A Yogi Librarian’s Blog
In this video, you will learn how to teach Sun Races. Whether it’s time for a movement minute or the start of your kids yoga class, this exercise is perfect!. Sun Races are a great for releasing pent up energy and refocusing attention.
In this video, children will move-to-learn through yoga as they practice the following developmental skills-
Motor/Physical Skills: strength, coordination, and flexibility
Emotional Skills: silliness and being a good sport
Reading stories aloud together builds vocabulary, improves comprehension, and promotes speech development. Allowing them to begin to read by themselves promotes focus and confidence building. By adding a craft to the experience, you continue to build on story time learning; practicing motor skills and creativity, while providing the opportunity to discuss the book’s themes, words, and message. It becomes an active engagement experience, in the same way that adding the movement of Bendy Bookworm’s yoga poses do, in order to benefit the child’s optimal ability to learn through play.
Try this craft (Ideal for ages 6-9 years old). Pair it with “Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut” by Derrick Barnes for an At Home: Story Time and Craft Activity.
Cognitive Skills: vocabulary and focus (learned from independent reading)
Motor Skills: tracing and cutting (practiced during the craft)
Emotional Skills: self expression, creativity, self regulation, and self love (practiced during the craft)
Paperbag
Watercolor, Washable Paint, Crayons, and/ or Markers
Glitter and/ or Sequins
Masking/Washi tape
*Cut your paper bag down the side and cut off the bottom.
*Lay it flat and zig-zag cut all across the top.
(Measure it by placing the crown around your head plus an extra inch.)
*Paint the crown and let it dry!
*When the crown is dry, glue on any additional decorations (glitter, sequins, stickers, etc.)
*I used Water Color Paint.
*When you've finished decorating, place the crown around your head and secure in place with a piece of masking/washi tape.
These titles can be found on overdrive/ hoopla (ebook catalogs that you may be able to access with your library card!) or at your local library!
Reading stories aloud together builds vocabulary, improves comprehension, and promotes speech development. By adding a craft to the experience, you continue to build on story time learning; practicing motor skills and creativity, while reminding your child of themes and words from the story. It becomes active engagement, in the same way that the added movement of Bendy Bookworm’s yoga poses are, in order to benefit the child’s optimal ability to learn through play.
This craft is ideal for ages 18 months - 5 years old because it supports early developmental skills like practicing cutting with scissors, drawing shapes, and making independent creative choices. Pair it with the suggested title for a great At Home: Story Time and Craft activity!
Cognitive Skills: vocabulary (learned from picture book)
Motor Skills: glueing and scissor practice
Emotional Skills: patience, creativity, and autonomy/ independent choice (practiced during the craft)
Paper Plate
White or Green and Yellow Construction Paper
Glue
Scissors
Crayons
Pencil
Noisemaker
Optional: washable paint, colored tissue paper, googley eyes, cotton balls
*Fold plate in half.
*Poke a hole through the center of the paper plate with a pencil.
*Color, Paint, or Cover one side of the Paper plate red and the other side green.
*Cut Out: 4 leg shapes and 1 crown shape (picture below) out of green and yellow construction paper or white paper and then color the shapes.
Option: cut out 2 eyes or use googley eyes glued to cotton balls.
*Glue it all together.
*Insert noisemaker through center hole for tongue.
These titles can be found on overdrive/ hoopla (ebook catalogs that you may be able to access with your library card!) or at your local library!
How do you teach your children to listen to different voices and experiences? How do you teach them empathy for these different experiences?
ADD Love to your shelves!! Actively add Queer voices and perspectives into your home; have what your children hear, the artwork they see, and the books they read reflect diversity, inclusivity, and love.
Reading books together prompt discussion and lessons; self education begins at home. I encourage you to add love to your bookshelves. PLEASE use this list as a starting point to teach and talk about the Queer community in your home and with your Tween NOW!
