2013 - 14 Week 4: Tatty Bumpkin's Pose for the Week is Frog!

By Sue Heron – Training Co-ordinator Tatty Bumpkin and Paediatric Physiotherapist

The pose for this week in Tatty Bumpkin classes is FROG.

This week Tatty Bumpkin meets a bored and unhappy frog! He is living amongst the reeds in a beautiful pond on Wobble Farm, but he is desperate to investigate what other creatures do. 

Maybe kicking up his back legs like a horse might be fun, or perhaps trying to see if he can be as still as a mouse? Will Frog find something fun and exciting to do? 

Come and find out with Tatty Bumpkin…. 

What Frog Pose Looks Like! 

 

Jump up high and croak like a frog - "Ribbit!"

Description -‘What to say to your child

Find a clean space and, ideally, take your shoes off.  Squat down balancing on the front of your feet, put your hands on the floor in front of you to help you keep steady. Do a few little bounces, then, 1, 2, 3, quickly straighten you knees to JUMP up high! As you jump, take your arms above your head to touch the sky!

 

Want to make it harder?

Have a go at being a frog, by a pond, at first hiding then jumping. On a soft floor surface or mat, start by curling up really small taking your chin to your knees to be a frog hiding under a lily leaf. Then move up into the squatting position. Try to balance in this position for a few seconds - you can even stick out your tongue to be a frog ‘catching flies’! Start to bounce and then - JUMP! See if you can do four frog jumps in a row before having a rest on the floor.

 

Other games

Use fabric squares, ideally green, as ‘lily pads’. Guide your child to squat or crouch down low seeing if they can balance their ‘lily pad’ on their head. Then 1, 2, 3, jump – watch the lily pad fall off!

Why it is ‘Good For Me’

Frog pose will give your child the opportunity to:

• Strengthen their ‘core’ muscles. As your child jumps up from squatting, taking their arms above their head they will be strengthening their gluteal (hip), abdominal, spinal and shoulder muscles. These muscle groups aid good posture.

• Strengthen their leg muscles. Jumping will strengthen your child’s quadriceps (thigh), hamstrings, calf, ankle and foot muscles. Your child will be using their own body as a natural weight to ‘work’ these muscles.

• Improve their sense of balance. Staying still in the squatting position for a few seconds will challenge your child’s sense of balance.  If your child is older encourage them to rock forwards onto the balls of their feet as they prepare to jump and to try jumping up and down without putting their hands down on the floor. 

• Raise their ‘levels of alertness’. Jumping in frog pose will stimulate your child’s vestibular sense. Our vestibular system is located in the inner ear and is stimulated each time we move our heads in relation to our body and gravity. This sense helps us achieve the right ‘level of alertness’ for any task we do i.e. via our vestibular sense we are able to move quickly and smoothly from sitting quietly to jumping up and down as we cheer on our favourite team. If we sit for too long, with minimal vestibular stimulation, our levels of alertness fall and we may find it harder to think and process information. If your child has been sitting for a while, frog pose may help them become more alert. Doing a few frog jumps in the morning can help your child raise their levels of alertness at the start of their day – making them more ‘ready to learn’. However, don’t encourage your child to do too many jumps as this can lead to overexcitement.

Younger children and Toddlers

 Younger toddlers

Older toddlers

 

Description of pose

Younger toddlers. Your young toddler will probably love coming up into standing and experimenting with jumping with your help. It is best for your toddler to do this pose with bare feet as then they can truly feel the floor with their feet.  Start by sitting back on your heels, holding your toddler securely round their hips this means they can use their arms to balance. Have your toddler either facing you or facing outwards looking at another adult or baby; then they can either see your face or the other person’s face for reassurance and enjoyment. Remember to tighten your tummy muscles to protect your back and gently bounce your toddler in front of you whilst smiling and talking to them. If they start to look worried, reassure them and try again perhaps with small bounces. Whilst doing this activity encourage your toddler to push up from their feet themselves and reach for the floor with their feet to ‘land’, do this by:

• Giving them time in between the jumps for them to work out ‘what to do’!

• Gently guiding their feet to the floor (if possible) and then crucially leaning them forward from the waist before guiding them up into stand. When you add this forward movement into the stand you may be surprised how easily your baby pushes up to standing.

We all have to get our ‘nose over our toes’ before we can stand up (try it for yourself!)


Older toddlers.  If your toddler is older, they may be too heavy or indeed too independent for the above game.  Instead face your toddler and show them how you bend and straighten your knees to jump. Most children will be over two years old before they can jump from the floor – they will usually jump from a low step first. However, your toddler will be keen to practise and will love just bending and straightening their knees copying you. Make the movement fun by:

• Using two pieces of green fabric, for the lily pads (see above). As you curl up to start, show your toddler how to balance the fabric on their heads – you are hiding! Then as you both jump up the lily pads ‘fall off!’

