These 3-5 minutes videos are designed to help teachers and students regulate their energy during their school day. Teachers can observe their students’ energy level, maybe factor in the time of day and choose a video. They can even ask their students how they feel, which is a great way to build self awareness and empower them with the tools they can use to regulate themselves.
Enjoy these videos for you and your students!
Each video includes specific and mindfully chosen movements along with breathing exercises that will leave students centered and not dysregulated afterward. Our intention is for the classroom to be less chaotic and more grounded and ready to learn after the movement breaks. Several yoga and mindfulness breaks each day will produce a calmer and more engaged classroom.
Our bodies are full of energy and energy needs to move and flow. When our bodies have been still or when we are feeling big emotions, that is a clue that we need to let our energy move. Mindful movement helps us re-center, think clearly and make good choices.
Sometimes the energy in our bodies can be moving very fast. When that happens it may also mean our minds are moving fast. Having tools to help us slow down can help us press pause and reset.
We have two sides of our brain--a right and a left. They have different jobs, but both are equally important! We want both sides to be talking to each other and work as a team so we will be moving and breathing in a way that connects boths side together.
Do you ever notice how you talk to yourself? When we talk to ourselves in a positive way, it makes a big difference in how we feel. Positive self-talk is the voice inside that encourages us, comforts us when we feel down, and pushes us to keep going. The more we practice saying kind words to ourselves, the more we believe them!
Do you know how powerful you are? Confidence is when we believe in ourselves and are able to face new challenges with courage. Courage and confidence take practice. Power poses teach us to be proud of who we are, and to believe in who we're becoming.
Self-love can be so HARD sometimes. Do you notice when you say something to yourself that's unkind? Most of us learn to treat other people with kindness and respect, but not so much about how to treat ourselves kindly. Have you ever thought that you deserve your own love? Self-love is how we practice taking care of ourselves. And it's never too early to learn it.
Taking tests can be stressful. We need to feel both confident and calm when taking tests. These poses will let go of any nerves and allow your mind and body to be test-ready.
Transitions can be challenging. But it's time to focus our minds and prepare our bodies for learning. We know ... this is not always easy! When the body wants to play, breath and purposeful movement can help us transition to focused learning.
All right, all right ... so you don't want to move. You don't want to learn. You don't want to play. Isn't it true that sometimes we don't feel like doing anything? But what if this happens at a time when there's actually something to do? Movement helps us find energy when we feel like we have none. It can also help us feel better when we're feeling down. Let's begin a practice that's designed to make you feel better, in your body, now.
It's that time of day again. We have so much energy - maybe you're feeling excited, angry, or restless. Did you know that focused movement and breath can help you to cool off and calm down? Today's practice is to organize your energy so that you feel better, think better, and make healthy choices that are right for you. Let’s begin.
When our brains have been working hard, sometimes we need to give them a break with some mindful movement. When we move we naturally breath deeper, which helps our mood, attitude and helps us refocus.
Our bodies are full of energy and energy needs to move. Did you know that stretching and quick movement moves energy? When we breath fast and our heart is pumping, energy is moving and our brain is waking up. Our breath and our body are our tools we can use anytime to do that.
Sometimes the energy in our bodies can be moving very fast. When that happens that can often mean our minds are also moving fast. Having tools to help us slow down can help us press pause and reset.
We have many parts of our brain-- a right and a left AND a top and a bottom. Moving and breathing in mindful ways can bring all those parts of our brain together so we can think clearly and be our best self.
There's nothing wrong with feeling big feelings whether it's frustration, anger, excitement, or even anxiety. Emotions are energy in motion and energy is smart! Our emotions communicate important information about our experience, but what if we want to slow down? This practice will focus on big feelings, and teaching our bodies that it's okay when we feel them and to breathe through them.
When we're low on energy, movement can pick us up. This is because our minds and bodies are connected! When we move our bodies in energized ways, it helps us feel happier, more awake, and better able to focus.
Imagine a bubble around your body. It is yours, and this is your personal space. You get to decide who enters it, and others get to do the same. We call this creating boundaries. In today's practice, we'll imagine our bubbles and explore this idea of personal space. Let's begin.
Do you ever feel spacey, like your head is in the clouds? That's normal, but we can't be our best self if we stay that way for too long. When we're aware of our connection to the earth, it helps us feel calm and grounded, safe in our bodies and trusting of ourselves and the world. This short yoga session helps us do that.
We all have a unique inner light that keeps us strong and grounded in challenging times. Sometimes that light can be dulled if we are sad or scared or worried. Today we will turn on our heart lights through the practice of heart-opening yoga. Let's begin.
Seated mindfulness (3 minutes)
More Videos
Are your students sitting at their desks for too long? Do they have low energy or are they less engaged? Try this energizing standing sequence to "wake up" their brains and be more attentive.
Are your students high energy? Try this standing sequence to help them feel more grounded and focused.
Warriors are strong and masters of both mind and body. Try this standing sequence to create a sense of calm and balance.
When we feel whole, our minds feel more organized and ready to take on challenges. Try this chair sequence with your students when they're preparing for a test or learning new material.
When your students need more energy, but you don't want them out of their seats, try this chair sequence to get the oxygen flowing.
Lifting our hearts and stretching energize the body and brain while soothing and calming the nervous system. Try this standing sequence to help your students feel more open, receptive and ready to learn.
Even more snacks for you!
Mountain Pose Warrior I, Warrior II, Warrior III, Balloon, Breath
Star Pose, Folding Star Pose, Twisting Star, Rock 'n Freeze, Star Ball, Breath
Cross Overs, Letter Writing, Rag Doll, Eagle Pose, Snake, Breath
Chair Pose, Twisting Chair Pose, Hugging Chair Pose, King/Queen, Dancer Pose, Bumble Bee, Breath
Mountain Pose, Tall Mountain Pose, Waterfall Pose, Sleeping, Mountain, Candle Flame, Breath
Triangle Pose, Side Angle Pose, Pyramid Pose, Eagle Pose, 5-Count Breath
Wood Chopper, Crescent Pose, Washing Machine, Tree Pose, Elevator, Breath
Seated Cat/Cow, Seated Crescent, Seated Twist, Seated Eagle, Bellows, Breath
Seated Airplane, Camel Pose, Cactus Twist, Clock Eye Exercises, Lion's Breath
Shoulder Shrugs, Elbow Writing, Seated Washing Machine, Follow the Thumb, Ocean Breath
Palm Press, Hook and Pull, Chair Popcorn Nose and Ear Volcano, Breath
Seated Tree Pose, Seated Twisted Tree Pose, Seated Ragdoll, Eye Writing, Three-Part Breath