If you desire to raise empathetic, loving, and accepting children:
ADD love to your shelves!! Teach all the dimensions of love and individuality to their play and their environment: actively add voices and perspectives into your home; have what they hear, the artwork they see, the books they read, the toys they play with reflect inclusivity.
Reading stories aloud together builds vocabulary, improves comprehension, and promotes speech development. It also provides moments of discussion and lessons. I encourage you to add love to your bookshelves. PLEASE use this list as a starting point to teach and talk about the Queer community in your home and with your children as early as possible!
How then can you begin the continual conversation of race in your home? How do you teach your children to listen to different voices and experiences? How do you teach them empathy for these different experiences?
ADD color to your shelves!! Actively add Black voices and perspectives into your home; have what your children hear, the artwork they see, and the books they read reflect diversity and inclusivity.
Reading books together prompt discussion and lessons; self education begins at home. I encourage you to add color to your bookshelves. PLEASE use this list as a starting point to teach and talk about race in your home and with your Tween NOW!
“I don’t see color” is NOT the answer or the ideal. In fact, it is a form of racism. To deny color, is to deny our fellow humans’ experience. By 3 months, babies are already tracking and responding to skin color (Hirschfield, 2008). How then can you begin the continual conversation of race in your home?
ADD color to your shelves!! Add color to their play and their environment: actively add voices and perspectives into your home; have what they hear, the artwork they see, the books they read, the toys they play with reflect inclusivity and love you wish to teach them as a parent or caregiver!
Reading stories aloud together builds vocabulary, improves comprehension, and promotes speech development. It also provides moments of discussion and lessons. I encourage you to add color to your bookshelves. PLEASE use this list as a starting point to teach and talk about race in your home and with your children as early as possible!
Reading stories aloud together builds vocabulary, improves comprehension, and promotes speech development. By adding a craft to the experience, you continue to build on story time learning; practicing motor skills and creativity, while reminding your child of themes and words from the story. It becomes active engagement, in the same way that the added movement of Bendy Bookworm’s yoga poses are, in order to benefit the child’s optimal ability to learn through play.
This craft is ideal for ages 18 months - 5 years old because it supports early developmental skills like practicing cutting with scissors, drawing shapes, and making independent creative choices. Pair it with any of the suggested titles for a great At Home: Story Time and Craft activity!
Cognitive Skills: vocabulary (learned from picture book)
Motor Skills: glueing and scissor practice
Emotional Skills: self expression, creativity, and autonomy/ independent choice (practiced during the craft)
White Paper or Paper Plate
White Paper or Green Construction
Glue
Scissors
Crayons
Pencil
Optional: Washable Paint or Colored Tissue Paper
* Cut out 1 oval half for a head, 4 smaller oval halves for feet, and 1 tiny oval half for a tail.
* Color, Paint, or Cover your turtle’s shell.
* Glue it all together.
*Color in eyes or glue on googley eyes.
These titles can be found on overdrive/ hoopla, ebook catalogs
you may be able to access with your library card!
Is cabin fever turning your children into crazies? As each week passes we seem to be simultaneously struggling AND adapting; that means that there are moments when your children are overflowing with built up energy and emotions. While there should be moments for being LOUD, for tons of movement, and for wild release, your child will also benefit from calm, quiet moments; to settle in and rest. Hopefully these poses will engage certain muscles to create a release of some built up, frustrated energy and guide them to find some moments of peace:
Have your child start by standing strong with both of their feet planted firmly on the ground. Direct them to begin to place more weight on their left foot (balancing on the left foot). As they bend their right knee and bring the sole of the right foot to rest on the inside of the left ankle (for now, keep the right toes anchored on the ground). As they gain confidence in their balance, they can begin to raise their right foot higher: first to the inside of the left calf and then all the way up to rest on the inside of the left thigh. Have them fix their gaze gently on one, unmoving point in front of them as they reach their arms overhead (like the branches of a tree). Repeat on the opposite side.