• Before you do the frog bounces say “Ready, steady” to prepare your toddler for the movement, then say “Jump!” 

• Of course you can support your toddler by their hands to jump – but be careful not to stress their shoulders and elbows and encourage them to push up themselves as much as possible. Remember not too many!

• Doing the actions to the Tatty Bumpkin frog song/rhyme. This time crouch down or curl up with your toddler for the first few verses or let them crouch down or curl up themselves, copying you. Then jump up and bend and straighten knees for the jumps.

 

Why it is ‘Good For Me’

As you do frog pose with your toddler they will have the chance to:

• Strengthen their tummy, back, and hip muscles. As your toddler jumps up in front of you they will be using their tummy, back and hip muscles. These muscle groups all have to be strong and active to help your toddler advance both their gross (whole body) and fine (hand) movement skills.

• Develop their foot muscles. As your toddler feels for the floor with their feet, pushes up through their feet to jump and then reaches for the floor to land, they will be gently stretching and strengthening their delicate foot muscles in preparation for standing. Remember not to do too many jumps as you do not want to strain these delicate muscles by over doing it.

• Develop their sense of balance. If you support your toddler round their hips as they jump in frog pose, they will be able to use their arms to balance themselves.  Using our arms to help us keep our balance in unstable situations is a sign of maturing balance skills. 

• Develop early communication skills. As you talk, sing and make faces to your toddler, whilst doing the pose, you will helping them to 'tune in' to you.  

• Frog pose may help your toddler to raise their ‘levels of alertness’ (see above for older children), as jumping in frog pose will stimulate their vestibular sense. Our vestibular system is located in the inner ear and is stimulated each time we move our heads in relation to our body and gravity. This sense helps us achieve the right ‘level of alertness’ for any task we do i.e. via our vestibular sense we are able to move quickly and smoothly from sitting down quietly to jumping up and down as we cheer on our favourite team. If we are still for too long, with minimal vestibular stimulation, our levels of alertness fall and we may find it harder to think and process information. It is the same with your toddler, if they have been sitting for a while in the car seat or push chair they are likely to get drowsy. Doing frog poses, gently to start with, may help your toddler to become ‘more alert’ and hence ready to learn new things.

But remember, be careful, do not do frog pose too suddenly as this may catch your toddler by surprise and unsettle them completely and don’t do too many jumps in a row as this can over stimulate them - and it might end in tears!

 

Make it Multi-Sensory, Educational & Fun

In Tatty Bumpkin classes we use unique storylines to make the activities meaningful and to fire the imagination.

All our classes are multi-sensory comprising of:

• Adapted yoga poses and activities which both stimulate and calm the body senses

• Dedicated songs and rhythms which are relevant to the stories

• Bespoke hand-woven props to look at and feel. Tatty Bumpkin has its own range of fairly traded animal props to back up the yoga poses and bring the stories to life. Our teachers are supported to use natural props in the classes which are great to feel as opposed to smooth plastic

We have carefully linked each Tatty Bumpkin to the new 2012 Early Years Foundation Stage framework. Importantly supporting children to learn ‘how to learn’ not just focusing on what on they learn.

 

So … The Adventure This Week  ..

This week Tatty Bumpkin returns to the pond on Wobble Farm but today; the sun is shining, the pond is like a mirror, reeds wave in the breeze and the frogs are jumping.

 

The pond is like a mirror

One frog is, however, is bored with jumping and asks Tatty Bumpkin if they could find out what other creatures do. Maybe he could lap milk like cat, or kick up his heels like horse? Maybe buzzing like a bee would be fun?

 

Would kicking up your heels be fun?

 

In the Tatty Bumpkin class this week your child will have the opportunity to:

• Strengthen their core muscles, develop their sense of balance, and stimulate their body senses in frog and horse poses 

• Use gestures or words to express their feelings – imagining they are ‘bored’ then ‘happy’ frogs

• Develop their sense of rhythm as they jump to the Tatty Bumpkin Frog song

• Learn about the pond environment and the plants and creatures  they might see there

• Have fun with their friends; kicking up their heels in horse pose, curling up really small in mouse pose and, of course, jumping as frogs!
• Calm in Tatty Bumpkin bee pose and realc by the pond 

Lapping up milk with cat!

Will Frog find a fun something exciting to do? Come and find out with Tatty Bumpkin…. 

Find your local Tatty Bumpkin class at http://www.tattybumpkin.com/classes/find-class.html

2013 - 14 Week 3: Tatty Bumpkin's Activity for the Week is Focusing on BREATH & RELAXATION.

By Sue Heron – Training Co-ordinator Tatty Bumpkin and Paediatric Physiotherapist

The activity for this week in Tatty Bumpkin classes is tummy (abdominal) breathing and relaxation.

