2013 - 14 Week 6: Tatty Bumpkin's Pose for the Week is Lion!

By Sue Heron – Training Co-ordinator Tatty Bumpkin and Paediatric Physiotherapist
 
The pose for this week in Tatty Bumpkin classes is LION as Tatty Bumpkin ventures into the jungle, with all it's diffferent sights and sounds....

 

What Lion Pose Looks Like! 

 

Be a lion and roar!

Be a lion with a friend or mum or dad!

Go on a lion hunt!

Description of Lion Pose

Note to parents - It is always best to do lion pose with your child so they can copy you, this is especially true if your child is younger.

Start in sitting, either with your legs cross legged or sitting back on your heels. Gain eye contact with your child and suggest you play at being lions. Then demonstrate one way of being a lion to your child i.e. Stretch your arms out in front, straightening your elbows and turning your palm upwards whilst stiffening your fingers to be lion claws.  Add in a ‘roar’ whilst your do the action – so “1, 2, 3, roar!” Encourage you child to come up with their own ideas for lion shapes.

 

Other games – 'Going on a Lion Hunt'

Spread some cushions round the room (on a non-slip surface) to make a bumpy jungle floor! Then encourage your child to come on a lion hunt with you, exploring the different surfaces and stepping on and off the cushions. Try moving in different ways as you look for the lion: you might creep on all fours or tiptoe, maybe you will hide in the undergrowth or behind a chair! Finally you find the lion and ‘1, 2, 3 you open up your mouth to make a great big roar!’

 

Want to make it Harder?

Progress your child’s balance by suggesting they do lion pose kneeling up, or with one foot in front  or even crossing  their  arms. But remember, lion pose is all about feeling strong and confident so if your child is feeling unsure to ‘roar’ in kneeling suggest you have another go sitting back on your heels as this is the easier position.

 

Kneel up and roar like a lion

 

Why it is ‘Good For Me’

As your child or toddler does lion pose they will be: 

• Boosting  their self-confidence. Lion pose and roaring like a lion gives your child the opportunity to feel ‘strong’ and ‘let off steam’

• Strengthening their core muscles for good posture and balance. As you child balances in sitting or kneeling and pushes out their arms in lion pose they will be strengthening  their back, tummy, shoulder and hip muscles. Strength and activity in the these muscles are the foundation for both sporting and writing skills.

• Strengthening their wrist and hand muscles. As your child brings their hands up and stiffens their fingers to be lion claws they will be strengthening their wrist ‘extensor’ and finger muscles. These muscles are important in establishing a good pencil grip. 

• Firing their imagination. When you child or toddler plays with you on a ‘lion hunt’ they will have the chance to think about other sounds they might hear or animals they might see in the jungle.

Of course, as you play in lion pose with your child or toddler you will strengthen the bond between you - both of you enjoying seeing each other do the actions.

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 jungle is full of different sounds, plants and creatures. As Tatty Bumpkin wriggles beneath the jungle trees she enjoys saying ‘hello’ to her friends the snakes.  Then she reaches up high and explores the jungle leaves with the giraffes. In a clearing, she stands still for a moment and listens to the parrots squawking; soon she is playing with their glorious feathers.

But Tatty Bumpkin has a job to do – she has to find Lion! So off she goes first treading carefully across a wobbly river bridge, taking care to avoid the crocodile lurking underneath. Then she creeps and tiptoes through the undergrowth - all the time keeping a good look out for Lion. Will Tatty Bumpkin find her friend? Who would be your favourite jungle friend? 

Be careful of that crocodile!

 

This story gives your child an opportunity to

• Strengthen their core muscles, develop their sense of balance, and stimulate their body senses as they 'have a go' at walking along the bridge and the snake, crocodile and lion poses

• Use gestures or words to express their feelings – imagining they are strong and confident lions – ‘Roar!’

• Develop their sense of rhythm as they creep and tiptoe to Tatty Bumpkin Lion song

• Calm themselves and experiment with being really still as they blow the parrot feathers and stand or sit in their ‘jungle clearing’

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

• Have fun with their friends; blowing the parrot feathers, doing tricks on the bridge and hunting for the lion!…. 

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