Mindfulness in schools?

Ministers turn to 'mindfulness' training to improve the education system.

Schools Minister David Laws this week told MPs: “We are very interested in promotingthis [idea] and we certainly think that it is an area that merits consideration based on the evidence we've seen to date

In other words: mindfulness may well be coming to a classroom near you.

Mindfulness aims to shut out the buzz; it is a brain-training technique based on using your breath to achieve mental clarity.

It has been discussed in Parliament as a therapy in relation to both unemployment and depression. But it isn’t about zoning out. If anything, it’s about zooming in; paying attention to the present and decluttering the brain to make room for creativity – and in business that means boosting the bottom line.

"Children are naturally good at this," says Sam Petter from Tatty Bumpkin childrens yoga. "Often the relaxation at the end of our yoga stories for babies and children, is the part that the kids love the most. They are by nature, 'in the moment' and its developing this and encouraging it to become a life skill."

For adults, the practice of mindfulness doesnt come so easily, as without practice, we lose the skill, so to that end, mindfulness training has been embraced by organisations as diverse as Google, Transport for London, Pricewaterhouse Coopers and the Home Office, by way of an antidote to the relentless pressure and information overload common in many workplaces.

“Uncertainty and instability are the norm in today’s work environment,” says Juliet Adams, director of A Head for Work, who specialises in mindfulness training. “We are living and working in times of constant change. Change is nothing new. What is new is that the pace of change is accelerating and mindfulness trains us to focus on the moment rather than allowing our attention to be hijacked by thoughts about the past or worries about the future.”

Many of us have so much on our minds at any given time that we function quite regularly on autopilot. It’s not uncommon to set off in your car and arrive at your destination only to realise you remember nothing about the journey, or walk into a room to accomplish a task only to forget instantly what it was you wanted to do.

Mindfulness teaches individuals to be present in the moment rather than being distracted about the past or projecting into the future. It doesn’t stop you feeling emotions per se, but it does allow you to deal with them more dispassionately.

The technique draws on the breathing exercises commonly used in meditation and yoga, but is a simple way to access your thoughts and allow them to be heard.

The principles and practice of “mindful leadership” are taught at Harvard, while Oxford University’s dedicated Mindfulness Centre is carrying out research into its clinical and general health benefits.

“Advances in neuroscience and psychology in relation to depression over the past 15 years have coincided with the current economic situation, which has made the condition more prevalent, and mindfulness is a solution that is emerging at just the right time,” says Mark Leonard, who helped establish the Oxford centre and also runs an offshoot, the Mindfulness Exchange, which provides training. “As a culture, we are so prone to overthinking and ruminating that we need to develop a way of stilling our minds.”

The World Health Organisation recently stated that by 2030, mental health issues will form the biggest burden on health care resources including heart conditions and cancer.

The practice of mindfulness has been shown to calm the body down, reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol and even reduce the size of grey matter in the amygdala. By contrast, the amount of grey matter in those areas of the brain associated with attention, memory and empathy appears to have increased in those who have practised mindfulness exercises.

It’s not just beneficial to adults; when applied in schools, mindfulness increases both children’s self-esteem and performance in class.

“I used to teach at a highly academic independent girls’ school, and I found that by introducing mindfulness into lessons, it had a profound effect on the students’ anxiety levels, their confidence and their concentration,” says Claire Kelly, a mindfulness practitioner who is now involved with the Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP), a not-for-profit body that runs an eight-week programme in schools.

“Teaching mindfulness to young people gives them crucial tools to deal with the pressures of life. It’s empowering, and once they know how to do it, they can draw on it whenever they need to.”

Tonbridge School in Kent and Hampton School in Middlesex were the first British schools to include mindfulness in the curriculum for all 13- and 14-year-olds in 2010. Since then, more schools here and abroad have become involved.

“I think mindfulness training should be made available to every child,” says Kelly. “Once you’ve seen the tangible effect it has on behaviour and performance, it makes complete sense to incorporate it into school life and beyond.”

So if you would like to embrace enhanced emotional equilibrium, a greater sense of perspective and a feeling that you can cope with the challenges the year will bring, mindfulness could well be the way forward. You have nothing to lose but your stress.

It's very good at clearing the mind

So what does mindfulness involve?

In a Tatty Bumpkin, multi-sensory, developmental class, relaxation and mindfulness are accessed through simple stretches, breathing and relaxation.

The children act out a story with stretching and props which stimulate the mind and improve concentration. At the end of the session the children lie on the floor and listen to a recap of the session. During this time they breath deeply,  fully releasing tension. By observing the story they have just done in their mind whilst relaxing the mind stops racing ahead and focuses on the moment allowing stress to wash away.