Tummy Breathing and Relaxation 

Lie back and relax! Can you make a duck on your tummy bob up and down?

Description - 'What to say to your Child'

Find a comfortable, clean place where you can stretch out. The quieter the better or you may want to listen to some gentle music.  Lie on your back with a duck or a toy on your tummy. Breathe in to make your tummy rise up like a balloon and then breathe out to make it fall. Watch your duck move UP & DOWN on your tummy! Do 3 or 4 breaths like this then breathe normally and give your duck a rest! N.B. Start by encouraging your child to lie still and relax with their duck or toy for just a minute then gradually build up the time, of course it’s even better if you have the time to relax as well!

 

Notes For Parents

What is ‘Abdominal Breathing’?
This method of breathing is also called ‘tummy’ or ‘diaphragmatic’ breathing. The diaphragm is a large, dome-shaped muscle located at the base of the lungs, lying between the chest and tummy cavities. Although we use our diaphragm muscle to breathe all the time, not just when we are ‘abdominal breathing’, we often do not use it as efficiently as we could. By concentrating on moving their tummy whilst they are breathing your child will be using their diaphragm muscle more effectively and hence they will be able to take deeper breaths. You may well be surprised how easily your child gets the hang of ‘abdominal breathing’; adults often find it harder to do. N.B. Guide your child to only do 3 or 4 ‘tummy’ breaths in a row as breathing deeply for too long can make them feel feint or dizzy.

‘Balloon Breathing’ For Older Children

Older children can practise tummy breathing at various times during their day, at times when they are feeling a bit anxious or stressed. What to say to your child.  Find a seat and sit up as straight as you can. Put both your hands on your tummy, keeping your mouth closed take a slow breath in through your nose. As you breathe in, imagine there is a balloon in your tummy and you are filling it up with air. Keep breathing in until you imagine the balloon in your tummy is full, your hands on your tummy should now be moving outwards. Be careful! Don’t breathe in too much as you may find it hard to stay relaxed. Now, just like letting go of a balloon, let your air escape. Breathe out through your mouth (with pursed lips) maybe imagining you’re blowing bubbles! Try to let your breath out slowly and feel your hands fall back towards your body. Do 4-5 breaths like this, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, then breathe normally.

Why this Activity is ‘Good For your Child’

As your child concentrates on ‘abdominal breathing’ and relaxes they will be:

• Increasing their awareness of their breath and its effect on their body. When your child takes deeper breaths, their breathing and heart rate will become slower and this in turn will help your child to calm down. Tummy breathing is a great skill to learn at a young age as it becomes harder to co-ordinate this movement as we get older.

• Learning the skill of ‘relaxation’. It is never too early for your child to become more aware of how their body feels when they  are ‘quiet’ for a while. When we relax we often find it easier to think – it is the same for your child. Perhaps encourage them to think back on their day and what they have done or maybe what they would like to do. Reflection & thinking time is vital for learning & helps develop an imaginative & creative mind. Your child will start to think not just ‘what is’ but ‘what if?’ Leaders, artists & entrepreneurs all think creatively.

Younger Children and Toddlers

Abdominal Breathing whilst Relaxing with your Toddler

Find a comfortable place to either sit or lie down; making sure your back is well supported. If you are lying down you might find it more comfortable to bend your knees up a little and place a small pillow underneath. If you are sitting, shrug your shoulders up and then roll them down and back, this helps you to ‘open up your chest’ and release any tension held in your shoulders. Settle your toddler near to you either on your lap or tummy, reassuring them by talking to them, giving them a hug and maybe giving them a toy to look at and hold. Take a slow breath in through your nose and let your tummy move outwards or upwards towards your toddler, moving them gently away from you. Then slowly breathe out, either through your nose or mouth, feeling your tummy move back and inwards and your toddler coming closer towards you once more. Do 4 - 5 deeper breaths in a row, then breathe normally for a few breaths before repeating the deeper breaths. Only do 3 - 4 cycles of abdominal breathing at any one time as taking deep breaths for too long can cause dizziness.  

 

Practising Taking Deeper Breaths and Blowing with your Toddler

Enjoy playing blowing games together!

For this activity you will need a couple of tissues, paper napkins or handkerchiefs. Find a comfortable place to sit on the floor and encourage your toddler to sit facing you. Show them what to do by dangling a tissue in your hand between yourself and your toddler. Take a deep breath in and blow out on the tissue making it move. Then hold a tissue in front of your toddler’s nose and mouth, making sure that you can still see each other, and encourage them to blow out on the tissue with you. Give your toddler time to work out what to do and repeat several times.  You can progress this activity by encouraging your toddler to ‘have a go’ at blowing out through their nose. Again show them what to do first, highlighting to them that you are blowing out through your nose, then support them to try  whilst saying  “Blow nose!” 

