 Language: |
Currency:
|
Menu Blog / News www.magicyogamat.com on Facebook
|
Blog / News
|
When you reach for the stars, you may not quite get one, but you wont come up with a handful of mud either.
~ Leo Burnett
Thank you to all of you who have been so patient whilst we redesigned and built our new website! We have finally finished it and it is fully functional - (and the crowd goes wild!). This has been one of those ever evolving processes and we hope that we have created something that is now easier for you to use and enjoy. You will notice we have created a Kids Playground section that we hope to post stories, drawings and photo's that children create during their yoga practice. So if any of your children would like to see their work on line, please don't hesistate to send it through to us. And remember we are still running our colouring competition, so download the picture and get colouring! The one's we have received so far, look fantastic!
We at Magic Yoga Mat would like to thank you for your patience by offering you our "we're officially excited that our website works!" special which is all four of our kids yoga eBooks and the relaxation mp3 recordings for just $27!!
Magic Yoga Mat News:-
Magic Yoga Mat would like to give a great big warm and excited "Welcome" to Wendi who is bringing her inspired artistic talent to our company and is currently working away on the new pictures for our Christmas Book. We will keep you posted as this project unfolds!
Also after the success of our 2-3 year olds impromptu yoga class for the Herald Sun, Magic Yoga Mat has started a new class for this age group at the Alphington Community Centre. If you are interested contact Bonnie at bonnie@magicyogamat.com
And a little treat for Parents:-
Nina Isabella from MamaShanti's delicious Chai recipe:
Ingredients for 2 mugs of chai
1 1/2 mugs of filtered water
1 mug of soy/ rice/ dairy milk
3/4 stick of cinnamon
4 green cardamon pods
6 whole cloves
1 star anise
1 tsp dried ground licorice root
1/2 tsp dried ginger / 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp honey/ brown sugar (to taste)
2 tsp black tea
Method
* Roughly break up the whole spices with a mortar & pestle or spice grinder
* Bring spices & water to boil, then simmer
* In separate saucepan gently warm milk
* When the spiced water has reduced by about one third (10-15 minutes) add black tea & sweetener & turn off heat.
* Let the tea steep for a couple of minutes & strain into the warm milk, a cone-shaped
sieve is best.
* Pour the chai into a warmed tea pot/ mugs to serve
The quantities for the spices are approximate & can be adjusted to suit taste
We look forward to flying with you again soon!
www.MagicYogaMat.com
The team at Magic Yoga Mat are so very excited to be joined by Wendi
who is going to add her own flare to our little operation in the form
of some amazing pictures!!
Wendi loves a sense of the ridiculous and loves all things whimsical.
She is always observing human nature and situations, and interpreting
them in her own style. She can't wait to see what Magic yoga Mat, and
his friends are up to next so we know she will fit in perfectly
Wendi is an illustrator/ pastel artist who also works in Acrylic, and
has won prizes at various shows including peoples choice at Strathdon
09. Wendi has exhibited her work in joint exhibitions in Melbourne.
Shes a member of AGRA and also the pastel society of Victoria.
Stay Tuned to see what Wendi has to offer...
Yesterday's class for the 2 and 3 year olds went off without a hitch,
thanks to all of you who came along to the Alphington Community Centre
to help us teach the Herald Sun just how kids do yoga, Magic Yoga Mat
style.
And for those of you who missed out on sharing the yoga fun but still
want to know how to get your 2-3 year old to lie still for more than a
minute, I'm going to share with you our little secret...
BONNIE'S POND
Invite your child to lie quietly on the floor and tell them to imagine
they were a pond and that if they lay very very still, a duck will come
and land on them.
You will need at least one rubber duck (or as many as you can find) and
every time your child is still, place a duck on them... on their belly,
on their legs, on their arms. You'll be amazed at the results.
Yesterday we had so many ducks that we could hardly find our kids!! But
they stayed still, in fact we had trouble convincing some of the
children that it was time to get up!!
Stay Tuned for Photos!
To have peace, give peace. To be happy, make happy. To feel loved, love
~Hugh Prather
Calmer Kids
We all know creative visualization, guided imagery and relaxation techniques are well known tools for relaxation for adults, but did you know the same techniques can work for your children too? Not only that; children’s relaxations increase attention, improve focus, facilitate healing, lessen anxiety, and foster overall feelings of wellbeing.
For kids, when they fall behind in school, or listen to their parents argue, or are simply trying to adjust to all of the myriad changes that are happening in the world… like a line of dominoes that fall one after another… A regular relaxation practice helps Kids stop getting overwhelmed.
“My 5 year old son listens to a relaxation cd every night before he goes to sleep”
Magic Yoga Mat has created a relaxation CD and ebook to help you and the kids in your life get started with their very own relaxation practice. And as many parents know, the simple act of colouring stimulates the relaxation response. So start relaxing now with Magic Yoga Mat’s colouring competition and win copies of our first eBook ~ A Magic Yoga Mat adventure or yoga class passes.