A common use of such a session is to alleviate exam stress. As Emily, 11 says

"I love the relaxation in the classes as I learnt breathing to try at home which helps me when I cant sleep."

Mindfulness and relaxation are not magical, spiritual processes (although they can be) but they help us to combat the stress of every day, recharge and be more effective across school, work and our personal lives.

source http://www.telegraph.co.uk

2014 Term 5 Week 5. Tatty Bumpkin's Pose for the Week is VOLCANO!

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

Find your local Tatty or Baby Bumpkin multi-sensory kid’s yoga class at http://www.tattybumpkin.com/classes/find-class.html. 

So you can continue to enjoy Volcano pose at home with your baby and child, below is a short summary of our Tatty Bumpkin yoga inspired ‘volcano pose’ along with the benefits of the pose for your baby or child. I have also included other kid’s play ideas related to Volcano pose.

The Adventure This Week ..

This week Tatty/Baby Bumpkin find themselves in the Rainforest!

The snakes hiss, the parrots squawk, and the lion’s roar – Grrr!!

Then Tatty Bumpkin hears a rumbling sound – whitch shakes the very ground she is standing on…

What could be making such a noise? Perhaps Tatty Bumpkin’s friend Lion knows…?

Come and explore the Rainforest with Baby or Tatty Bumpkin and help them investigate the rumbling sound!

In the ‘Volcano’ Story Your Child Will Have the Opportunity To

1. Improve their balance and use all their body senses as they do volcano pose.

2. Use gestures or words to express their thoughts and progress their communication skills i.e.

• Feeling ‘worried’ with Tatty Bumpkin as she listens to the ‘rumbling’ sounds.
• Being brave’ and ‘taking a risk’ with Tatty Bumpkin as she creeps throught he jungle!

3. Fire their imagination and come up with their own ideas i.e.

• What shape volcano to be?
• How to get across the river?!

4. Develop their sense of rhythm, co-ordination skills and spatial awareness as they creep, tiptoe and roar to the Tatty Bumpkin Lion Song.

5. Learn how to calm themselves and develop their fine motor skills as they explore parrot feathers to the Tatty Bumpkin Feather song.

6. Have fun with their friends as they hiss as snakes in the rainforest, snap as crocodiles in the river and work together to put feathers on the parrot’s tail.
 

Country Cottage Nursery, Kent, helped Parrot find his feathers!

Volcano Pose for Children and Toddlers

Volcano pose for your toddler

"1, 2, 3 WHOOSH!" - Volcano for older children

Description of Pose

If your child is about 4 years old or younger they will be learning new movements by looking at and copying others. Therefore it is best to do Volcano pose with your child or toddler so they can see what to do. Volcano pose will also give your own shoulders and chest a lovely stretch.

• Find a clear space and encourage your toddler or child to stand opposite you. 

• Together, curl up really small on the floor, as a ‘sleeping volcano'.

• Sleep for a few seconds 1, 2, 3 (count these out with your child.

• Then, suddenly, ERUPT! Come up onto your knees and spread your arms out wide!

• Move from one knee to the other or gently twist from side to side to as your volcano continues to shower it's larva everywhere!

Progressions

If your child is older guide them to start by squatting on the balls of their feet as a ‘sleeping volcano’ and then to quickly come up into standing to erupt! Try to encourage your child to do this without putting their hands on the ground to refine their balance skills.

Why Volcano Pose is Good for Both You, Your Toddler or Your Child

As you do Volcano pose with your toddler or child, you will both have a chance to: 

Stretch out your chest, shoulder and arm muscles
Volcano pose will give you both a chance to stretch out your arm, shoulder and chest muscles – just like our growing flower pose last week. Remember this type of pose is great for your child after they have been sitting for a while.

Progress your balance skills

• As you get up quickly up from the floor in volcano pose you will be challenging your balance skills through stimulating your body senses i.e. your  'proprioception' and your 'vestibular' sense.  
• Children develop mature balance skills at about seven years of age. If your child is younger they will largely be using their sight to keep their balance. It is by moving around and quickly changing position that children progress their abilities so they need not have to rely on looking so much to keep their balance.

• Unfortunately our own sense of balance slowly deteriorates as we age - we can help to control this by doing activities such as Volcano pose. 

To discover the other benefits of Volcano pose for your child either come along to your local Tatty Bumpkin class or see if your child is doing Tatty Bumpkin classes at their nursery and ask for one of our unique ‘Parent Information’ sheets.

Volcano Pose for Babies 

 

'Little volcanos for young babies'

"1, 2, 3 WHOOOSH!" 