Start with your child standing up with their feet parallel and about hip-distance apart. Have them bring their hands together behind their back and interlace their fingers. Direct them to take a deep breath in and look up at the sky. Then release into a forward fold; bending at the waist and letting gravity drop their head towards the ground. Once in forward fold, help them reach their interlaced fingers up towards the sky, pulling the fist up and away from their ears.
Have your child start this pose by sitting on their heels. Next, have them lace their fingers behind their back (as they did for the forward fold). Direct your child to slowly lean forward until they are able to gently rest the top of their head on the ground in front of their knees. Help them to reach their interlaced fingers up towards the sky and away from their ears. When they want to come back up, have them lower their arms first, before slowly returning to their original kneeling position.
Reading stories aloud together builds vocabulary, improves comprehension, and promotes speech development. By adding a craft to the experience, you continue to build on story time learning; practicing motor skills and creativity, while reminding the child of themes and words from the story. It becomes active engagement, in the same way that adding the movement of Bendy Bookworm’s yoga poses do, in order to benefit the child’s optimal ability to learn through play.
Try this craft (Ideal for ages 6-9 years old). Pair it with “Some Bugs” by Angela DiTerlizzi for an At Home: Story Time and Craft Activity.
Cognitive Skills: vocabulary, prediction, and focus (learned from independent reading)
Motor Skills: tracing and cutting (practiced during the craft)
Emotional Skills: self expression, creativity, and self regulation (practiced during the craft)
Construction Paper or White Paper
Pencil
Something Round For Tracing (jar, can, etc)
Scissors
String
Craft Glue
Optional: Black Washable Paint, Googley Eyes, Hot Glue Gun
*Trace and Cut out two circles from a colored piece of construction paper or white paper.
**Make sure that both circles are the same size, you'll need two circles per ladybug**
* Stack the circles and cut a slit to the center.
* Color/Paint in your ladybug's face and spots.
**Color both sides of your circle.
**Make sure that one circle is colored on the slit and the second is colored opposite the slit.
*Slide the two circles together along the scissor cut.
Options:
* hot glue the slits to hold the ladybug open
*hot glue string inside one corner
*draw on eyes or glue on googley eyes
These titles can be found on overdrive/ hoopla, ebook catalogs
you may be able to access with your library card!
Reading stories aloud together builds vocabulary, improves comprehension, and promotes speech development. By adding a craft to the experience, you continue to build on story time learning; practicing motor skills and creativity, while reminding the child of themes and words from the story. It becomes active engagement, in the same way that adding the movement of Bendy Bookworm’s yoga poses do, in order to benefit the child’s optimal ability to learn through play.
Try this craft (Ideal for ages 6-9 years old). Pair it with “Snail Crossing” by Corey R. Tabor for an At Home: Story Time and Craft Activity.
Cognitive Skills: vocabulary, prediction, and focus (learned from independent reading)
Motor Skills: tracing and cutting (practiced during the craft)
Emotional Skills: self expression, creativity, and self regulation (practiced during the craft)
Construction Paper or White Paper
Pencil
Scissors
Crayons
Craft Glue or Tape
Optional: Washable Paint, Googley Eyes, Glitter, etc.
*Draw 1 leaf and 1 snail body by following these patterns:
*Cut out your patterns.
*Draw eyes and a mouth onto your snail and roll end to head.
*Decorate your snail and leaf.
*Attach your snail to your leaf.
These titles can be found on overdrive/ hoopla, ebook catalogs
you may be able to access with your library card!
Reading stories aloud together builds vocabulary, improves comprehension, and promotes speech development. By adding a craft to the experience, you continue to build on story time learning; practicing motor skills and creativity, while reminding your child of themes and words from the story. It becomes active engagement, in the same way that the added movement of Bendy Bookworm’s yoga poses are, in order to benefit the child’s optimal ability to learn through play.
This craft is ideal for ages 18 months - 5 years old because it supports early developmental skills like practicing cutting with scissors, drawing shapes, and making independent creative choices. Pair it with any of the suggested titles for a great At Home: Story Time and Craft activity!