Alternatively playing a blowing game with baby friendly bubbles is a great way to bring your toddler’s attention to their breath. 

Why this Activity is ‘Good for Both You and Your Toddler’

• As you take deeper, slower breaths whilst practicing abdominal breathing you will automatically be slowing your heart rate. This in turn can help you to relax and feel calmer. Allowing yourself a few minutes of relaxation over the course of your day can often give your energy levels a boost. Similarly, the blowing games will encourage your toddler to start to take deeper breaths and this may help them to calm themselves.

• As you relax with your toddler, holding them close, you will be strengthening the bond between you both and establishing that close parent/child relationship. You and your toddler will be bonding in many different ways: by looking at each other, making sounds and listening to each other and even by moving together. But perhaps the most powerful way of bonding is via touch, quietly sitting or lying close to each other, so you can feel the rhythm of each other’s breathing and the warmth of your bodies. If your toddler finds it difficult to settle with you try:

1. Being quiet together for just 30 seconds and then gradually building up this time to short periods during the day, 5 minutes or so, as your toddler becomes used to being still with you
2. Holding your toddler close to you whilst you are standing up, if they a not too heavy, gently sway side to side or move round the room. Maybe sing a lullaby song or nursery rhyme to help you both relax!

Make it Multi-Sensory, Educational & Fun

In Tatty Bumpkin classes we use unique storylines to make the activities meaningful and to fire the imagination.

All our classes are multi-sensory comprising of:

• Adapted yoga poses and activities which both stimulate and calm the body senses

• Dedicated songs and rhythms which are relevant to the stories

• Bespoke hand-woven props to look at and feel. Tatty Bumpkin has its own range of fairly traded animal props to back up the yoga poses and bring the stories to life. Our teachers are supported to use natural props in the classes which are great to feel as opposed to smooth plastic

We have carefully linked each Tatty Bumpkin to the new 2012 Early Years Foundation Stage framework. Importantly supporting children to learn ‘how to learn’ not just focusing on what on they learn.


 

So … The Adventure This Week  ..

The weather is changing on Wobble Farm and a strong wind is blowing round the houses. It has been raining all night so Tatty Bumpkin decides to put on her wellies. 

Oh no! Wellies on the wrong feet!

The wind is so strong, she has to pull and push with all her might to open the back door and .....

PUSHHHH!

 as she jumps outside a gust of wind knocks her clean over!

Whoops!

After battling against the wind all the way to the Giggle Tree, Tatty Bumpkin finds herself by the duck pond.

The water has been whipped up by the wind and now looks quite rough. Tatty Bumpkin spies the duck family having a bumpy ride in the waves. Will the younger ducklings be nervous or will they enjoy the stormy water? Now Tatty Bumpkin’s adventure truly begins ...

In the Tatty Bumpkin Session this week your child will have the opportunity to:

• Strengthen their core muscles and develop their body awareness in dog and bridge poses

• Practise taking deeper breaths whilst doing a range of breathing activities

• Imagine being out on a windy day and think about the changes they might see

• Develop their sense of rhythm and gross motor skills as they bob up and down on the choppy pond to a ‘Tatty Bumpkin Instrumental’ track

• Lie quietly, focusing on their tummy movements, with a duck on their tummy

• Have fun with their friends and talk about puddles, getting wet and swimming!

Will the ducklings be okay?

 
Find your local Tatty Bumpkin class at http://www.tattybumpkin.com/classes/find-class.html

The World of Tatty Bumpkin - An Amazing Summer of Holiday Clubs!

An Amazing Summer of Holiday Clubs!

By Sarah Grice Tatty Bumpkin Franchisee Worthing with added pictures from Tatty Bumpkin sessions held around the country.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the world, stimulating progress" A. Einstein

“I was certainly busy this summer, along with Tatty Bumpkin of course, providing Tatty Bumpkin family sessions, clubs for children with additional needs and longer ‘holiday activity' sessions which involved both craft and a Tatty Bumpkin yoga class. 

My own special highlights were the ‘Tatty Bumpkin Campsite of Dreams’ story and providing Tatty Bumpkin summer sessions for children with additional needs.

 

The Tatty Bumpkin ‘Campsite of Dreams’ Holiday Club 

 At the start of this holiday club session the children took time to make campfires and lanterns to use in their magical ‘Campsite of Dreams’ story.  As one boy waited excitedly to start the adventure with Tatty Bumpkin he whispered to me, “I’ve never been camping before, can’t wait to tell Dad!”

  

 Making lanterns ready for the campsite

Maybe concentrating on pitching a camp!
Children at Tatty Bumpkin session in South East Oxfordshire.

On this particular Tatty Bumpkin adventure the children had a problem to solve as Tatty Bumpkin had forgotten her pillow!  Oh No!

