Yoga is a great way to stay active and stay calm. If you’re feeling a little worried about COVID-19 or frustrated by what you can’t do, try to calm down using some Superhero Yoga and stay #HealthyAtHome!

Yoga for the Mind and Body

INTRODUCE

• ASK: Can someone tell me what stress is?
  • Pressure or tension placed on an object.
  • OR: Mental strain caused by demanding circumstances.
  • Can also be described as worry or anxiety.
• INSTRUCT: Squeeze your hands into fists as hard as you can.
• EXPLAIN: When you squeeze your hands together, you are putting stress on your hands. There are other types of stress though.
• ASK: Can anyone think of other types of stress?
  • Relating to school, home, physical activity, emotions, friendships, etc.
• EXPLAIN: Everybody gets stressed sometimes. Everyone handles stress differently and some of us have to work harder to stay calm when we feel stressed. COVID-19 might have you or someone around you dealing with stress.
  • Give an example of how you personally deal with stress.
• EXPLAIN: Yoga is one way some people help release stress. Yoga uses breathing, exercise and thinking to improve health and calm the body and the mind. Making sure we know how to handle stress is an important part of staying mentally healthy.

EXPLORE

• EXPLAIN: We are going to do yoga today so you can know how to relieve stress when you are at home.
• INSTRUCT:
  • Everyone needs to spread out so we have room to move. If you can hold your arms out and touch somebody, you don’t have enough space.
  • Follow my directions: Use the instructions below. Playing relaxing or calming music can also help set the mood for reducing stress.
    • Superhero Stretching
      • Stretch your arms out like an superhero.
      • Take a deep breath in.
      • Bend at the waist until you touch your toes.
      • Hold for five seconds.
      • Raise back up until you are standing up straight.
    • Pixel Breath
      • Slowly kneel down on the floor, resting your bottom on your heels.
      • Let’s twitch our noses like a puppy.
      • Show me your bunny nose.
      • Stick your tongue out and calmly inhale and exhale through your mouth twelve times.
    • Mission Up!
      • Slowly stand up straight and tall; place your palms together over your chest.
      • Close your eyes and imagine you’re on a mountain.
      • What do you see?
      • Keeping your eyes closed, take a deep breath in through your nose, and out through your mouth.
      • Repeat three times.
    • Krumi Capture
      • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
      • Pretend to hold a jar in your right hand.
      • Breathe in and lift your left hand up slowly to reach for Krumi.
      • Breathe out slowly as you bring Krumi down and place him in your jar.
      • Switch hands, holding the basket in your left hand and reaching for Krumi with your right hand.
      • Repeat twice.
    • Superhero Wiggle
      • We are going to shake out all the stress and worry we have now.
      • Start with your nose. Wiggle that stress out.
      • Move your jaw side to side.
      • Stretch your neck to the left, then to the right.
      • Roll your shoulders back to stretch your shoulders, shake your arms and hands.
      • Bend your neck to stretch your back.
      • Wiggle your hips.
      • Shake your left leg, then your right leg.
      • Now that we are all loose, let’s shake our bodies.
    • Cape Kicks
      • Lets all sit down on the floor.
      • Lean back and lift your legs up.
      • Kick your feet.
      • Can you laugh while you kick?
      • Let’s get our sillies out by laughing while we kick.
      • How fast can you kick?
      • Kick for 30 seconds to a minute.
    • Heart, Head, Hands
      • Stand up and place your palms together over your chest.
      • Take a deep breath in through your nose as you lift your palms over your head.
      • Breathe out through your mouth and explode out, stretching your palms as far as you can above your head.
      • Drop your hands down to your sides and let them hang.
      • Place your palms together over your chest.
      • Repeat three times.
    • Empathetic Elephant
      • Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
      • Lace your fingers together and dangle your arms in front of you like an elephant’s trunk.
      • Take a deep breath in through your nose and lift your arms high above your head, keeping your fingers laced together.
      • Breathe out through your mouth as you swing your arms down through your legs.
      • Repeat three times.
    • Power Pose
      • Bring one foot up and place it on the thigh of your other leg.
      • Stand with your arms out like a superhero, or place your palms together above your head, whichever is easier.
      • Balance like a superhero.
      • Slowly place your foot down on the floor and switch feet.
      • Repeat twice each side.
    • Reflection Pose
      • Let’s all sit down cross legged on the floor.
      • Place your palms together over your chest and close your eyes.
      • Take a deep breath in through your nose.
      • As you breathe out through your mouth, sigh deeply.
      • Repeat three times.
• ASK: Do you feel differently than you did before we did yoga?
• EXPLAIN: Yoga helps our bodies in lots of ways. It can help you feel more confident, it helps with balance, flexibility and strength. Yoga also calms and relaxes your body and your mind which helps you concentrate. It is also a good way to use our bodies in a healthy way.
• SHARE: Other ways to relieve stress like running, drawing, walking, getting more rest, listening to music, taking deep breaths.

CONNECT

• DISCUSS: What helps you feel better when you are stressed?