Description of Pose

N.B. Remember, when you are doing the poses with your baby, never force the movements and keep looking at your baby to make sure they are comfortable. If you feel any resistance, or your baby becomes unsettled, do stop. Once your baby has settled, gently try the pose again, perhaps making clicking sounds or using a toy to distract them. If your baby remains unsettled, do not persist with the pose instead ask your Baby Bumpkin teacher for advice.

Very Young Babies (who are unable to hold their head up by themselves)

• Find a comfortable place to sit on the floor with your baby with your legs out in front of you. Position your baby on your thighs so they are facing you.  Place your hands behind their head and neck to give them further support.  They are a sleeping volcano!

• Then ‘1, 2, 3’ the volcano erupts! Slowly bend your knees up to lift your baby up towards you. Count out the ‘1, 2, 3’ and make an ‘erupting volcano’ whoosh sound as you do the movement.

• Now slowly straighten your knees to gently lower your baby back down away from you – to be a sleeping volcano once more.

• Repeat the pose several times all the time looking at your baby to make sure they are enjoying the movement. See if they wish to go a little faster or slower.

Young Babies (who are able to hold their head up by themselves)

• Find a comfortable place to sit on the floor with your baby. Stretch your legs out in front of you if this is comfortable, and position your baby so they are lying on their back between your legs. They are a sleeping volcano!

• Keep smiling and looking at your baby, to give them reassurance, whilst placing your hands behind their lower neck and upper shoulders to give them support. Bend your knees if you need to for comfort.

• Then ‘1, 2, 3’ the volcano erupts. Slowly draw your baby up into the sitting position. Count out the ‘1, 2, 3’ and make an ‘erupting volcano whoosh’ sound as you do the movement with your baby!

• Once in the sitting position, reassure your baby. Then gently encourage them to lie back down to be a sleeping volcano once more.

• Repeat the pose several times - all the time looking at your baby to make sure they are enjoying the movement. See if they wish to go a little faster or slower.

• Adjust your hand position if you feel your baby does not need quite so much support round their neck and shoulders i.e. Move your hands downwards so they are more round their upper back.

Older Babies (who are able to sit by themselves)

• Position yourself as above with your baby

• This time gently hold your baby’s forearms with each hand.

• Then 1, 2, 3, the volcano erupts. Slowly bring your baby up into the sitting position, letting them bring their legs up off the floor if needs be.

• Remember to give your baby time as you encourage them up into sitting, then they can be involved in the movement as much as possible. You are wanting them to:

1. Actively start to lift their head off the floor at the beginning of the pose. 
2. Use their arm and shoulder muscles to ‘brace’ themselves and help pull themselves up. If your baby is not using their arm and shoulder muscles then don’t persist with this variation of volcano pose. Try the more supportive pose described overleaf for a while.

Volcano Pose for You!

Take your arms up above your head then spread them out wide to be an erupting volcano.

Why Volcano Pose is Good for Your Baby

As you do Volcano pose with your baby, they will have a chance to:

Improve their ‘head control'
Always give your baby appropriate support at their neck and head as you do volcano pose so that they are not straining their neck and shoulders.

• As a new-born your baby would not have been able to lift their head off the floor when placed on their back or their tummy. If your baby is pulled into sitting from the lying position at this age - without sufficient head support –their head will ‘lag’ behind their shoulders. This ‘head lag’ is likely to persist until they are about 3 mths.

• Indeed, at about 2 mths you may notice that your baby’s head is slightly more floppy – this is because they would have lost their new-born body ‘stiffness’ but are yet to gain active muscle control of their head and neck.

• At 2 -3 mths your baby will be able to control their head more when pulled into sit          however their head will still lag about 25-50% of the time. See picture courtesy of http://library.med.utah.edu/pedineurologicexam/html/home_exam.html .

3 mnth old baby - showing 'head lag' position

• Over the next few months your baby will gain more and more ‘head control’. By the time they are 5 mths, when pulled into the sitting position, your baby will probably be able to tuck their chin in and lift their head.

• At around 6 mths your baby, whilst lying on the floor, will probably be lifting their head up off the floor by themselves for short periods – actively looking at the world around them. At this age if you do the progression of volcano pose with your baby i.e. you just give them support at their hands or wrists, your baby should be actively join in with the movement using their shoulder and arm muscles to brace themselves against your pull. (If your baby is not using their arm muscles in this way – do not carry on with the movement). See picture courtesy of http://beyondbasicplay.wordpress.com.

5 mnth old - 'Joining in!'

N.B. Always speak with your health visitor or G.P. if you feel your baby is not progressing
their ‘head control’ as they should i.e. if their head is still unstable at about 5- 6 mths


Activate their shoulder and arm muscles
If your baby is doing the progression of volcano pose they will be actively using their shoulder and arm muscles to brace themselves as you gently pull them into sitting by just holding their forearms. As they do this bracing action they will be ‘co-contracting’ their shoulder and arm muscles i.e. they will be working several groups of muscles at the same time - those which bend their arm and those muscles which straighten their arm. 


