Archive for the ‘Parenting’ Category
Crossing the Midline and Kids Yoga
Do you ever wonder why small children seem to lack coordination and tend to perform tasks slowly and somewhat clumsily? This is due to the fact that they are in the process of building neural networks – “roads” – in the brain.
You have likely heard of the terms cross-lateral movements or crossing the midline. The midlines are invisible lines dividing the body in half. When a leg or an arm from one half of the body crosses over to the other half of the body this is crossing the midline. This helps the brain communicate in greater depth by connecting both halves of the brain via the network of fibers, called the corpus callosum. This integration of the two sides of the brain determines the speed, flexibility, adaptability and depth of the brain’s thinking. When children are allowed to play freely over the years of childhood, they naturally cross these midlines just by being kids and playing in limitless ways.
Sometimes, however, children will show up to school without having had many of the necessary experiences for this to have occurred with the necessary repetition. When the midlines aren’t fully developed, cross-lateral movements might feel unnatural to a child. Educational researchers, educators, occupational and physical therapists have come up with activities to attempt to make up for lost time, so to speak. By getting children to move in specific ways within deliberate activities it can make midline crossing a regular occurrence to help achieve the repetition necessary to help build these roads in the brain. The handout below says “Think of it as doubling up on the brain’s processing speed and power as it draws on the strengths of both the left and right sides to create ‘whole-brain’ thinking.” Authors of A Moving Child is a Learning Child say that crossing the midline not only streamlines movement, it supersizes those superhighways across the corpus callosum. As such it plays a critical role in preparing children’s brains for formal learning.
Kids’ yoga is one of the many activites that can provide cross-lateral experiences for children. And if done regularly, along with other rhythm and movement activities, it might assist in building the brain for optimal development.
The handout below explains midlines in a new way for me. Prior to this learning I only divided the body in two halves, the left and right. But this author divides the body in two additional directions: the top and bottom and the front and back, thus making it midlines – plural. This opens the doorway to many more physical movements meeting the requirements of cross-lateral movements and is worth exploring further. I always love learning new things!
For some occupational therapy activities for crossing the midline see OT Mom Learning Activities.
Thank you to Free Spirit Publishing and authors of A Moving Child is a Learning Child, Gill Connell and Cheryl McCarthy, for allowing me to share this handout through Learners’ Edge.
Related Posts:
Top 6 Yoga Poses for Toddlers “A few months ago a parent asked how she could best do yoga with her one-year-old daughter…”
Kids Yoga App – Create Your Own Balancing Sequence Effortlessly create a balancing sequence with a few taps of this kids yoga iOS app.
Top 5 Tips to Help Kids Yoga Balance: Kid Twitter Question Answered A kid question answered: “Do you have any tips to help us balance better?”
Getting Kids Ready to Write: Yoga in Schools A teacher question answered: “I was wondering the best combinations [of poses] to use [with my students] for getting ready to write.”
Twitter Leads to Most Rewarding Visit Imaginable Sing Song Yoga founder does yoga with students she connected with on Twitter.
For more info:
Sing Song Yoga® Kids’ Yoga App
Sing Song Yoga® kids’ yoga DVD
Sing Song Yoga® school program
This entry was posted on Monday, March 30th, 2015.
Posted in Benefits of Yoga, Education, Parenting, Yoga in Schools.
Tagged: children, cross-lateral activities, cross-lateral moments, crossing the midline, crossing the midlines, early childhood, early childhood activities, kid yoga, kids yoga, kids yoga benefits, midlines development, physical activities for toddlers, sing song yoga, yoga for kids, yoga in schools, yoga in the classroom
6 Tips to Dive Right Into Kids Yoga
It’s easy to put off beginning new things with your kids. The need for extra time, new paraphernalia, the “know-how”, and the needed space (without extra laundry filling it) can put parents into a temporary frozen state.
Kids yoga is no exception. It might seem as though everyone else is up on the latest yoga pose or the trendiest method, and you’re in no place to get your kids involved in that unknown territory — as though you’re too far removed to catch up.
However, this in not true in most any endeavor. So, here’s a little platform to help you feel comfortable to jump right into kids yoga.