In other News:-
• Kids Yoga classes continue at Alphington Community Centre, Book in for Term 3 now! Contact Bonnie at bonnie@magicyogamat.com for more details. We are also taking expressions of interest for classes in the Blackburn and Prahran areas. Contact Rachael at rachael@magicyogamat.com
• Don’t forget to send us pictures of you doing your favourite pose to star in your very own Magic Yoga Mat eBook!
• Prevent childhood obesity by promoting activity!
June 16, 2009
“With childhood obesity rates on the rise, parents and educators are desperately seeking a solution to the problem. While it seems wise and necessary to teach kids about nutrition and calorie reduction, experts suggest a more comprehensive solution. Research shows that building self-esteem through physical fitness and activity seems to be much more effective than only preaching about carbs, fats and protein.
Being active and engaged allows children to develop confidence, social skills and an overall desire towards becoming a proactive participant in their own lives. Without the sense of achievement and mastery that comes with learning something new, children can easily regress and find emotional comfort from food….
Require your children to have 2 interests. That’s right, require or insist upon this! Give them plenty of options but strongly encourage them to select 2 activities that they are committed to. I suggest one being for the body (i.e. gymnastics, soccer, dance, softball, etc.) and one for the mind (i.e. story time, arts and crafts, music, etc.) This way they can develop and explore both their physical and emotional interests. Read More
Your Questions:-
How do you teach children to ground down their feet?
Ever tried to teach a child to stand properly? Tried to get them to stay still long enough to feel the ground underneath their feet, to connect with the earth? Want to give them confidence to stand steady, strong and sure… but find that telling them to imagine themselves as strong as mountains does not quite get the message through? Try this…
You will need: water soluble paint, a paint brush, a chair, some white paper, a bowl of water and a whole lot of newspaper.
Ask your child to sit down on the chair and then paint the bottoms of their feet. Place the white paper down in front of them and get them to place their feet on the paper and stand in mountain pose. The newspaper is to put under the white paper and all over the floor so you don’t get paint everywhere! And the bowl of water is to wash their feet in afterwards.
Usually what happens is the children want their footsteps to be as bold as possible so they jump onto the paper, push their feet in as hard as they can and stand still while the print forms.
The biggest benefit of doing this exercise comes later, because from then on, whenever you want them to stand still and strong, grounding their feet, you can just tell them to imagine their feet are painted and there are pushing their feet into the white paper.
If you have time you can play with cat pose by painting the hands, or tree pose by painting just one foot.
If you have any questions about doing yoga with your child or your class of children e-mail Bonnie on bonnie@magicyogamat.com.au and she will ether e-mail you back or answer your question in the next newsletter.
And a little treat for parents:
Winter, a time for hot chocolate, open fires (or ducted heating), warm blankets, snuggling up with loved ones, and getting lost in the pages of a really delicious book. It’s a wonderful time to reconnect, turn inwards and nourish the heart and the spirit. But with the responsibilities of work and family and trying to have it all, our physical wellbeing falls by the wayside. So tonight as you dash home from the office, the school run, the shops or wherever you may have been today, your cheeks rosy from the biting wind take a few moments to nourish your skin with these yoga moves.... Read more
And for an extra treat, combine these with Skinsaviour’s natural skin care range to enjoy simply radiant skin throughout Winter. Skinsaviours divine, all natural Skin Cream, which contains natural plant extracts that soothe and protect the skin along with active ingredients that support cellular function; support the skin to always look its best, no matter what conditions winter may throw at you!
For more information, or to check out our latest news, books, resources or class times visit us at
www.MagicYogaMat.com
We look forward to Flying with You Again
Kids YogaTeacher: "Ssh, we're meant to be relaxing.."
4 year old student: "but I don’t want to..."
Star in your very own Magic Yoga Mat eBook!
In celebration of Magic Yoga Mat’s latest book “I went to Yoga and I did…”, we invite you to encourage your children and students to send us in either a photo (with parental permission of course!) or a hand drawn picture of you doing your favorite pose and we’ll create a whole new version of the book and send it out to you.
Either email your photos or pictures to rachael@magicyogamat.com or send them in the mail to PO Box 1, Flinders Lane Melbourne, 8009.
I went to yoga and I did… is a yoga spin on an old favorite. Get together a group of children, the first child says: “I went to yoga and I did … pose” (eg cat pose)
The second child then says: “I went to yoga and I did cat pose, and… pose (adding their own choice in pose eg tree pose)
And so on around the circle. Each child has to try to remember the poses already said and then come up with their own.
For an extra funny twist, invite the kids to do all the poses as they same them and laugh along with them when they try to do 15 poses in a row!
Not only is this a fun game to play with children, but also it keeps
them moving and helps to improve their memory and listening skills.
In other News:-
• Kids Yoga classes continue at Alphington Community Centre, contact Bonnie at bonnie@magicyogamat.com for more details
• Yoga For the Kids
16th May 2009
By Janna Farley
ArgusLeader.com
“With their bodies tall and arms stretched high, Val Ahrendt's yoga students concentrate on breathing deeply while positioning their young bodies in the tree pose… "The classes consist of activities that stimulate the mind and the body at the same time," she says.