To discover the other benefits of volcano pose for you baby came along to your local Baby Bumpkin class and ask for one of our unique ‘Parent Information’ sheets.

Other Games to Play Around Volcano Pose

Erupting Volcanos!

Light weight or chiffon scarves can be great fun for playing peek-a-boo games with your baby. Wave the scarf gently over your baby, and encourage them to follow or ‘track’ it with their eyes. Some babies love to feel the scarf draped over them.  Add in volcano sounds as you move the scarf i.e. say “1, 2, 3, whoosh!” as you wave the scarf high into the air over your baby and then let it float downwards over them. 

Make it Multi-Sensory, Educational & Fun

In Tatty and Baby 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 and Baby 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.

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

2014 Term 5 Week 4. Tatty Bumpkin's Pose for the Week is GROWING FLOWER!

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

Find your local Tatty or Baby Bumpkin class at http://www.tattybumpkin.com/classes/find-class.html and have a go at Growing Flower pose with your baby, toddler or child at home – see below for information on how to do the pose and for other play ideas with flowers. 

The Adventure This Week ..

This week Tatty/Baby Bumpkin find themselves in the city; cars whizz by and planes soar overhead.

The road is being dug up by a big digger and Tatty/Baby Bumpkin see 'Tiny Flower' wobbling on top of a huge mound of earth!

What to do? Can Tatty/Baby Bumpkin rescue the Tiny Flower in time and where can they take her so she can grow up strong and tall? 

Come and help Tatty/Baby Bumpkin on their rescue mission and learn more about your amazing body!

In the ‘Tiny Flower’ Story Your Child Will Have the Opportunity To

1. Improve their balance and co-ordination skills as they refine their 'proprioception' (a body sense) in Growing Flower pose.

2. Develop their communication and social skills as they use gestures or words to express their thoughts i.e.

• Feeling ‘worried’ with Tiny Flower as she wobbles on the mound of earth.
• ‘Being brave’ and ‘taking a risk’ with Tatty Bumpkin to rescue Tiny Flower!
• Being determined to ‘keep going’ with Tatty Bumpkin as she climbs up the earth mound towards Tiny Flower.
• Feeling ‘happy’ with Tiny Flower in her new home and ‘proud of themselves’ with Tatty Bumpkin when they ‘do not give up’ on their rescue mission.

3. Come with their own ideas and talk about them i.e.

• What colour is their flower?
• What shape is their huge mound of earth?!

4. Develop their sense of rhythm as they dance to Tatty Bumpkin Dolphin Song.

5. Feel calmer, improve their hand skills and learn about ‘crossing the midline’ of their body as they play with a feather along to the Tatty Bumpkin Feather song.

6. Have fun with their friends as they firstly pretend to be different kinds of cars, planes and diggers and then work together to rescue Tiny Flower!  

Growing Flower Pose for Children and Toddlers

Growing Flower pose with your toddler

Your child being a Growing Flower on ther own - remember no hands!

Description of Pose

If your child is about 4 years old or younger they will be learning new movements by looking at and copying others. Therefore it is best to do Growing Flower pose with your child or toddler so they can see what to do.

• Find a clear space and encourage your toddler or child to stand opposite you. 

• Curl up really small on the floor together, like a tiny seed. Say “1,2,3!” then

• Stand up together, slowly stretching your arms out wide and then above your head – just like a growing flower. As you come up to standing encourage your child to say “Up!” with you!

• Keep standing, with your arms open wide, and ask your child the colour of their flower. Maybe help them with their answer by suggesting two colours i.e. “Is your flower red or blue?”

• Then slowly curl back down on the floor together – to be tiny seeds again.

• Repeat the pose a few times. If your child is younger they will love the anticipation of the ‘1, 2, 3’ and ‘knowing what happens next!’

 

Progressions

If your child is older, encourage them to try and come up into standing without putting their hands down on the floor. This will require more co-ordination and balance. As a guide the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum for physical skills suggests that children aged between 2 – 3 years should be aiming to rise from squatting to standing without using their hands.

Why Growing Flower Pose is Good for Both You and Your Toddler or Child

As you do Growing Flower pose with your toddler or child, you will both have the chance to:

Gently stretch out your chest, shoulder and arm muscles
Growing Flower pose will give you both a chance to stretch out your arm, shoulder and chest muscles. Growing Flower pose is an ideal stretch for your child after they have been in the car seat or pushchair for a while.