Quick as a flash one of the girls in the group suggested that we should collect some feathers as these could, of course, be used to make a beautiful soft pillow. What a great idea and soon we were all blowing our feathers to the Tatty Bumpkin Feather song. We didn’t just solve the pillow problem, we also had a chance to become more aware of our breath and enjoy a sense of calm.

A ‘Tatty Bumpkiner’ from Mid Sussex is just a ‘little bit in love’ with her peacock feather from her Tatty Bumpkin class - after all she was wearing the right dress!

At the end of the story we had pitched our very own magical camp, complete with a campfire – and it was time to start cooking! 

What would you cook on your campfire?

 

Working with Children with Additional Needs and their Families

A really special part of this job for me is working with children with additional needs. It is so clear to me just how much they get out of their Tatty Bumpkin sessions.
 
One little girl had been having a really tough day; at the start of the session, her play workers told me that she had been feeling very frustrated all day and had not wanted to have any time out of her wheelchair. However, as soon as our session started she was keen to be involved with the story. A beautiful smile broke out across her face and she was soon doing the yoga moves from her chair. Further into the story she wanted to be closer to the action so she asked to come out of her chair!

FANTASTIC - she ended her session stretched out with a duck on her tummy, relaxed and calm.  These kind of moments are just very special .."

 Sarah with one of her Tatty Bumpkin Holiday Club groups

If you would like to find out more about Tatty Bumpkin classes and upcoming holiday clubs in your area please visit http://www.tattybumpkin.com/classes/find-class.html

If you think you would like to run classes yourself, and it might be time to investigate a Tatty Bumpkin franchise please visit http://www.tattybumpkin.com/business/index.html

2013 - 14 Week 2: Tatty Bumpkin's pose for the Week is SNAKE!

By Sue Heron – Training Co-ordinator Tatty Bumpkin and Paediatric Physiotherapist

The pose for this week in Tatty Bumpkin classes is SNAKE.

This week Tatty Bumpkin jumps through the Giggle Tree to find herself deep inside the Rainforest. Some of the trees are so tall they are as high as 6 houses! Tatty Bumpkin stretches up really high, on one leg, like a Rainforest tree.

It starts to rain and Tatty Bumpkin closes her eyes as the raindrops fall on her nose, ears, hair and body

But all is not well in the Rainforest, a little snake is very sad. He just cannot learn to wriggle! Tatty Bumpkin, always the thinker and ready to solve problems, suggests they ask the other Rainforest animals for help: the snappy crocodile, the chattering monkeys, the growly bears and even the stomping, trumpeting elephants. Now, who do you think would be able to show the little snake how to wriggle? Tatty Bumpkin needs your ideas …

 

What Snake Pose Looks Like

Wriggle as a slidy snake and don't forget to hissss!

Description of Pose

Note to parents - To encourage your child to lie down on their tummy, it is always best to do the activity with them! Playing with your child really means a great deal to them and builds the relationship between you both – so stretch out with your child and give them an ‘eye level smile!’ However, be careful of your back and do not push up with straight elbows as this may strain your back.

 

What to say to your child

Lie on your tummy with your elbows bent & forearms on the floor, wiggle side to side like a slippery snake! Bend your knees so your feet are in the air, just like a snake’s tail, slowly raise your head & chest off the floor and ‘hiss’ loudly (keep your elbows on the floor). Lower your legs to the floor & move your arms & legs once more to carry on wriggling!

 

Want to make it harder?

When you bend your knees, wave your lower legs from side to side in the air, like a ‘rattlesnake!’ Now, see if you can wriggle, backwards or maybe sideways!

 

Other games

Older children may enjoy the challenge of wriggling as snake round a ‘jungle obstacle course’ picking up objects on the way. Make the course by placing a few chairs or a low table in a safe area and encouraging your child to wriggle underneath them.

 

 

Younger children and Toddlers

 

Description of Pose

As with older children, it is always best to do snake pose with your toddler, they will not only learn to do the pose by copying you but also recent research shows that when parents play and move with their young children this helps the ‘bonding’ process. So lie down on the floor yourself and encourage your toddler to lie down opposite you. Guide them to rest their elbows on the floor in front of them so they can push their head and chest up from the floor. As they push up encourage your toddler to make hissing sounds like a snake.
Remember, be careful of your back and take care to keep your elbows on the floor whilst you are doing snake pose, as this will ensure that you do not strain your back.

 

Older Toddlers

Encourage your toddler to bend their knees to lift their feet from the floor – to make a ‘snaky tail’. They can then ‘have a go’ at swaying their lower legs (their tail) from side to side just like a rattle snake.

