Shine On - A kids yoga blog by Glow Yoga Kids - Glow Yoga Kids

Free Halloween Yoga Fun

10/24/2018

I LOVE Halloween, if you remember from last year's post of the Halloween Dance, it is one of my favorite Holidays. Any time I have a chance to dress up in costume and step into an alternate reality for a night, you'll find me ready to go. I especially love going Trick-or-Treating with my kiddos, seeing all the other amazing costumes and getting a fright every now and then at the spooky decorated houses. This year we are planning to celebrate at a Halloween Party and then have a super special pumpkin carving night with friends!

If you are looking for something fun, active and creative to share at your Halloween Party, in your Spooky classroom or with your little monsters at home, here's a sweet printable for you.

Halloween Move As If Cards!

How to create:
To create your cards, download the file below, and print double sided on card stock. Next, cut out and laminate or simply leave as is.

How to play:
Simple. Choose a card from the deck, show the picture, say "move as if you are" and then read the back of the card. Direct the children to use creative movement to "act out" how they would move if they were the object on the card. These cards are a fun way to introduce your Halloween theme and warm up little bodies at the same time!

We hope you have a safe and Happy Halloween.

All my love,

Vanessa

halloween_move_as_if_cards.pdf
File Size:	745 kb
File Type:	pdf

Sun Dance Series - Butterfly Dance

6/21/2018

Summer Solstice is upon us, as we transition into this beautiful, fruitful time of year it’s important to stop and smell the roses or stop and watch the butterflies. Nature teaches us so many lessons, when we are willing to sit and notice her challenges and gifts. Summer brings us an opportunity to relish in the warmth and splendour of what we’ve been creating, the buds in our lives to turn into flowers but of course roses don’t come without thorns. Some of what we’ve been growing towards may no longer serve us, and that means it’s time to burn, shed, disintegrate, let go…. You get the idea. Take the butterfly for example: the spring brings a chance for new life, eggs are laid, caterpillars are born, they grow to size and begin to form their chrysalis around themselves when it’s time. During this transitional phase, the caterpillar works hard to completely disassembles itself, breaking down it’s cells into goop and reassembling into an amazing, symmetrical, fluttery, magical gem of nature. Through the struggle of growth it comes out completely transformed, ready for a new life. As the seeds we sowed in spring have either grown or become over grown with the weeds of our bad habits, limiting beliefs, negative thoughts and patterning we can choose which plants to nurture, and which ones to burn away in the heat of the sun. This solstice brings up much for me, and as I sat at the lake last weekend admiring the butterflies I couldn’t help but tie them into our newest Sun Dance Post. Their story is so inspiring! So today, be like the butterfly, shed that shell that doesn’t serve you any longer and become the best, most amazing, symmetrical, fluttery and magical version of yourself. If you missed the first post in this series, be sure to have a look as it will give you the background you need to best use the new addition to our Sun Dance Series.

Stretch up high, wave to the sun in the sky
(Standing in mountain pose, reach arms up & wave)
Hang down low, tickle your caterpillar toes
(Forward fold, reaching down towards your toes & tickle them)
Feet jump back, onto a branch
(Bend your knees, place your hands down and jump or step your feet back to plank)
Belly down, let's settle in now
(Bending at the elbows, lower your body down to the ground)
Look up at the clouds
(Press the hands into the ground, to straighten the arms into cobra pose)
Now back at the leaves
(Knees under hips, curl the toes under & shift into downward dog)
And breath, and breathe, and breathe - making a cocoon around yourself
(Take 3 big breaths in through the nose and out through the nose)
Feet jump up, ready to emerge
(Hop the feet up, into a frog squat)
Hang down low, touch your butterfly toes
(Forward fold, reaching down towards your toes)
Stretch up high, bring your wings to the sky
(Coming to stand, reach both arms up and out to the side like wings)
Now, flap like a butterfly!
(Using your breath inhale to lift your wings up, exhale to drop them down)

Wishing you the most amazing solstice on this longest day of the year, may you be filled with light, love and surrender to shed that which no longer serves.