Develop the close bond between you both
As you do Growing Flower pose with your child, they will enjoy doing the movements with you and will soon learn to anticipate which movement comes next. As you curl up together as tiny seeds, your child will love the close physical contact with you in this calming position.

As they do Growing Flower pose your toddler or child will have a chance to:

Stimulate and organise their ‘balance senses’
As your toddler or child moves up into standing in Growing Flower pose they will be using and organising the three senses which are crucial for balance in standing i.e.

1. Their visual sense. Young children (under the age of 4 years) initially keep their balance in standing by looking. If your child is at the ‘toddling stage’ you will notice that they love to look at you or a toy as they tentatively try to stand or walk. As your child’s sensory organisation matures they will increasingly start to use their two ‘body senses’. See 2 and 3.
2. Their proprioceptive sense. This sense tells us where our body is in space helping us to balance and adjust our body position. We have receptors for this sense all over our body – in our muscles and joints. In Growing Flower pose whilst your child is curled up on the floor, they will be using the proprioceptive information gained from the contact of their body on the floor. When they stand up they will be using the proprioceptive information gained from the contact of their feet make with the floor – a much smaller area. Children start to rely more on their proprioceptive sense from about 4 years of age. 
3. Their vestibular sense. Our vestibular sense tells us where our head is in relation to our body. The receptors for this sense are in our ‘inner ear’. Your child will be using this sense as they try to keep their head upright over their body. Children can rely on this sense to keep their balance from about 7 years of age. 

Increase their awareness of their whole body especially their ‘middle’ or their midline
In Growing Flower pose your child will go through a sequence of movements:

• Firstly, they will be in a ‘curled up’ position - with their arms and legs close to their body as a ‘tiny seed’.
• Then they will move to a ‘stretched out standing’ position - as they grow like flowers. 
• Finally they will go back to a curled position once again – as they repeat the ‘tiny seed’ position.   

This sequence of movements will help your child to improve their ‘body awareness’. They will better understand where their body starts and finishes and how the different parts move together. It is important for your child to keep an ‘up-to-date image’ of their body in their mind as they will use this as a reference to learn new skills.

Activate their tummy, back, hip and leg muscles 
As your child moves from being a ‘tiny seed’ up to flower – they will be strengthening not only their hip and leg muscles but also their tummy and back muscles.

Activate their shoulder and arm muscles 
As your child takes their arms out to either side, as a growing flower, they will be activating and strengthening their upper body muscles. If you encourage your toddler to reach out with their arms by themselves they will be strengthening these muscles even more. 

Growing Flower Pose for Babies

Grow as flowers together!

Description of Pose

N.B. Remember, when you are doing the poses with your baby, never force the movements and keep looking at your baby to make sure they are comfortable. If you feel any resistance, or your baby becomes unsettled, do stop. Once your baby has settled, gently try the pose again, perhaps making clicking sounds or using a toy to distract them. If your baby remains unsettled, do not persist with the pose instead ask your Baby Bumpkin teacher for advice.

Growing Flower Pose for You

This is an adaptation of one of the ‘warm up’ stretches you may have done in the Baby Bumpkin class. Growing Flower pose will give you a chance to stretch your shoulder and chest muscles and your baby will love to see your movements!

• Start by deciding what colour flower you are going to be! Find two hankies, ribbons, clean tea towels or pieces of fabric and hold one in each hand – these are your flower petals and will help your baby to follow your arm movements. Remember - never leave your baby alone with ribbons.

• Find a comfortable place to sit on the floor with your baby lying on their back in front of you. Keep looking and smiling at your baby to give them reassurance.

• Holding your ‘flower petals’, bring your hands together in front of you at shoulder height, keeping your elbows straight.

• Gently spread your arms out to either side, keep your elbows straight and your palms facing upwards. Only stretch back as far as is comfortable.

• Keeping your arms out to the side think about slowly drawing your shoulder blades downwards and together, towards your spine. You should feel the distance between your shoulders and your ears increasing. Hold the stretch for a few seconds.

• Then bring your palms together above your head, keeping your elbows as straight as you can. Finish by bringing your arms back down to your sides.

Growing Flower Pose For Your Baby

Now it is your baby’s go!

• Firstly, gain good eye contact with your baby – this is important as your baby will be able to move their arms better if they can keep their head in the middle.

• Hold your baby’s legs, just below their knees, and gently bend their knees up towards their tummy letting their arms rest by their sides.

• Curl forwards over your baby and imagine you are both tiny seeds in the ground - waiting to grow….

• Then slowly let your baby’s legs go, so they can kick out, sit up tall and stretch out in Growing Flower pose (as above).

• Now encourage your baby to do the same arm movements i.e. Place your index fingers in your baby’s palms so they are encouraged to grasp hold of your fingers and hence feel more in control.