 

Other Games

Your toddler might enjoy wriggling as snake on the floor. Use a piece of light material to make a ‘jungle canopy’ for them to wriggle underneath. Make a simple obstacle course using two chairs or a low table and encourage your toddler to wriggle underneath them.

 

Why it is ‘Good For Me’

Snake pose will give your child the opportunity to:

• Strengthen their core muscles. As your child wriggles in snake pose they will be ‘waking up’ and strengthening their shoulder, back, tummy and hip muscles. Core muscle strength provides a great foundation for athletic & writing skills.

• Improve their co-ordination and body awareness. In order to move around safely and use objects and tools efficiently, e.g. pens, cutlery, we need to create an accurate image of our body in our minds – this is called a ‘body schema’.  We develop our body schema using sensory information from our muscles and sense of touch. As your child is growing they need to constantly update their body schema. Wriggling side to side, slithering forwards, backwards and sideways in snake pose,  using both arms and legs, is a good way for your child to update their mental map of their body or their ‘body schema’.

• Develop their concentration skills and breath awareness. Your child may find snake pose helpful to either calm themselves down or wake themselves up – it just depends on how quickly they do the activity. To help your child calm themselves: encourage them to be a big, long snake who is wriggling slowly and doing loud, long hisses! As your child rocks side to side on their tummy and takes deeper breaths to do long hisses - they will be gently stimulating their body senses and taking deeper, slower breaths – both of which can help them to calm themselves. If your child needs help in ‘waking up’: encourage them to be little snakes, wriggling rapidly through the jungle whilst doing shorter, quicker hisses, both these actions may help them to become more alert.

For all the above reasons snake pose can become a great ‘movement’ break for your child i.e. when they are struggling to maintain concentration on that new bit of home work – just 1 – 2 minutes is enough!

 

Make it Multi-Sensory, Educational & Fun

In Tatty Bumpkin classes we use unique storylines to make the activities meaningful and to fire the imagination.

All our classes are multi-sensory comprising of:

• Adapted yoga poses and activities which both stimulate and calm the body senses

• Dedicated songs and rhythms which are relevant to the stories

• Bespoke hand-woven props to look at and feel. Tatty Bumpkin has its own range of fairly traded animal props to back up the yoga poses and bring the stories to life. Our teachers are supported to use natural props in the classes which are great to feel as opposed to smooth plastic

We have carefully linked each Tatty Bumpkin to the new 2012 Early Years Foundation Stage framework. Importantly supporting children to learn ‘how to learn’ not just focusing on what on they learn.

 

 

 

So … The Adventure This Week  ..

This week Tatty Bumpkin ventures out from Wobble Farm, creeping deep into the Rainforest. She finds herself surrounded by incredibly tall trees, their thick, green leafy branches hang down low and gently sway in the tropical breeze.  

The Rainforest canopy is green and dark!

The forest is not called the Rainforest for nothing, and soon Tatty Bumpkin feels raindrops on her nose, ears, hair and body. As the rain falls all-around she thinks about how it will help the trees and plants grow really quickly and ever so tall. Tatty Bumpkin imagines she is a Cocoa tree as this is used to make delicious chocolate! What kind of tree or plant would you like to be?

What plant or tree would you like to grow up to be?!

 

A delicious Cocoa Tree?

 
Maybe you might want to be a bouncy rubber tree…

A bouncy rubber tree!

…or even a spikey pineapple plant!

A spiky pineapple!

You have to pick pineapples carefully...

But all is not well; Tatty Bumpkin hears a tearful sobbing above the sound of the rain. She looks down closely at the dark, damp forest floor and spies a little snake peeking out from his hole. As she hates to see anyone unhappy Tatty Bumpkin asks the little snake what the matter is? Oh No! He has never learnt to wriggle .. in fact he is an ‘unwriggly snake!’ 

I can sway and flap but I just cannot wriggle!

 
What to do? Tatty Bumpkin has a think – surely one of the rainforest animals can help?
How about the crocodiles?  They wriggle their tails …


 

Us crocodiles can snap ... but no we do not wriggle like snakes - we waddle!

“Oh dear no, the crocodiles cannot help!”

How about the monkeys? They wriggle their bodies and fingers as they swing through the trees…

We monkeys dance and swing!

“Oh dear no, the monkeys cannot help!”

I know, the elephants, thinks Tatty Bumpkin, they have very wriggly trunks, surely they can show snake how to wriggle …

We stomp and stomp and wave our trunks - no wriggling!

 “Oh dear no, the elephants cannot help!”

Then the little snake remembers his grandpa, who is very wise. Grandpa snake has wriggled for many, many years. What do you think? Do you think grandpa snake might be able to help?  

Of course he can, he might be a little stiff these days, but he still can do a wonderfully, snaky, wriggle! Grandpa patiently shows the little snake a host of wriggling moves to the 'Tatty Bumpkin Snake Rainforest Rap!'