Yours in peace and joy,

Vanessa

Sun Dance Series - Mother's Day Dance

5/10/2018

Today I had the pleasure of being celebrated along with all of the other moms at my daughter's preschool. We had a lovely tea party, and they gifted us with beautiful cards and those adorable "about my mom" sheets filled out by the kids. It made me think about how blessed I feel to be a mama to my 3 beautiful littles. As they grow and change, each day is a new adventure and when I step into presence with them on that journey the days become longer, the colors become brighter and the magic is abound. My children are my greatest teachers; each and every day I learn so much about who they are, who I am, and how I can be a better version of myself and a better mom too. To all of my mama friends out there, this one is for you, the Mother's Day Dance. If you missed the first post in this series, be sure to have a look as it will give you the background you need to best use the new addition to our Sun Dance Series.

Stretch up high, wave to your mom
(Standing in mountain pose, reach arms up & wave)
Hang down low, tickle her toes
(Forward fold, reaching down towards your toes & tickle them)
Feet jump back, to cuddle with mom
(Bend your knees, place your hands down and jump or step your feet back to plank)
Get down low, we’ll play hide n’ seek
(Bending at the elbows, lower your body down to the ground and move from side to side)
Look up and around,
(Press the hands into the ground, to straighten the arms into cobra pose)
Now behind and down
(Knees under hips, curl the toes under & shift into downward dog)
And breath, and breathe, and breathe
(Take 3 big breaths in through the nose and out through the nose)
Feet jump up, mom’s spotted you
(Hop the feet up, into a frog squat)
Hang down low, pick up a rose
(Forward fold, reaching down towards your toes)
Stretch up high, pass your flower to mom as she comes by
(Coming to stand, reach both arms up over head, pretending to pass mom a flower)
Now, I love you pose (self hug)
(Cross one arm over the other, reaching for opposite shoulders and imagine giving your mom a hug!)

Have a beautiful weekend celebrating your role as a mother, and the woman who taught you to be who you are too! With a full heart, shining all my love to you for a Happy Mother's Day.

Be Bright, Be Bold, Be YOU!

Vanessa
xoxoxo

Sun Dance Series - Star Wars Dance

5/4/2018

May the 4th be with you! I've become quite the Star Wars fan over the past years, as our oldest son adores the films, action figures, lego sets, books and more. Star Wars has infiltrated our lives, and I'm not complaining. I love sci-fi! The idea of intergalactic travel is so entertaining and engaging, it's no wonder that the brand appeals to all children young and old. On this special Star Wars day, I am so excited to share with you our latest Sun Dance in the series - the Star Wars Dance. If you missed the first post in this series, be sure to have a look as it will give you the background you need to best use the new addition.

Stretch up high, wave to the Millennium Falcon
(Standing in mountain pose, reach arms up & wave)
Hang down low, grab the light saber by your toes
(Forward fold, reaching down towards your toes)
Feet jump back, into your X-wing fighter
(Bend your knees, place your hands down and jump or step your feet back to plank)
Belly down, let’s ride it around
(Bending at the elbows, lower your body down to the ground and move from side to side)
Look up at the Death star
(Press the hands into the ground, to straighten the arms into cobra pose)
Now back at the storm troopers
(Knees under hips, curl the toes under & shift into downward dog)
& breathe & breathe & breathe
(Take 3 big breaths in through the nose and out through the nose)
Feet jump up, it’s time for battle
(Hop the feet up, into a frog squat)
Hang down low, grab the light saber by your toes
(Forward fold, reaching down towards your toes)
Stretch up high & hold it to the sky
(Coming to stand, reach both arms up over head, pretending to hold your light saber to the sky)
Now JEDI pose!
(Create your own Jedi Pose)

I hope that you enjoy this! For more ideas for Star Wars themed yoga classes, check out our past post here. Have a ton of fun celebrating with your favorite little Jedis... or Siths!

Most love & light - May the Force be with you.