• Then guide your baby’s hands out to either side – to be an ‘open flower’ and above their head – to be a ‘growing flower!’ Remember if your baby is under 5 mths they will not be able to fully straighten their elbows or take their arms right above their head – so do not force this movement. Finish by bringing your baby’s hands back to their middle.

• Repeat the whole pose i.e. Bend your baby’s knees up to their chest and curl up small over your baby. Release your hold (encouraging your baby to reach and kick out with their arms and legs) to spread your arms out and upwards in Growing Flower pose and then guide your baby’s arms outwards and upwards in Growing Flower pose.

• Do 2 - 3 repetitions. As you do each repetition encourage your baby to kick their legs out more and to do more of the arm movement by themselves – the idea is that you both end up reaching up and out in Growing Flower pose together!

Why Growing Flower Activity is Good for Both You and Your Baby

As you do Growing Flower activity with your baby, you will both have a chance to:

Gently stretch out your chest, shoulder and arm muscles
Growing Flower pose will give both you and your baby a chance to stretch out your arm and shoulder muscles plus those across your chest. If done gently and carefully, Growing Flower pose is an ideal stretch for your baby after they have been in the car seat or pushchair for a while. 

As your baby does Growing Flower pose they will have a chance to:

Increase their awareness of their whole body especially their ‘middle’ or their midline
In Growing Flower pose, your baby will experience:

• Firstly, a curled position - with their arms and legs close to their body as a ‘tiny seed’.

• Then a 'stretching', 'opening' movement - as they kick their legs out and stretch out and up with their arms as a Growing Flower.

• A curled position once again – as you repeat the ‘tiny seed’ position with them. 

This sequence of movements will help your baby to improve their body awareness i.e. where their body starts and finishes and how the different parts move together. As mentioned before, in these information sheets, it is important for your baby to have an ‘up-to-date image’ of their body in their mind as they will use this to learn new skills.

Activate their tummy, hip and leg muscles
As your baby pushes out with their legs and feet after being a curled up as a ‘tiny seed’ – they will be strengthening not only their hip and leg muscles but also their tummy muscles.

Activate their shoulder and arm muscles
As your baby moves their arms out to either side, to be a growing flower, they will be activating and strengthening these upper body muscles. If you encourage your baby to reach out more by themselves they will be strengthening these muscles even more. 

Refine their visual skills
As you stretch out your arms in Growing Flower pose over your baby, they will have the chance to follow your movements with their eyes.

Develop their close bond with you
As you practise Growing Flower pose several times with your baby, they will enjoy doing the movements with you and will soon learn to anticipate which movement comes next. As you snuggle down with your baby as a tiny seed – they will love the close physical contact with you in this calming position.

Other Games to Play Around Growing Flower Pose

Investigate the Flowers Outside 

If your child is younger, take a blanket or mat outside and let your baby or toddler stretch out and enjoy the outside. Lie down with your baby and point out the clouds or the shapes of the tree branches above. Then let them have a wriggle on their tummies – to strengthen their core muscles for a good posture. Never leave your baby unsupervised, but let them look and investigate flowers around them. Dandelions are generally safe for your baby to explore although do not let them chew on the stems. Nasturtium flowers are also mostly edible and are very colourful. 

Nasturtium flowers

Daisy Chains  

If your child is older they will no doubt be off exploring!  Why not make a daisy chain bracelets or necklaces to wear!

Make a ‘Flower Sensory Bottle’ 

 

Place a few colourful flower heads in an appropriate sized plastic bottle and fill with water then safely secure the bottle.   Your baby can then enjoy watching the flowers move as they shake the bottle. A good description of how to make a fun flower sensory bottle is given at: http://mylittle3andme.co.uk/spring-flower-sensory-bottle-baby-toddler-educational-toy-activity/

Making it Multi-Sensory, Educational & Fun!

In Tatty and Baby 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 and Baby Bumpkin to the 2012 Early Years Foundation Stage framework. Importantly supporting children to learn ‘how to learn’ not just focusing on what on they learn.


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

2014 Term 5 Week 3. Tatty Bumpkin's Pose for the Week is BEE!

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

Find your local Tatty or Baby Bumpkin class at http://www.tattybumpkin.com/classes/find-class.html and have a go at Bee pose with your baby, toddler or child at home – see below for information on how to do Bee pose and other games.

The Adventure This Week ..

This week Tatty/Baby Bumpkin find themselves in a beautiful garden.

As they listen to the sounds around them they hear a buzzing sound coming from a particularly beautiful flower..

It’s bee!

But, sadly, bee has not been out gathering honey recently as he has put on too much weight.. It’s time for the ‘Beefit’ programme to swing into action!