Lets wriggle to the 'Tatty Bumpkin Snaky Rainforest Rap!'

Little snake is overjoyed, he can wriggle and it is party time! 

Now, where are those Rainforest pineapples and can we make some Rainforest chocolate please?  

What would you have at your 'Rainforest Feast'?

In the Tatty Bumpkin classes, this story will give your child an opportunity to:

• Strengthen their core muscles and develop their body awareness in snake pose  tree pose

• Use their imagination to think of different Rainforest trees and plants to be: a bouncy rubber tree or maybe a spiky pineapple plant? 

• Develop their sense of rhythm as they wriggle to the 'Tatty Bumpkin Snake Rainforest Rap'

• Learn about the Rainforest environment using their whole body and all their sense

• Have fun with their friends and talk about what they are going to eat at the Rainforest party!

Find your local Tatty Bumpkin class at http://www.tattybumpkin.com/classes/find-class.html

2013 - 14 Week 1: Tatty Bumpkin's pose for the Week is TREE!

By Sue Heron – Training Co-ordinator Tatty Bumpkin and Paediatric Physiotherapist

The pose for this week in Tatty Bumpkin classes is TREE. 

Have you noticed the trees around your home?  If you look really carefully, the edges of some leaves are changing colour. Also, this year is going to be a bumper year for apples, so if you’re lucky enough to have an apple tree close by - it is worth looking at!

This week Tatty Bumpkin wriggles through the Giggle Tree to find herself under a small wood of trees along with her friends the worms. She has a giggle wriggling with the wriggly critters!  

Looking up, she notices some of the leaves are changing colour. They are turning slightly golden, red and orange at their tips. Tatty Bumpkin looks at all the different shaped leaves and dances with them as they float to the ground.

Then Tatty Bumpkin spies apples on some of the trees!

She ‘has a go’ at balancing them in her outstretched hands, on her head, under her chin, even on her feet!  

After all the fun, Tatty Bumpkin has a think, what can she make with the apples and who can help her? She decides to ask the butterflies for their help – but do you have any ideas what Tatty Bumpkin can make with the apples? Remember worms like to eat apples too!

In your Tatty Bumpkin class this week, come and play with Tatty Bumpkin under the apple trees with her friends the butterflies and worms…..

 

What Tree Pose Looks Like!  

 

Balance as a tree with your arms out wide!

Perhaps you can be a tall tree, in a forest!

Description – What to Say to Your Child

Stand still with your feet apart and stretch your arms out to either side – these are your branches! Imagine the wind is starting to blow, so take a few deep breaths and blow out softly.  As you blow, gently twist your body round one way and then the other so your ‘branches’ are swaying side to side in the wind!

Want to make it harder?

Now see if you can ‘have a go’ at doing tree pose whilst balancing on one leg. If you are a bit wobbly practise this by leaving your toe on the ground and resting your heel against your other foot.  Parents: blow gently on your child’s body so they can be a ‘tree in the wind’. Collect a couple of apples and see if you can hold them out to either side – then you are an apple tree! Even ‘have a go’ at balancing the apple on your head!


Note to parents: when your child moves onto one leg guide them to try and keep their hips as level as possible and their legs slightly apart - this means they are using the correct muscles. If your child has a tendency to wrap one leg round the other in an effort to keep their balance – try not to encourage this - instead support them round their hips (so their hands are free to balance) and see if they can stand on one leg, keeping their legs slightly apart. Once they have the idea, you can stand back and let them do the pose by themselves.

 

Other games

Place a couple of cushions on the floor on a non-slip mat or carpet. Encourage your child to practise stepping on and off the cushions and to try standing in tree pose whilst balancing on a cushion to be a ‘wobbly tree’. You may need to support your child whilst they do this game, in which case, try kneeling down next to them, and supporting them round their hips – by doing this you leave your child’s arms free so they can use them to learn how to balance.

Collect a variety of real leaves and encourage your child:

• To look at the leaves closely and see if they can be a leaf of a similar shape

• To experiment with putting the leaves between their toes whilst they are sitting down and try to wave their feet in the air with their leaf! (Watch your child closely so they do not fall backwards). This is a great activity for balance, and strengthening tummy muscles. Older children can see if they can balance apples in their hands, whilst they are waving the leaves with their feet! 

How many apples can you have on your tree?!

• To play a ‘collecting leaves’ game with you. Put a basket in the middle for the leaves and see how many leaves you can put in it.  As your child plays this game they will not only be feeling the leaves but they will be encouraged to balance in squatting and practise their hand skills as they pick up the leaves,

• To ‘have a go’ at blowing the leaves – hold the leaf on the back of your hand and see if your child can blow it off!

Find a few apples and encourage your child to:

• Not only balance them on their head etc. (as above) but also have a go at picking them up with the soles of their feet to put them in the basket. This game is great for strengthening foot and tummy muscles. 

