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In this video, you and your child will do a series of movements that build up their energy, followed by moments of deep breathing. Then, they’ll do a few slower stretches and end with a deep breath. You will go from silly to calm together.
Prepare to watch the video by completing the pre-video activity with your child. Then, play the video and do the movements together. To wrap up your experience, guide your child through a mindfulness exercise. If the weather is nice, try doing the activities outside. Have fun!
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A space big enough for you and your child to do some silly movements.
Explain that you’re about to do an activity where you’ll both have a chance to do some things that make you feel silly and some things that make you feel calm.
Ask your child to tell you some things they do with their body and voice that make them feel silly. Provide a few examples if they need help.
Examples might include: making a funny face, singing a silly song, talking in a funny voice, or doing a goofy dance move.Ask your child to tell you some things they do with their body and voice that make them feel calm. Provide a few examples if they need help.
Examples might include: closing your eyes, taking a deep breath, singing a relaxing song, or stretching your arms up in the air.Tell your child that you’re going to take turns playing Simon Says, and that at first, all of the things “Simon” says are going to be things that make you feel silly. Explain that after several silly actions, you’re going to switch to calm actions.
Remind your child that when Simon doesn’t say “Simon says” first, the other person is supposed to remain still. If the person does the action, then it’s their turn to be Simon.
Decide who will be Simon first, and then start the game!
Once you’ve gone through about 5 - 7 silly actions, ask your child how their body and mind feel. Share your own feelings, as well.
Play again with calm actions. After about 5 - 7 calm actions, ask your child how their body and mind feel now, and share your own feelings.
Invite your child to join you in watching and following along with a fun video. Explain that you’ll be doing what the children in the video do while you watch, and that you’ll be paying attention to how your minds and bodies feel during the silly parts and the calm parts.
Find a place that has enough space for both of you to move comfortably.
Explain that now you’re going to move along with the children in the video, paying attention to how your bodies and minds feel while you move. Play the video and do the moves together.
When the video is over, ask your child how their mind and body felt during the “build our energy up” movements. Share how your mind and body felt, too.
Ask your child how their mind and body felt after the calming stretches and deep breaths at the end of the video, and share how yours felt, as well.
Finally, ask your child how it feels knowing that they’ve helped other kids through Kid Power! Do they know what a ready to use therapeutic food packet is? Which local cause did they decide to donate to?
Carpeted floor, grass, or yoga mats for you and your child.
Tell your child that now you are going to try a mindfulness exercise called a body scan. Explain that being aware of how our bodies feel during various parts of the day can help us understand our emotions and how they affect us. Tell your child that understanding how our emotions affect us is an important step in being able to get back to feeling calm when we have big emotions.
Invite your child to join you in laying or sitting in a comfortable position, with your arms, legs, and face relaxed. Model doing the same.
Explain that now you’ll ask your child to listen and follow along with your directions.
Guide your child through the following body scan steps.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Don’t think about anything in particular at this moment.Think about the top of your head. How is the top of your head feeling? Is it comfortable, cold, warm, itchy?Think about your eyes. How are they feeling? Are they comfortable, is there any pain? Are they watery, or dry?Use the same process for the rest of your child’s body, from head to feet: nose, mouth, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, fingers, stomach, legs, feet, toes. You may add or remove steps as you see fit.
Ask your child to open their eyes and tell you how they’re feeling now. Have them think back to when they were playing Simon Says with you, or moving along with the video.
Do they feel differently now than they did at those times? Why or why not? Make sure to share your own thoughts!