Cognitive Skills: vocabulary (learned from picture book)
Motor Skills: glueing and scissor practice
Emotional Skills: self expression, creativity, and autonomy/ independent choice (practiced during the craft)
White Paper or Paper Plate
Glue
Scissors
Crayons
Pencil
Optional: Washable Paint or Colored Tissue Paper
* Cut out 2 teardrop shapes for ears and 1 oval shape for the snout.
* Color, Paint, or Cover your pig's face.
* Glue it all together.
*Color 2 black circles on the snout for nostrils.
These titles can be found on overdrive/ hoopla, ebook catalogs
you may be able to access with your library card!
Reading stories aloud together builds vocabulary, improves comprehension, and promotes speech development. By adding a craft to the experience, you continue to build on story time learning; practicing motor skills and creativity, while reminding your child of themes and words from the story. It becomes active engagement, in the same way that the added movement of Bendy Bookworm’s yoga poses are, in order to benefit the child’s optimal ability to learn through play.
This craft is ideal for ages 18 months - 5 years old because it supports early developmental skills like practicing cutting with scissors, drawing shapes, and making independent creative choices. Pair it with Luna’s Map for a great At Home: Story Time and Craft activity!
Cognitive Skills: vocabulary (learned from picture book), counting when you sing The Fish Song together
Motor Skills: glueing and scissor practice
Emotional Skills: self expression, creativity, and autonomy/ independent choice (practiced during the craft)
White Paper or Colored Construction Paper
Glue
Scissors
Crayons
Popsicle Stick
Pencil
Optional: Misc. Decorations (stickers, glitter, ribbon, etc.)
* Trace your hand and draw a heart on the paper. Cut out!
* Decorate your fish!
* Glue it all together!
How are we all doing? ….. Our best. Your little ones have had their lives flipped upside down (you have too). And while it’s easy for us to sometimes forget just how intuitive our children are, the truth is they are 100% aware of the right now stress of our global community. They can feel YOUR stress and they have some of their own: Why can’t they see their favorite Aunt or Grandpa? Why can’t they go to the park? When the hell will it stop raining? Why is this sibling (that used to go away all day) now suddenly in their space ALL THE TIME? Yeah, their lives are super challenging right now. As they process, they’ll express all the emotions you feel as you process. So focus might be off, peace might be off, and meltdowns might be happening with much more frequency AND MUCH MORE CHARGE! Try these poses when a meltdown needs soothing:
Have your child reach their arms out to their sides (parallel to the floor) and wiggle and reach their fingers as wide as they can. Count to 3 together and then have them clap their hands together and rub; make sure they take their time with rubbing their hands together. When the friction of the hand rubbing has created warmth, have them place their hands on a body part (i.e. head, tummy, etc); with hands resting on the body part, take a deep breath in and release. Repeat as many times and on as many body parts as needed. I usually do it 3x: head, tummy, heart.
Have your child start this pose by sitting on their heels. Next, have them reach their arms back behind them and wiggle their fingers like fluttering wings. Direct your child to take a deep breath and slowly lean forward until they are able to gently rest the top of their head on the ground in front of their knees, as they lean have them release their breath in an audible “Buzzzzzz”. When they want to come back up, have them lower their arms first, before slowly returning to their original kneeling position.
Have your child reach their hands out to their sides (parallel to the floor). Stretch the arms out as wide as possible then have them wiggle their right fingers to their left shoulder. PAUSE. Wiggle their left fingers to their right shoulder. Once each hand is on a shoulder (or as close to as they can manage), have them twist and give their right hand a little kiss. And then have them twist and give their left hand a little kiss.
For this pose, ask them to sit on their bottoms and bring the soles of their feet together. Begin to gently lift and lower the knees, like butterfly wings flapping. When they have tried this, ask them to tickle their shoulders with their fingers and then have them pause (keeping their fingertips resting on their shoulders). Now direct them to lift and lower their elbows (just like their knees). Have them try to lift and lower their elbows AND knees AT THE SAME TIME. Do this exercise with them, sharing a moment, and giving them your full attention.