Careful now!

• See if they can roll an apple under their bare feet – great for balance and for activating their foot muscles.

• Play the 'wormy apple' game! Carefully core one apple. Then give your child a ‘fuzzy stick’ – this is their worm. Guide your child to post their worm through the cored apple. Younger children will need the apple held for them, and will post the worm through one side and pull it out the other using the same hand. Older children can be encouraged to post their worm through the apple with one hand and pull it through with the other – this is a great activity for eye hand co-ordination and general fine motor skills.

Why Tree Pose is ‘Good For Me’

Tree pose will give your child the opportunity to:

• Strengthen their core muscles.  As your child does tree pose they will be activating and strengthening their hip, back, tummy and shoulder muscles. These large muscle groups are sometimes referred to as the ‘core muscles’. Strength in these muscles is not only important for more complex sporting skills i.e. football, dance or tennis, but also is crucial for good posture, writing skills and daily living skills i.e. dressing

• Refine their sense of balance. Balance is a complex process. As children learn to sit, stand and move around so they develop mature ‘balance reactions’. These are automatic responses which help us to keep upright, regain our balance if it is slightly disturbed i.e. bring our body back to the middle or to protect ourselves if we lose our balance completely i.e. put out our hand if we fall. For most children these postural reactions develop as part of growing up and moving around, but if you provide your child with plenty of (safe) opportunities to experiment with and gently challenge their sense of balance this will definitely help them to develop and refine these reactions.

• Develop their concentration skills. Doing tree pose demands concentration! Guide your child to gently rock from one foot to the other before they try and balance on one leg, this will help them to focus on the activity, rather than rushing straight in! Older children can try and look at a particular point ahead of them whilst they stand on one leg.

Make it Multi-Sensory, Educational & Fun 

In Tatty Bumpkin classes we use unique storylines to make the activities meaningful and to fire the imagination.

All our classes are multi-sensory comprising of:

• Adapted yoga poses and activities which both stimulate and calm the body senses

• Dedicated songs and rhythms which are relevant to the stories

• Bespoke hand-woven props to look at and feel. Tatty Bumpkin has it's own range of fairly traded animal props to back up the yoga poses and bring the stories to life. Our teachers are supported to use natural props in the classes which are great to feel as opposed to smooth plastic

We have carefully linked each Tatty Bumpkin to the new 2012 Early Years Foundation Stage framework. Importantly supporting children to learn ‘how to learn’ not just focusing on what on they learn.

So … The Adventure This Week  ..

Some things are changing at Wobble Farm, children are heading back to school, maybe to a different school, and the trees are starting to change as well. So when Tatty Bumpkin finds herself in a small wood of trees she notices the leaves, of all different shapes, are gradually starting to change colour.

Will you be a star shaped leaf?

Or maybe a narrow, tall leaf?

Some of the leaves are falling to the ground and Tatty Bumpkin has a great time dancing amongst them to her favourite Tatty Bumpkin track.

Here we go! Floating to the ground!

As Tatty Bumpkin looks closely at the trees she spies little birds in their branches. They are getting ready to fly to a faraway land and are eating lots of worms for energy! 

"We have to fly a long way , tweet, tweet! We need worms for energy, tweet, tweet!"

Then Tatty Bumpkin notices some of the trees have apples – and she has a go at balancing apples on her head and out stretched arms – soon she is just like an apple tree!

What a lovely apple tree!

As some of the apples had fallen on the ground Tatty Bumpkin, along with her friends the butterflies, collects them all up, along with some leaves into her basket.  She finds she can pick up the apples using her hands and her feet!

Can you help Tatty Bumpkin collect the apples?

Tatty Bumpkin takes the apples back to Wobble Farm to make the most delicious apple pie for all her friends
 

Would you make an apple pie or an apple turnvover!

.
But she has kindly left an apple for her friends the worms to munch. The worms start at one end of the apple and munch the whole way through! Yum, yum!  

Yum, yum!

This story gives your child an opportunity to:

• Progress their balance and concentration skills in tree pose

• Bring their attention to their breath as they blow the butterflies and leaves

• Use their imagination to think of different leaf shapes and to dance and ‘float’ as leaves to a Tatty Bumpkin instrumental track

• Activate their ‘core’ muscles as they wriggle as worms

• Refine their eye-hand and eye foot co-ordination whilst they: balance the apples in their hands or on their feet and ‘have a go' at pushing the worm through the apple 

• Strengthen their delicate hand and foot muscles to collect the apples and leaves. Activate their foot muscles whilst rolling the apples under their feet

• Have fun with their friends and talk about what they are going to make with the apples!

Find your local Tatty Bumpkin class at http://www.tattybumpkin.com/classes/find-class.html