Powerful Preschoolers! Aware, Self-Controlled, and Relaxed.

In this ongoing class, your child will learn to slow down and become aware with a “mindful moment”, engage in an active self-control game that will also burn energy, then slow their bodies and minds back down with an enjoyable relaxation activity. We will also have a brief icebreaker question or activity at the beginning of class. Your learner is welcome to join in at any week!

With our mindful moment, we will slow down and become aware of ourselves and our surroundings in the present moment. We will do brief, engaging activities that are age-appropriate and tune your child into what's happening right now. Some examples may be deep breathing, using our imaginations, listening carefully, or moving our bodies slowly or in a specific, controlled way. 

With our active and engaging self/impulse-control games, your child will increase skills in listening, watching, and controlling their bodies (and in some games, their voices). These games will also challenge their focus, memory for rules, and attention. These types of games naturally build locomotor skills and body sequencing as well. If your learner has physical challenges, please let me know so that I may adapt our active activities for them. 

With our relaxation activities following the active game, we will take our now likely stimulated body and brain and calm them back down. Switching to a relaxation activity after our active game is purposeful. This calming supports students in learning how to slow back down after stimulating activities in everyday life. We will engage in calming skills such as deep breathing, yoga/stretching, muscle relaxation, and more. 

Learners stay moving and engaged through fun, active games and activities built with preschoolers in mind with an energetic, patient, and supportive teacher who has decades of passionate work with children in various roles (mental health professional, nanny, childcare provider, preschool teacher)!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A *star* next to a week indicates that your learner will need a supply from the supply list.  

ONE – Week of July 17th:

Mindful Moment: Tick Tock (developing body awareness and moving our bodies with control)
Self-Control Game: Simon Says Alphabet Game (classic focus game using the alphabet)
Relaxation Skill: Toy Yoga (yoga where we will pose like toys)
_________________  
Two – Week of July 24th

Mindful Moment: Balloon Arms (slowing moving and syncing with another’s movements)
Self-Control Game: Repeat My Rhythm (focus, memory, and music-related game)
Relaxation Skill: Imaginative Muscle Relaxation (tensing and relaxing muscles)
_________________
*Three – Week of July 31st:

Mindful Moment: Mindful Eating (relaxing, enjoying, and appreciating the act of slow eating)
Self-Control Game: Teacher May I? (impulse control and waiting game)
Relaxation Skill: To Infinity and Beyond (tracing with flow)
_________________
Four – Week of August 7th:

Mindful Moment: Hear the Bell (listening closely to help us focus and relax)
Self-Control Game: Freeze Dance (classic dancing, focus, and impulse control game with several different ways to play)
Relaxation Skill: Butterfly Hugs (body movement paired with breathing and awareness)
_________________
*Five -- Week of August 14th:
Mindful Moment: Zip-up (keeping our back straight and muscles relaxed)
Self-Control Game: Sleeping, Sleeping, All The Children Are Sleeping (waiting and recalling rules)
Relaxation Skill: Teddy Breathing (learning to breathe deeply and effectively)
_________________
*Six – Week of August 21st:

Mindful Moment: Mindful Breathing (focusing attention to the feeling of breathing to relax)
Self-Control Game: Red Light, Green Light (the classic impulse control game with various movements and a challenging twist)
Relaxation Skill: Playdough Play (using tactile materials to calm)
_________________
Seven – Week of August 28th:

Mindful Moment: Slowly, Carefully (paying attention to our bodies as we move)
Self-Control Game: Story Clap (listening closely and remembering what action to take when hearing an identified word)
Relaxation Skill: Cookie Breathing (using our imagination to take deep, calming breaths)
_________________
Eight – Week of September 4th:

Mindful Moment: Hello Friend! (focusing on and noticing others) 
Self-Control Game: Simon Says (classic game with careful listening)
Relaxation Skill: Animal Yoga (using animal yoga poses) 
_________________
Nine – Week of September 11th:

Mindful Moment: Special Glow (going into our imagination to help us relax and be still)
Self-Control Game: Do As I Say, Not As I Do (a classic game that supports focus, listening, and ignoring distracting, counter visual information)
Relaxation Skill: Counting Fruits (using numbers and objects to distract and relax)
_________________
*Ten – Week of September 18th:

Mindful Moment: Shake and Drum (releasing energy to support our focus)
Self-Control Game: Marching Band (self-control game with listening and music)
Relaxation Skill: Happy Place Drawing (using drawing and imagination)
_________________
Eleven – Week of September 25th:

Mindful Moment: Wait with Mindfulness (relaxing and noticing what’s around us)
Self-Control Game: Ready, Set, Wiggle (listening carefully and critically and acting with self-control)
Relaxation Skill: Icicle/Puddle (tension and relaxation of muscles)
_________________
*Twelve – Week of October 2nd:

Mindful Moment: Musical Drawing (drawing to calming music)
Self-Control Game: Color Moons (carefully watching, using self-control, and recalling rule changes)
Relaxation Skill: Five Senses (noticing our senses in the moment) 
_________________
*Thirteen – Week of October 9th:

Mindful Moment: Breathing Colors (imagining colors paired with deep breathing for relaxation)
Self-Control Game: Follow the Leader (carefully watching and using self-control)
Relaxation Skill: Coloring Mandalas (coloring patterns)
_________________
*Fourteen – Week of October 16th:
Mindful Moment: Mindful Meditation (imagining a relaxing scene)
Self-Control Game: Wait for Five (controlling voice and waiting to answer until it’s time)
Relaxation Skill: Ten Fingers Candle Breathing (tactile way to use deep breathing)
_________________
Fifteen – Week of October 23rd:

Mindful Moment: Long Breathing (focusing on long breaths for relaxation)
Self-Control Game: No/Go Game (careful, quick watching and recalling rules that change)
Relaxation Skill: Affirmations (creating a helpful, calming phrase)
_________________
*Sixteen – Week of October 30th:

Mindful Moment: Be My Mirror (copying slow movements for body awareness and focus)
Self-Control Game: Metronome (careful listening paired with controlled movements)
Relaxation Skill: Cloud Ride (guided meditation)

This is an ongoing class. You can join at any time. I expect that we will loop back to week one after week sixteen is complete.