Frog wants to be anything but a slimy, wet frog. Maybe a cat? Can he be a rabbit? Anything but a frog. What’s so wrong with being a frog, anyway? This is a wonderfully silly story about self-acceptance; reminding us that we’re perfect just as we are: slime, wet, warts and all!
In this video, children will move-to-learn through yoga as they practice the following developmental skills-
Cognitive Skills: vocabulary, auditory processing (listening and following directions), and visual processing (mimicking movement)
Motor/Physical Skills: coordination, muscle isolation, and balance
Emotional Skills: self acceptance and self awareness
To Purchase:
Amazon Link- I Don't Want To Be A Frog by Dev Petty
Did your child LOVE the Frog Song?
Listen to it again: HERE !!
Reading stories aloud together builds vocabulary, improves comprehension, and promotes speech development. By adding a craft to the experience, you continue to build on story time learning; practicing motor skills and creativity, while reminding your child of themes and words from the story. It becomes active engagement, in the same way that the added movement of Bendy Bookworm’s yoga poses are, in order to benefit the child’s optimal ability to learn through play.
This craft is ideal for ages 18 months - 5 years old because it supports early developmental skills like practicing cutting with scissors, drawing shapes, and making independent creative choices. Pair it with any of the suggested titles for a great At Home: Story Time and Craft activity!
Cognitive Skills: vocabulary (learned from picture book)
Motor Skills: glueing and scissor practice
Emotional Skills: self expression, creativity, and autonomy/ independent choice (practiced during the craft)
Paper Plate OR White Paper
Glue
Scissors
Crayons
Optional: Colored Tissue Paper, Construction Paper, OR Washable Paint AND Yarn
* Out of a paper plate or piece of paper, cut the design pictured below.
* Paint, color, cover the paper plate (or a cut circle out of paper) with any color you want!
* Use one of the cut off pieces to make a trunk.
*Glue on the trunk and draw in eyes!
These titles can be found on overdrive/ hoopla, ebook catalogs
you may be able to access with your library card!
I once read somewhere that this particular author’s mom was able to teach sibling connection through the worst of sibling showdowns by forcing the two parties to sit and look each other in the eye. That was it. They just looked into each other eyes. In that practice, they remembered that they were siblings, that they loved each other, and that there WAS connection. But here’s the thing: siblings FIGHT! And chances are, they’re fighting even more cooped up during this stay at home order. So before you try the “look in the eye” technique, you might want to exhaust the rage a little first:
Have them kneel on the ground with their bottom resting on their heels. Direct them to draw their hands up and then curl their fingers into claws; stick their tongue out and roll their eyes back to gaze up at their forehead: Inhale through the nose and on the exhale HAHHHH! the breath out. OR if they prefer ROAR the breath out. Repeat as needed….chances are they’ll either yell themselves out or they’ll be laughing from the silliness of the pose.
Have them start in tabletop position with their wrists under their shoulders. Direct them step their feet directly back and hover over the ground. They must keep their backs’ straight (no bum lifting) and hold until someone can’t hold anymore. **Added challenge: have them alternate between lifting and lowering their legs!
Want to attempt to change perspective? Have both of them stand back to back, stretch their legs wider than shoulder distance apart (so they’re standing in a wide legged stance). Lower their hands down to the ground (now they’re in a wide legged forward fold). Maybe now try the look into each other’s eyes trick or talk to each other from this position… even if they keep fighting, it’ll be pretty hilarious!
Fighting may be about them needing to validate the other. But it also might be about them needing to validate themselves: Have your child reach their hands out to their sides (parallel to the floor). Stretch the arms out as wide as possible then have them wiggle their right fingers to their left shoulder. PAUSE. Wiggle their left fingers to their right shoulder. Once each hand is on a shoulder (or as close to as they can manage), have them twist and give their right hand a little kiss. And then have them twist and give their left hand a little kiss. Give them a hug and maybe they’ll be ready to hug each other.