-Vanessa

Sun Dance Series - Earth Day Dance

4/19/2018

What is your happy place? Where do you feel most relaxed? What scene makes your shoulder drop while you exhale with a big sigh? For me, the answers to all of these questions is in nature. Being in the mountains, strolling down a forest path, exploring along the beach... beautiful natural landscapes have a calming effect for me. The scary part is that our natural oasis' are slowly being taken over by garbage. Did you know there's a section of the Pacific Ocean called "garbage island" which is about the size of Texas and holds a massive concentration of plastic particles. Who lives in the plastic filled water? Fish. Who eats the fish that is eating, breathing and living in plastic? Humans.... Think about this one... There is no new water in the world. Water does not leave the planet, new water does not come in. The water we drink, the water that makes up our bodies is the SAME water that the dinosaurs were made of. Crazy. So if we continue to dump waste and garbage into our water supply, eventually that is all that will remain. The amount of garbage we make as humans is insane; think of packaging that you throw out on a daily basis. Consider how many bags of garbage your family creates each week, now multiply that by 52, then multiply that by 80 + years.... YIKES! Yes, living in outer space is a possibility, so if we destroy our planet at least we will have a plan b - BUT then the only way we will experience these natural oasis' is through virtual reality. Okay, can you tell I am passionate about this? Earth day is a day that is recognized once per year, but I truly believe it should be celebrated every day! Today we will celebrate Earth Day with a lovely little Earth Day Dance. If you missed the first post in this series, you'll want to have a look at it as it will give you the background you need to best use our newest addition to the Sun Dance Series. I hope you enjoy!

Stretch up high, wave to the sky
(Standing in mountain pose, reach arms up & wave)
Hang down low, feel the earth between your toes
(Forward fold, reaching down for your toes)
Feet jump back, into the grass
(Bend your knees, place your hands down and jump or step your feet back to plank & take a big breath in)
Belly on the ground, hug the earth now
(Bending at the elbows, lower your body down to the ground)
Look up at the birds
(Press the hands into the ground, to straighten the arms into cobra pose, looking up)
Now back at the bears
(Knees under hips, curl the toes under & shift into downward dog)
& breathe & breathe & breathe
(Take 3 big breaths in through the nose and out through the nose, filling the belly BIG like a balloon when you breathe in, letting all the air out when you breathe out)
Feet jump up, into the river
(Hop the feet up, into a frog squat)
Hang down low, check out the stones
(Straighten the legs, forward fold & reach down for your toes while pretending to pick up a stone)
Stretch up high, wave to the trees
(Coming to stand, reach both arms up over head holding your treasure high)
Now mountain pose
(Bending the knees slightly, like chair pose, bring your little bunny paws up & hop!)

This Earth Day, remember to talk to your kid(s) about their impact, and the footprint you are leaving as individuals and as a family. They will often have way more amazing ideas than you do when it comes to ways we can improve! It's not just about reducing our use, it's also about re-using and re-purposing what we can, of course recycling, and creating new and innovative ways to be a better co-inhabitant of Earth. Let's leave behind a planet that our kid's grandkid's grandkid's will be able to see while on it rather than above it!

With a love-filled heart, sending you blessings of peace and joy.
- Vanessa

**Be BRIGHT, Be BOLD, Be YOU **

Sun Dance Series - Easter Dance

3/28/2018

Easter weekend is right around the corner, and I know many families have very special Easter traditions that they look forward to each year. My family is not included in those many, as our Easter plans and activities tend to evolve from year to year, but we definitely LOVE our Easter egg hunt. What we've given to the kiddos over the past 7 years has also changed, as we now like to steer away from candy and chocolate (those vegan chocolate eggs are pricey!) to reduce their sugar intake. So last year we started to give them change in their eggs - $0.25 in each one; it added up pretty quick for them, and they were SO happy to get money. Then in their basket, they each got a special toy that they were excited about. Simple! No big sugar rushes or crashes and happiness all around.

What ever your traditions are around food, family and fun this time of year, I hope that you will make time to share a special moment or two together in presence with your little ones. This week I have the amazing opportunity to just BE with my children, no work, no cell phone, no email - just us together, playing, crafting, cuddling, and enjoying one another's company. What an outstanding gift. Our Easter dance is simply another means to connect with each other during this special holiday, even if just for a minute or two. If you missed the first post in this series, you'll want to have a look at it as it will give you the background you need to best use our newest addition to the Sun Dance Series. I hope you enjoy!