Ahrendt connects with her students through creative expression, games and stories. Breathing exercises are punctuated by the loud "choo, choo, choo" of a train. She has the kids pretend to be seeds before they stand up, stretch tall and become trees.
The yoga activities help increase kids' strength and coordination while boosting their body awareness. "It's about building a positive relationship with exercise and activity," Ahrendt says.
University of Michigan pediatrician Dolores Mendelow says yoga, if done properly, is a suitable alternative to tumbling and team sports for getting stressed-out, sedentary children socializing, exercising and building discipline.
Read more:
Your Questions:-
How do you get children to concentrate and stay in poses?
Children do not hold poses for as long as adults do they move in and out of poses quite fast and if you have ever watched or taught a children’s yoga class you will notice that one second they are a cat and the next they are a dog. But if your children are doing a yoga pose and coming out of it before you can even tell what the yoga pose was supposed to be maybe some of the following suggestions will help you to get your children to say a tad longer in poses. Just don’t forget that asking them to hold poses as long as adults is asking too much of your children.
1. Giving them something to do in a pose - If the pose is an animal pose you can add animal noises to the pose, children will hold poses a little longer if they have something to do while in the pose like meowing like a cat in cat pose
2. Taking some long slow deep breaths in a pose – Name the number of breaths or counts that you are going to hold the pose for before you do the pose and count as you hold the pose together children work well when they know exactly what you expect of them.
3. Beating your personal best (this is better for older children) one week you might aim to hold a pose for 5 seconds the next week you might aim for 10 and the next week 15 giving the children something work towards gives them reason to stay in a pose
4. Getting out the camera – Get the child to hold the pose while you take a picture (this one works really well especially if you explain to the child that they need to stay really still for the photo to come out)
If you are teaching a yoga class make sure you get the parents permission before you take photos of their child
5. To encourage your child to stay in relaxations for longer try placing your hands on their shoulders or on their belly to encourage belly breathing. Not only will this give them something to focus on but it also has an immediate calming and nurturing effect.
If you want to ask any questions about doing yoga with your child or your class of children you can e-mail Bonnie on: bonnie@magicyogamat.com and she will ether e-mail you back or answer your question in the next issue of this newsletter.
For more information, or to check out our latest news, books, resources or class times visit us at
www.MagicYogaMat.com
…focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.
~Greg Anderson
Magic Yoga Mat’s First Book!
Like new parents, a little trepidatious and yet bursting with insurmountable pride, Bonnie and I have spent the last months imagining, playing, writing and illustrating a series of Children’s Yoga Stories inspired by the born yogi’s that come along to our classes each week.
In celebration of this, Magic Yoga Mat's first ever book launch, (our shameless plug) available now from our web site, we are running a colouring competition.
Attached to this e-mail is a picture of Joy and her friends for your children and students to colour in and send back to us. The winning pictures for each age group will go up on our web site (so the children can see their work up online!) and we have lots of Giveaways, including copies of the Book, Gift Certificates for children's yoga classes and Yoga Mats.
Be sure to fill in your child's age, your contact address and e-mail so that we can let you know if you're a winner! You can enter as many times as you like, in fact the more entries the better!
In other Kid’s Yoga news…
• Magic mat is looking for Children's Yoga Teachers who would be interested in teaching classes in after school programmes. If this is something you might be interested in please contact us
• “A preliminary study of pediatric health benefits of yoga, published in 2008, finds motor skills and concentration improvements, on top of better posture and breathing.” To Read More
• “On a physiological level, studies have shown that the practice of yoga lowers blood levels of the stress-inducing hormone, cortisol, while concurrently developing overall physical strength, balance and flexibility. In a classroom setting, overriding stress responses clears the slate for improved mental focus and learning” To read more
Your Questions:-
How is children’s yoga different to adult’s yoga?
All the poses in children’s yoga are based on poses from adult’s yoga. However the way the class is usually put together is different. Children’s yoga classes are more playful, with games, stories and activities designed to access children’s innate creativity and imagination.
Classes tend to be fast paced, moving from one activity to another and poses are not so much “held” as explored.
ie.how many different ways can you do down ward facing dog pose??
With a bark, with a wag of the tail, moving from one side of the room to the other or on one leg (the children and I like to call this dog peeing on a tree!)
Children’s yoga classes are loud, they are full of animal noises and there is always lots of laughter. We make up our own poses for different dinosaurs and Australian bush animals, we dance to music, grow from seeds to trees, we sing songs and chant om’s. Relaxation practices involve trips into space and to fairy gardens and sometimes even bathtubs full of jelly beans! But there is always room for quiet spaces.
In Children’s yoga we stretch, we concentrate, we build strength and we build co ordination. In fact children’s yoga classes have everything thing that adults classes have in them but with a little sprinkling of fun.
If you want to ask any questions about doing yoga with your child or your class of children you can e-mail Bonnie on: bonnie@magicyogamat.com and she will ether e-mail you back or answer your question in the next issue of this newsletter.
For more information, or to check out our latest news, books, resources or class times visit us at
www.MagicYogaMat.com
We look forward to flying with you again
