Blog post written by Kayla Davitt, MT-BC
Song performed and recorded by Jamie Swieringa, MT-BC
Stress. Stress of the unknown, stress of responsibilities. Now more than ever, we find ourselves in a time full of uncertainty. With schools announcing their plans for reopening, these times ahead are sure to be full of anxiety and worry. As adults, we have a better understanding of how to handle the stressors of everyday life. However, young children may not know how to express how they are feeling or how to regulate their bodies to bring them back to a state of calm. But, with Alex Bauermesiter’s book Hands to Heart: Breathe and Bend with Animal Friends, children will be able to relate their emotions with animals in the book and learn how to use yoga poses (demonstrated by the animals in the book) to calm themselves down and relax.
As a music therapy agency, we at UMTC find it extremely important to address the mental health of children through the use of music. One of our therapists, Jamie Swieringa, has written a melody to use along with this book in order to bring in the element of music to assist relaxation.
In order to get the most out of all this book has to offer, here are some suggestions to keep in mind:
Deep breathing
This book focuses a lot on simple yoga poses. However, your child will benefit more from the poses if they pair them with deep breathing. Encourage your child to breath from their belly while keeping their shoulders down. This type of breathing through the diaphragm will force our bodies to slow down and focus.
Adjust the poses as necessary
Most of the yoga poses in this book are straightforward, but some do involve laying on the floor. If your child is unable to lay on the floor for any reason, they can still do the poses! Everyone has different abilities, so it is perfectly acceptable to adjust the poses as necessary in order to help your child be most successful.
Zones of regulation
For those students that are older, you can use this book to identify the different zones of regulation. If you are not familiar with the zones of regulation, click here to learn more. It is a system in which emotions are put into colored categories: red, blue, green, and yellow. Encourage your child to identify how they are feeling, what zone that feeling is in, and what they can do to get themselves back to the “green zone” or a state of calm.
We hope you enjoy using this book in your homeschooling adventures! For more resources and activities to use with your children, please visit our “Resources” tab located at the top of the page.
If you are interested in purchasing Hands to Heart: Breathe and Bend with Animal Friends, click here.
Happy reading!