Hank is the prickliest cactus in the entire world. He sits in a pot in a window that faces the empty desert, which is just how he likes it. When some desert “friends” visit and disturb his peace, Hank is annoyed.
Does someone prickly on the outside ALWAYS STAY prickly on the inside or is it okay to change?
In this video, children will move-to-learn through yoga as they practice the following developmental skills-
Cognitive Skills: vocabulary, auditory processing, and visual processing
Motor/Physical Skills: coordination, balance, and flexibility
Emotional Skills: wide range of emotions; facial recognition of feelings
To Purchase:
Amazon Link- Nobody Hugs A Cactus by Carter Goodrich
Want to pair this Bendy Bookworm Story Time with a cactus craft?
Click HERE !!
Hey all you cool cats and kittens: Reading stories aloud together builds vocabulary, improves comprehension, and promotes speech development. By adding a craft to the experience, you continue to build on story time learning; practicing motor skills and creativity, while reminding the child of themes and words from the story. It becomes active engagement, in the same way that the added movement of Bendy Bookworm’s yoga poses do, in order to benefit the child’s optimal ability to learn through play.
Need more things to do at home with your toddler? Purrrrrfect! This craft is for you. Ideal for ages 18 months - 5 years old. This craft, read along with the suggested book titles, is great for practicing cutting with scissors, drawing shapes, and using the proper amount of glue (yeah, we all know that one takes practice!!).
Cognitive Skills: vocabulary (learned from picture book)
Motor Skills: glueing and scissor practice
Emotional Skills: self expression and creativity (practiced during the craft)
Paper Plate OR White Paper
Glue
Scissors
Crayons
Optional: Colored Tissue Paper, Construction Paper, OR Washable Paint AND Yarn
* Cut 2 ovals for eyes, 2 ear triangles, 2 smaller triangles, 1 oval nose, and 1 arrow for the mouth.
* Paint, color, cover the paper plate (or a cut circle out of paper) with any cat color you want!
* Paint or color in your eyes and glue the smaller triangle to the larger triangle.
* Glue it all together.
Draw in/ glue yarn to the face for whiskers!
These titles can be found on overdrive/ hoopla, ebook catalogs
you may be able to access with your library card!
Reading stories aloud together builds vocabulary, improves comprehension, and promotes speech development. By adding a craft to the experience, you continue to build on story time learning; practicing motor skills and creativity, while reminding the child of themes and words from the story. It becomes active engagement, in the same way that the added movement of Bendy Bookworm’s yoga poses do, in order to benefit the child’s optimal ability to learn through play.
Need more things to do at home with your toddler? Perfect! This craft is for you. Ideal for ages 18 months - 5 years old. This is a perfect craft with suggested book titles is great for practicing using scissors, drawing shapes, and using the proper amount of glue (yeah, we all know that one takes practice!!).
Cognitive Skills: vocabulary (learned from picture book)
Motor Skills: glueing and scissor practice
Emotional Skills: self expression and creativity (practiced during the craft)
*Paper Plate or White Paper
*Glue
*Scissors
*Crayons
Optional: Googley Eyes, Colored Tissue Paper, Construction Paper, OR Washable Paint
* Cut a paper plate in half so you have two equal halves.
One half will become the dinosaur's body.
* Draw the neck/ head along the edge of the second paper plate half and cut out.
* Tape or Glue "the neck" to "the body" behind the paper plate.
*Use the left over paper plate half (from cutting out the neck and head portion) to cut out two legs and a tail. Tape or Glue the pieces behind “the body.”
* Color your dinosaur: use washable paint, crayons, markers, construction paper, or colored tissue paper. Don't forget to give your dinosaur an eye!
These titles can be found on overdrive/ hoopla, ebook catalogs
you may be able to access with your library card!