So Bee, with Tatty/Baby Bumpkin at his side, has a go at running, press-ups, even swimming!

What other games can Bee play? Come and give him some ideas at your local Tatty or Baby Bumpkin class…

In the ‘Bee Gets Fit’ Story Your Child Will Have the Opportunity To

1. Become more aware of their breathing as they ‘buzz’ along with Bee.
 
2. Develop their balance skills as they ‘walk down a branch’ with Bee.
 
3. Use gestures or words to express their thoughts i.e.

• Feeling ‘upset’ with Bee when he realises he cannot fly. 
• ‘Being kind’ and ‘encouraging’ to Bee along with Tatty Bumpkin
• Feeling ‘amazed’ with Tatty Bumpkin when she sees Bee can swim! 
• Feeling ‘proud of their efforts’ with Bee, as he keeps going and is eventually able to fly away!

4. Talk about their ideas on:

• What colour and shape their flower will be?
• How they will ‘walk down the branch’.
• How they will swim as a bee!?

5. Develop their sense of rhythm, and co-ordination skills, as they jump with Bee and Frog along to the Tatty Bumpkin Frog song.
 
6. Feel calmer as they relax with Tatty Bumpkin to the Tatty Bumpkin Bee song. 

7. Have fun with their friends whilst they do their Bee exercises!

Bee Pose for Children and Toddlers

Buzz as bees with your toddler

Sleepy Bees - buzzing and relaxing!

Just standing quietly to buzz!

Description of Pose

If your child is about 4 years old or younger they will be learning new movements by looking at and copying others. Therefore it is best to do Bee pose with your child or toddler so they can see what to do. In addition, Bee pose has many benefits for both adults and children – see below.

Bee Pose for You
Bee pose is actually a form of breathing and is called ‘Brahmari’ from the Sanskrit for a humming black bee. Bee pose will give you the chance to focus on your breathing and help you to relax (see ‘Why it is good for me’ section). 

• Start by finding a comfortable place to sit, and make sure your shoulders are relaxed. Think about increasing the distance between your ears and your shoulders, letting your shoulders move downwards and slightly backwards.

• Breathe normally and close your eyes.

• Keeping your lips lightly sealed, breathe in through your nose and then breathe out making the sound of the letter ‘M’, basically a humming sound, until you need to breathe in again. The longer you sustain your ‘Bee hum’, the more relaxing Bee pose is likely to be—but forcing the breath beyond your capacity can have the reverse effect, causing even more stress. So don't force yourself and only do your ‘Bee hum’ for as long as it is comfortable.

• With your eyes still closed, repeat this Bee breathing pattern for a few minutes, or as long as it feels good i.e. breathing in through your nose, then humming like a buzzing bee as you breathe out.

• To make the sound feel more ‘intense’ you can also put your hands over your ears whilst you do the 'Bee hums'.

• Take the time to do a few ‘Bee hums’ whilst sitting quietly and see if you notice a change in your mood – hopefully you should feel calmer!

Bee Pose with Your Child or Toddler

• Find a comfortable place to sit on the floor with your toddler or child, settling them either on the floor or on your lap facing you.

• Start by doing the ‘bee breaths’ of Bee pose yourself (see above). Do a few ‘Bee hums’ with your eyes open and then with your eyes closed - to give your toddler or child the idea of the pose.

• Then encourage your toddler or child to hum along with you.

• Try doing louder, softer, higher, lower ‘Bee hums’ together. 

• Have a go at humming along to Tatty Bumpkin Bee song (see below) or to other songs and rhymes – it is a great exercise for your child’s vocal chords and speech muscles.

• You can try to do Bee pose in lying or standing.

Progressions
Sit down together and try doing ‘bee hums’ together with your hands over your ears. If your child is younger, you may need to guide their hands over their ears initially until they get the idea. Then step back and see if they can do the activity by themselves. If your child is older they can have a go at doing ‘Bee hums’ with their eyes shut and their hands over their ears.

Bee Pose for Babies 

 

Doing 'Bee hums' with your baby!

 

Description of Pose

N.B. Remember, when you are doing the poses with your baby, never force the movements and keep looking at your baby to make sure they are comfortable. If you feel any resistance, or your baby becomes unsettled, do stop. Once your baby has settled, gently try the pose again, perhaps making clicking sounds or using a toy to distract them. If your baby remains unsettled, do not persist with the pose instead ask your Baby Bumpkin teacher for advice.

Bee Pose for You
Bee pose is actually a form of breathing and is called ‘Brahmari’ from the Sanskrit for a humming black bee. Bee pose will give you the chance to focus on your breathing and help you to relax (see ‘Why it is good for me’ section). It is probably wise to practise Bee pose before you do it with your baby, so you can feel confident.  See the child /toddler section, above, for instructions on how to do ‘Bee hums’ yourself.