Stretch up high, wave to the sun
(Standing in mountain pose, reach arms up & wave)
Hang down low, reach for a chocolate egg
(Forward fold, reaching down for your toes)
Feet jump back, into your basket
(Bend your knees, place your hands down and jump or step your feet back to plank & take a big breath in)
Belly on the ground, let's search all around
(Bending at the elbows, lower your body down to the ground & look in all directions)
Look up high, look to either side
(Press the hands into the ground, to straighten the arms into cobra pose, looking up, and then from side to side)
Look behind
(Knees under hips, curl the toes under & shift into downward dog)
& breathe & breathe & breathe
(Take 3 big breaths in through the nose and out through the nose, filling the belly BIG like a balloon when you breathe in, letting all the air out when you breathe out)
Feet jump up, you've found one now
(Hop the feet up, into a frog squat)
Hang down low, it's by your toes
(Straighten the legs, forward fold & reach down for your toes while pretending to find an Easter egg)
Stretch up high, hold your egg to the sky
(Coming to stand, reach both arms up over head with a big breath in and say YES! as you make fists with your hands and draw your elbows down towards your hips)
Now Easter Bunny pose!
(Bending the knees slightly, like chair pose, bring your little bunny paws up & hop!)

Wishing you blessings of peace and love over this Easter weekend! May you always remember to find and create the extraordinary in the ordinary. As always, if you have any comments, or want to share how you are using our sun dance series we would love to hear it. With a full heart, be bright, be bold & be you!

Deep love,

-Vanessa

Sun Dance Series - Spring Dance

3/19/2018

Spring is sprung! Today is the FIRST official day of spring. Unfortunately here in Edmonton, that reality is far from truth, knowing that we will likely be living in this snowy wonder(waste)land until the end of April or so. In early February I spent the weekend in Victoria for the yoga conference, and there were BUDS and BLOSSOMS beginning to make themselves known. During the first weekend of March, I ran a training in Vancouver, and saw the beginning of their buds and blossoms as well. I am SO lucky and grateful to have experienced the start of spring two times already this year, and really, really, REALLY look forward to seeing that **soon** (fingers crossed) in my own city too.

Spring is so magical, it's a time of new beginnings, new life, new sights, sounds, smells, feelings... it's feels like a re-awakening, a fresh boost of energy and excitement, the warmth of sunshine on your bare arms... Yes, can you tell? I love spring! And I am so excited to share this Spring Dance with you. If you missed the first post in this series, you'll want to have a look at it as it will give you the background you need to best use our newest addition to the Sun Dance Series.

Stretch up high, wave to the warm sun in the sky
(Standing in mountain pose, reach arms up & wave)
Hang down low, feel the grass between your toes
(Forward fold, reaching down for your toes)
Feet jump back, into the field of flowers
(Bend your knees, place your hands down and jump or step your feet back to plank & take a big breath in)
Belly on the ground, let's smell them now
(Bending at the elbows, lower your body down to the ground & pretend to sniff the lovely field)
Look up a the bumble bees
(Press the hands into the ground, to straighten the arms into cobra pose, looking at the bees)
Now look back at the bunnies
(Knees under hips, curl the toes under & shift into downward dog)
& breathe & breathe & breathe
(Take 3 big breaths in through the nose and out through the nose, filling the belly BIG like a balloon when you breathe in, letting all the air out when you breathe out - you can imagine you are a bunny and twitch your nose)
Feet jump up, just like a frog
(Hop the feet up, into a frog squat)
Hang down low, pick up a lady bug
(Straighten the legs, forward fold & reach down for your toes while pretending to find a lady bug)
Stretch up high, wave to the birds as they fly by
(Coming to stand, reach both arms up over head & wave)
Now spring flower pose!
(Hands come together above your head, keeping your pinkie, thumb and base of the palm connected, open the rest of the fingers to create a lovely flower with your hands as you lower them back down to your heart - here's a sample of what it should look like if that doesn't make sense)

I hope you love this new Sun Dance as much as I love Spring! I've been thinking.... why not create these in video format to go along with the script? If you like this idea, and see value in it please let me know in a comment below, even if there's only one person who digs it, I'm in! For now, I wish you the most amazing first day of spring. May it bring you plenty of love, beauty and joy.