1. There are no rights or wrongs in kids’ yoga
First of all, you can’t get it wrong. As parents we are often afraid that we’ll get things wrong so we hold back from trying. But the most growth occurs, for ourselves and for our kids, when we step outside our comfort zone. Whether you choose to begin with a kids yoga book, a CD, a DVD or an App, you’ll find those that you like and those that you don’t – but none of them will set you off perpetually in the wrong direction. Just jump in and allow your likes and dislikes to lead you to your family’s best fit.
2. Maybe a live kids yoga class is your best first move.
At times going into a class with a real teacher can be a great jumpstart to finding what works best for your family. If one class doesn’t do it for you, another class might be the key. There are heaps of great teachers out there and an increasing number of styles/methods so finding a good fit will be much easier today than it was just 5-7 years ago – when I was looking for something for my little one.
3. No yoga experience necessary.
As a yoga instructor people often sheepishly “confess” to me that they have never done yoga before, as though that’s a bad thing or that they’re somehow behind. Everyone is a beginner when they first begin something. No one comes into the world an expert on anything. We all begin at the beginning. It’s truly that simple. You do not need to know anything about yoga to start kids yoga!
4. No equipment needed to start.
You can begin without a yoga mat and don’t even really need any special clothes. Just give it a shot! Then, if your family is diggin’ it, you might find that a yoga mat and some soft clothing may help up the fun-factor!
5. Any space will do.
No need for a special space to begin kids yoga. Just scoot the toys to the side and begin the yoga fun!
6. Just jump in and get your feet wet.
Whether you begin with a live teacher or a book, yoga poses begin with simply mirroring the teacher. Nothing need be perfect. Just jump in and be guided to your next experience by your likes and dislikes. There are heaps of quality kids’ yoga programs available. I have a biased regard for our program, Sing Song Yoga® which currently has a customizable app and a DVD.
So check it out if you wish or locate another that seems a good fit! Either way, have a blast and be easy about it! Yoga is meant to help us lighten up a bit.
We would love to hear from you – either a comment below or through Facebook or twitter.
Related Posts:
Top 6 Yoga Poses for Toddlers “A few months ago a parent asked how she could best do yoga with her one-year-old daughter…”
Kids Yoga App – Create Your Own Balancing Sequence Effortlessly create a balancing sequence with a few taps of this kids yoga iOS app.
Top 5 Tips to Help Kids Yoga Balance: Kid Twitter Question Answered A kid question answered: “Do you have any tips to help us balance better?”
Getting Kids Ready to Write: Yoga in Schools A teacher question answered: “I was wondering the best combinations [of poses] to use [with my students] for getting ready to write.”
Twitter Leads to Most Rewarding Visit Imaginable Sing Song Yoga founder does yoga with students she connected with on Twitter.
For more info:
Sing Song Yoga® Kids’ Yoga App
Sing Song Yoga® kids’ yoga DVD
Sing Song Yoga® school program
This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2015.
Posted in Kids Yoga at Home, Parenting, Sing Song Yoga.
Tagged: children, childrens yoga, dvd, ipad app, kids yoga, kids yoga app, kids yoga dvd, kids yoga video, parenting, sing song yoga, yoga, yoga app, yoga for kids
Birthday Party fun with Kids Yoga
We had such a great time celebrating with Sing Song Yoga for kids at a recent birthday party for a fun-loving young yogi! Ages ranging from 3 to 11 melded together beautifully. The fun was managed through some classic Sing Song Yoga poses as well as games.
Our masterful yogis flowed through our Sunflower Sequence and incorporated yoga poses into games such as musical mats, tunnel of dogs and yoga freeze tag.
The room was divided seamlessly as a yoga space and a place to congregate to eat and celebrate further within the birthday party.
Thank you to the thoughtful parent for the invitation to Sing Song Yoga to join in on the birthday party fun!
This entry was posted on Sunday, November 30th, 2014.
Posted in Parenting, Sing Song Yoga.
Tagged: birthday party, birthday party ideas, children, childrens yoga, kids yoga, kids yoga app, parenting, sing song yoga, yoga for kids, yoga poses
Top 6 Kids Yoga Poses for Bedtime: a calming sequence
Ahhhh! Summer is here. After long lovely days at the beach, at the ballpark, on the playground and running around the neighborhood, kids tend to remain wired when heading to bed. Unless of course a calming activity is deliberately infused into the routine leading up to bedtime.
