1. Transitions are the perfect time to weave in some movement. If they're new to my classroom, I will call out the yoga poses I'm inviting them to try, but as the year progresses, and they become more familiar with the poses I might say, "Choose a yoga pose of your choice!" This is usually quick and bright and might last up to two minutes maximum.
2. Brain Breaks last a little longer than transition time yoga. This might be a breathing exercise, or a mindfulness activity, or a yoga sequence specifically designed to relax the neck and shoulders. Brain Breaks are especially useful after a test or a weighty assignment. It helps the children to release the stress from the assignment and regulate their bodies back to neutral.
3. PE Class is a great place to teach yoga. A short sequence done to music is a fun warm-up before the big kickball game! Or, maybe your students are ready for a full 30-minute yoga class, including a warmup, sequence, and cool-down.
4. Rainy Day We all know what it's like to suddenly be stuck inside with a class of spunky students on a rainy day. What do you do with all those children needing to move their bodies? You guessed it! A yoga class as short as 15 minutes could help the children to regulate and center their bodies in lieu of running around on the playground.
5. Reward I sometimes use yoga as a reward and put a certain academic lesson on pause for the day. It can effectively be used to reinforce some social emotional learning that needs immediate attention on a particular day.
Now good luck weaving in some yoga! Your kids will love it!
xoxo
Karima
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