Bee Pose with A Younger Baby
This adaptation of Bee pose is ideal if your baby is about 5-6mths or younger and has yet to gain good control of their head and body in sitting. However this adaptation can be used for babies of all ages if they are happy to lie on the floor. See picture above.

• Settle with your baby on a mat or floor space, guiding them onto their back in front of you.

• If your baby is settled, and you feel confident, start by doing a couple of ‘bee breaths’ yourself. Ideally close your eyes as you do the breaths, your baby will hopefully be listening to your humming sounds! Keep contact with your baby by resting your hands on their legs or body.

• Then open your eyes and gain good eye contact with your baby.

• Bend over your baby and gently lift up their arm or leg to ‘hum’ softly on their hand or foot. Make sure your baby can see their hand or foot and feel the vibrations of your ‘hum’.

• If your baby enjoys this sense of vibration, try gently ‘humming’ on their tummy, chest and maybe their forehead.

• Return to doing a few bee breaths yourself before ‘humming’ with your baby once more.

Bee Pose with An Older Baby
If your baby is about 5 mths or over and they are able to sit happily on the floor or on your lap either with support round their hips or lower body.

• Find a comfortable place to sit on the floor with your baby, settling them on the floor in front of you, then they can lean back against you for support if they wish.

• Start by doing the ‘Bee Hums’ of Bee pose your-self (see above). This will help you to slow your breathing and start to relax with your baby.

• Then take a good breath in and gently ‘hum’, as you breathe out, on the top of your baby’s head.

• Start gently at first. Then, if your baby seems to be enjoying the sensation, do louder, stronger ‘hums’ so your baby can experience more vibration.

Doing 'Bee hums' with your older baby

Why Bee Pose is Good for Both You and Your Baby or Child

As you do Bee pose with your baby or child you will both have the chance:

To relieve anxiety and relax together  
Recent research (1) highlights the powerful effect of a baby’s/child’s cry on most adults, regardless of whether the adults look after children or not. Areas in our ‘mid-brains’ (associated with the ‘fight, flight and fright’ response) appear to be quickly activated when we hear a baby crying as opposed to any other man–made sound.
This research is backed up by other findings which show that adults also have a hormonal response to a crying baby or child i.e. 

• Men produce more testosterone – this can lead to increased stress levels. Interestingly, fathers who are more involved with the care of their baby or child seem to produce less testosterone on hearing their cry - this may mean that they are less vulnerable to stress when coping with a crying child. 

• Mothers release more cortisol - a hormone associated with the stress response.

As a result of both these neurological and hormonal responses:

• Our blood pressure and heart rate rise.

• Our breathing becomes shallower and faster.

Researchers suggest that these changes our body state possibly reflect an increased need for our bodies to be ‘ready for action’ and ‘more alert’ so we can care for our baby or child in ‘distress’. However, over time, these responses can lead to an increase in our overall stress levels.  In addition, babies  and children will often naturally respond to their parent’s and carer’s ‘increased state of alertness’ by becoming more anxious themselves - breathing quicker and perhaps crying more and so the tension builds.
 

Try Bee breaths when your baby is crying and all their needs seem to be met

As you take deeper, slower breaths in Bee pose, concentrating more on the ‘breath out’, your heart rate will automatically decrease and this will hopefully lead to in an increased feeling of calmness. Lengthening the time you spend ‘breathing out’ in relation to the time you spend ‘breathing in’ reduces the 'fight, flight and fright' impulse described above - helping you to relax. 
Gaining awareness of our breathing rate can therefore be a useful way to prevent a build-up of tension. Try doing Bee pose with your baby or child when:

• You are wishing to settle them ready for sleep.

• Your baby or child is crying but they have been fed, changed and is clearly not in pain.

As you slow your breath your baby or child will be encouraged to slow their breathing as well.
Your baby or child will also enjoy the vibration sensations of Bee pose as they would have
experienced similar sensations whilst in the womb.

1 - C. Parsons, et al (2013) Ready for action: a role for the human midbrain in responding to infant vocalizations; Journal of Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. http://f1000.com/prime/718046035?key=2jnd7zRjkErCSQv

Other Games to Play in Bee Pose with your Baby or Child 

 

Bee Relax for All Ages
After doing Bee pose with your baby or child, lie down together in a comfortable position and listen to the Tatty Bumpkin Bee song. You can download this song for 79p from iTunes or for a free preview go to:  https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/bendy-giggly-clever-strong/id376349531

Make it Multi-Sensory, Educational & Fun

In Tatty and Baby 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 and Baby 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.

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