The activity for this week in Tatty Bumpkin classes is tummy (abdominal) breathing and relaxation.
Tummy Breathing and Relaxation
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| 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
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| Enjoy playing blowing games together! |
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:
- 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
- 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 ..
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| 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 .....
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| PUSHHHH! |
as she jumps outside a gust of wind knocks her clean over!
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| 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!
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| Will the ducklings be okay? |
Find your local Tatty Bumpkin class at http://www.tattybumpkin.com/classes/find-class.html
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