Week 3: The Enchanted Forest
Be Brave! Be Magical! Be Magnificent!
Be Brave! Be Magical! Be Magnificent!
In the last 2 summer camp blogs I loaded you up with lots of book and craft and activity ideas and finally the poses came at the end. This time I intend to simplify the process slightly. I will start with some key poses and then add other suggestions at the end. I hope some children may be able to see the poses, create their own story and get right down to being magnificent without needing quite as much adult guidance. Of course, there are enough poses here to cover several days. It is best to choose a few and have fun, not work through them all and be overwhelmed.
REMEMBER TO INCLUDE BREATHING THROUGHOUT. TO BEGIN WITH THE BREATH IS A GREAT WAY TO SET THE INTENTION FOR YOUR YOGA PLAY. Balloon Breathing can be integrated into many different scenarios. Simply remember to allow your body to expand on the inhale and contract on the exhale.
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a) PRETZEL/easy pose/crisscross applesauce OR ½ LOTUS or FULL LOTUS: sit tall and comfortably
Sway gently from side to side like a river floating from bank to bank
Relax with the flow of the river, meandering through the meadow
b) Circle body around and around, from your waist, when you reach a whirlpool
Feel your body warming as you begin to build up speed as the whirlpool moves faster and faster and then slows down as you move out of it back to the gently flowing water until you see a bend in the river
Sway gently from side to side like a river floating from bank to bank
Relax with the flow of the river, meandering through the meadow
b) Circle body around and around, from your waist, when you reach a whirlpool
Feel your body warming as you begin to build up speed as the whirlpool moves faster and faster and then slows down as you move out of it back to the gently flowing water until you see a bend in the river
SEATED TWIST: Twist from side to side as the river goes around one bend and then another
WATERFALL: Stand Tall as your river comes to a waterfall – tip back and feel the water rolling down your rocky spine
This is a magical waterfall. Turn around 3 times and jump right into its centre where you find yourself passing right through to the other side into an enchanted forest.
This is a magical waterfall. Turn around 3 times and jump right into its centre where you find yourself passing right through to the other side into an enchanted forest.
MOUNTAIN: Immediately in front of you is a magnificent mountain. Breathe your mountain peak up, up, up, palms coming together. Breathe out and feel your shoulders relax down, while your mountain peak remains as high as the clouds. Look up to see if there’s any snow on your mountain peak. Continue to breathe. On an exhale, take your arms down. Repeat 2 more times.
Feel strong, solid, confident
Feel strong, solid, confident
TREE: stand tall with your roots sinking into the ground, take you branches up to hug the sky as you place one foot on your standing leg. That foot can be by your ankle or above your knee but try not to put it on your knee. Repeat on the other side. You can touch a wall or put your bent knee on a wall if you feel off balance.
Trees provide food, shelter, paper, shade, toilet paper AND OXYGEN! Trees are our breathing buddies. Trees are important and so are you!
Trees provide food, shelter, paper, shade, toilet paper AND OXYGEN! Trees are our breathing buddies. Trees are important and so are you!
EAGLE: At the top of the tree, sits an eagle. Eagles have very keen eyesight.
Imagine what it would feel like to soar over the forest or to look out from the top of your tree. What do you see?
Imagine what it would feel like to soar over the forest or to look out from the top of your tree. What do you see?
KNIGHT: Stand firm in Warrior 2. Warriors wore heavy armor to protect them. We can put a bubble of light around us to feel safe. I AM BRAVE!
UNICORN: Move into warrior 1 – then bend your elbows, placing palms together so thumbs touch your 3rd eye (between and above your eyes on your forehead) to make your magic potion filled horn.
Feel the mystical and magical pieces of you fall into place
Feel the mystical and magical pieces of you fall into place
FAIRIES: From Warrior 1 move into Dancer’s Pose. Be Magnificent!
Feel as light as a fairy dancing with gossamer wings flitting and flying over the forest.
Feel as light as a fairy dancing with gossamer wings flitting and flying over the forest.
WIND CHIMES: Listen and you might hear some fairy bells tingling or wizardy wind chimes, chiming. Stand tall and fold forward limply – let your body relax and sway slowly from side to side
OWL: Whooooo. With one wing behind and one in front, slowly twist from one side, then to the other. Softly call out to the night forest as you see if you can see further behind you each time you twist from the waist, Owls are silent flyers. Stand up and fly silently before going to the next pose
FROG: Ribbit Ribbit – hop like a frog to strengthen your back frog legs!
