recent favors were Toe Socks by Little Miss Matched. The girls loved them! They're fun to look at and they break the rules - they don't match! Makes folding laundry a lot easier, too. I've just discovered tons of cool activities for kids on their website that are worth checking out and that I just may use in some of my classes...Eye-Catching Eye Pillows (great for Savasana)...Dream Catchers...or even design your own socks, pjs, or bedding to keep the creativity flowing in your kid! Oh, and you must check out the KnitWits...they would make great Breathing Buddies (stuffed animal or toy to place on your child's stomach during reclined deep breathing exercises - watch your buddy get a ride as you inhale and exhale)! I heart Little Miss Matched!