One such activity can be a short series of kids yoga poses. Here are top 6 yoga poses for helping your child begin to calm their bodies and minds — in as little as 8 minutes. These poses also happen to be the included poses in the free Sing Song Yoga App. So enjoy – and let us know what you think!
Sailboat begins the series during which your child will twist around the straight spine, which has a neutral effect on the nervous system.
Next comes Half Butterfly. Forward folds have a calming effect on the nervous system and the one bent leg opening up the hip adds to the calming effect.
Fish pose is a lovely night time yoga pose to add to our sequence. We tend to hold stress in our hips, so allowing our legs to relax out to the sides enhances the relaxation effect. Open up the chest and allow your head to relax back and look behind you (slightly different than the picture). This multifaceted pose works beautifully to continue the calming effect.
Bridge pose is an inversion well known for its calming effect on the nervous system. This kids’ yoga pose can also be used anytime you have an extra minute during your day to give your child an extra sense of calm. Great, of course, for moms and dads too!
Deadbug pose adds a final dose of a calming response before the big finale! Your child can even add the hum of the bug to enhance the relaxation. Hearing the humming sound within one’s own head can also double the calm for some children.
Savasana is the final yoga pose in this series and the granddaddy of the relaxation poses. Encourage your child to lie flat on his or her back, close the eyes and imagine themselves floating on a cloud allowing their bodies to completely relax. For preparing for bedtime, it can also be helpful for your child to do savasana right in their bed and then allow themselves to drift softly into dreamland! Ahh! Now mom and dad can slip off for their own quiet time.
If you would like to learn the songs and more in-depth directions to these Sing Song Yoga kids yoga poses, check out the award-winning Sing Song Yoga App in the iTunes Store. The above poses are the free ones at launch. Or see our website to order the DVD.
To see a fun White Board Animation about our program click here!
This entry was posted on Saturday, June 21st, 2014.
Posted in Benefits of Yoga, Kid's Yoga Sequences, Parenting, Sing Song Yoga.
Tagged: app, app store, boys, children, childrens yoga, daughters, dvd, girls, health, ipad app, iphone app, ipod touch app, kids, kids yoga, kids yoga app, kids yoga benefits, mindfulness, music, parenting, physical activities for toddlers, raising kids, sing song yoga, toddler yoga, video, yoga, yoga app, yoga benefits, yoga for kids, yoga poses
Sing Song Yoga Kids Yoga App Awarded Top App of the Year 2014
We are feeling the love and are grateful for the honor as our Sing Song Yoga kids yoga app has been named the “2014 Top App of the Year Award” in the “Apps for Healthy Habits” category by Creative Child Magazine! Thank you heaps to the over 100 reviewers, made up of educators and parents, who put their hearts, time and expertise into reviewing our app. We love that others are finding such value in our first-of-its-kind kids yoga app, which makes our beloved Sing Song Yoga program completely customizable for the user.
The Sing Song Yoga App allows the user to customize his or her own yoga experience by selecting either:
- one of the 39 preprogrammed Sing Song Yoga Sequences or
- individual kids yoga poses
Each of the preprogrammed SSY Sequences have an end in mind. Some of the more popular sequences are the “Bedtime Sequence,” the “Athlete’s Sequence” and the “I am Powerful Sequence.”
The free download includes one free sequence and 6 free poses. This helps the user know if it’s a good fit for them before purchasing either a package, sequences or poses.
One fun feature to highlight is that kids love saving their own sequences with their names in them:
Thank you for checking out our kids yoga app. You can search kids yoga or Sing Song Yoga in the Apple App Store or simply click on Sing Song Yoga app here. For more information on our kids’ musical yoga program go to our Sing Song Yoga for kids yoga website.
Thank you Creative Child Magazine for the recognition! We are truly grateful for the honor! See this post for the process that goes into selecting the award winners.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 11th, 2014.
Posted in Parenting, Sing Song Yoga.
Tagged: app, children, childrens yoga, health, ipad app, iphone app, ipod touch app, kids, kids yoga, kids yoga app, kids yoga benefits, parenting, physical activities for toddlers, sing song yoga, toddler, toddler yoga, yoga, yoga app, yoga for kids, yoga poses