Are you a frog or are you a prince? A frog prince?
Are you a frog or are you a prince? A frog prince?
ROYAL CAT: you encounter the royal cat roaming the forest - meow. As you breathe out round your back up and look at your tummy. As you exhale, let your belly drop. Look up and MEOW.
ROYAL DOG: the royal dog is leading you through the paths in the forest until you come to a pond
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SWAN: in the Royal Pond in the middle of the forest, swans swim silently – some swans are more flexible than others; that is OK!
Feel graceful and perfect just as you are.
Feel graceful and perfect just as you are.
MOAT: Near the royal pond, there is a castle! Around the castle there is a moat. In the moat there are:
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SEA SERPENTS: slither your snake body through the water
CROCODILE: from sea serpent transform into crocodile by stretching your legs behind and arms in front. Splash your feet into the water. Relax them down. Open your arms and chomp your hands together. Relax. Try splashing feet and chomping arms together at the same time!
RIVER RATS: Go into mouse pose and stretch one long leg behind you for your rat tail! Then switch. Or just curl up tight and relax your body down into the murky water.
CASTLE: The castle is completely surrounded by the moat. Lie on your back and take your arms and legs straight up to create 4 turrets. Feel strong and sturdy like a castle.
HOW WILL YOU GET INTO THE CASTLE
HOW WILL YOU GET INTO THE CASTLE
DRAWBRIDGE: Walk across the drawbridge. Run across. Tap your hands on your belly as you cross the bridge over the mote into the castle!
PRINCE or PRINCESS: Sit in easy pose (or lotus). Allow your spine to lengthen and straighten and your head to float upwards. If you have a breathing ball (Hoberman Sphere) or a book or a toy, place it on your head like a crown and sit regally on your throne. You can also do Royal Child Breath by holding the Hoberman Sphere in your hands, pulling it open to expand with your belly as you breathe in and closing the ball as your belly contracts as you breathe out. If you don't have a breathing ball you can just put your hands on your belly and feel it moving out on the IN breath and in on the OUT breath.
TEA SANDWICHES: Sit with your legs in L and begin to place ingredients on your (legs) bottom slice of bread – pat cheese from your head down to your toes, then cucumbers in the same way – put on whatever you want. Finally place the top piece of bread (your arms) all the way over all of the ingredients. Take a few bites before you inhale and sit tall ready to make another sandwich.
FAIRY CAKES: Place an imaginary mixing bowl in front of you and begin to add ingredients to the bowl. Cherries (5), chocolate chips (2 bags), bananas (20 – count by 10s) – put whatever you want in and count as you go. Holding your imaginary stir stick in front – STIR moving from your hips around and around one way and then the other and then BAKE: fold forward for 5 counts or however long you like!
FLOWER: find your balancing spot and tip up and bloom putting flowers all over the castle great room.
BUTTERFLY: remember to flap your elbow and knee wings and wiggle your finger antennae as you sit on the royal flowers
FLYING BUTTERFLY: Stretch out your wings and fly! All around the castle you go. In and out of the windows. Through the open door. Across the mote, over to the pond and back to the royal garden. Relax.
CANDLE: lie on your back and light the castle with your magic flame as night begins to descend on the forest
ROYAL DEAD BUG: lying on back with legs and arms stretching upwards, shake all 4 limbs and then flop them down. Repeat a few times to get all your sillies out and then let your arms and legs come down to the floor.
Be so still. Be so quiet. Be so relaxed.
Be so still. Be so quiet. Be so relaxed.
ROYAL LADY BUG: With your hands grasp your knees to your chest and rock back and forth to relax the spine
DRAGON BREATH: Lying on your back place your hands on your belly. As you breathe in feel the love of the kingdom flow into your body. Breathe out all the fire, releasing all negativity from your body. Repeat breathing in love, breathing out fire. Breathe in and out slowly and deeply until you are filled with love.
Breathe in love, breathe out love.
R E L A X
Breathe in love, breathe out love.
R E L A X
The usual craft and activity ideas may be added later. With school starting very soon, it seems the need for School Readiness suggestions outweigh summer camp suggestions.
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