Be Bright, Be Bold, Be You!

Most love,
-Vanessa

Sun Dance Series - Love Dance

2/9/2018

Valentines Day is nearly here, a day for us to show our love and affection for those who we hold dearly. I've always wondered....why do we celebrate Valentine's day? I knew the day was related to it's namesake St. Valentine, but that was all. So I did a little digging and found this excellent video on the history of valentines day:

http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day

I think the most interesting part is how commercialized this tradition has become, when really, shouldn't we be sharing our love each and everyday? Our post for you this month is about just that, noticing the love all around you and sharing your love with the world. If you missed the first post in this series, you'll want to have a look at it as it will give you the background you need to best use our newest addition to the Sun Dance Series.

Stretch up high, see the love up in the sky
(Standing in mountain pose, reach arms up)
Hang down low, see the love down by your toes
(Forward fold, reaching down for your toes)
Feet jump back, filling up with love
(Bend your knees, place your hands down and jump or step your feet back to plank & take a big breath in)
Belly on the ground, get ready to share
(Bending at the elbows, lower your body down to the ground)
Look up and shine your heart ahead to show you care
(Press the hands into the ground, to straighten the arms into cobra pose, looking at the decorations around you)
Now look back and shine your heart to everyone behind you
(Knees under hips, curl the toes under & shift into downward dog)
& breathe in love too & breathe in love too & breathe in love too
(Take 3 big breaths in through the nose and out through the nose, filling the belly BIG like a balloon when you breathe in, letting all the air out when you breathe out - you can imagine your heart growing fuller with each breath)
Feet jump up, filling up with love
(Hop the feet up, into a frog squat)
Hang down low, gather the love down by your toes
(Straighten the legs, forward fold & reach down for your toes while pretending to gather up love)
Stretch up high, and throw your love up to the sky!
(Coming to stand, reach both arms up over head & throw your love all around)
Now heart center pose
(Hands come together in front of your heart, standing in mountain pose)

Wishing you a loved-up, joy-filled weekend. May your Valentines day be spent with the ones you love most, sharing your own sweetness with each other - and maybe some chocolate too ;)

Most love,

Vanessa

Sun Dance Series - Birthday Dance

1/3/2018

With the New Year upon us, it is the perfect time to celebrate! New beginnings, new opportunities, new goals and intentions - we get to start fresh and give birth to our BEST year YET. Over here at Glow, we like to celebrate all the time, so we are starting off the year with a super amazing Birthday Dance, created by our very own Robyn Snow, Daycare Program Lead & Magical Mermaid!

A bit about Robyn: Looking for an emotional outlet, Robyn began practicing yoga in high school and never realized how it would change her life. No matter what curve balls were thrown her way, yoga always called her back and she continued learning and growing within her practice over the years. She made the decision to take her 200-hr yoga teacher training after a year of travel and soul-searching. Upon completion and her background in early childhood development, she knew that working with children was her passion and it was listening to her truth that landed her a position sharing yoga with Glow Yoga Kids. She brings passion and authenticity to her classes, encouraging students to be themselves and grow in a safe and supportive atmosphere.

As the years go on, kid’s birthdays are becoming more and more extravagant. It must have the best entertainment, like a singing tight rope walker or an actual dancing bear. It must have the best food, like a custom cake that could feed a million people or crab tartlets with a side of crème fresh. It must have the most expensive presents, like a full-sized kitchen set with working faucets and a backsplash or a doll with more toys and furniture than your kid has. In all honesty though, what was your favourite part of your birthday growing up? You probably don’t remember any of the gifts you received, or the food you ate. You might remember the entertainment if it was an actual dancing bear… but the thing that sticks with you the most over the years is how special you felt. I remember the classics; a bounce house, a clown, a homemade cake and the whole family getting together to celebrate... well you. It is the love that we remember. So in honor of going back to the basics, the Birthday Dance. If you missed the first post in this series, you'll want to have a look at it as it will give you the background you need to best use our newest addition to the Sun Dance Series.

Stretch up high waves to the balloons,
(Standing in mountain pose, reach arms up & wave)
Hang down low, Sweep the ribbons away from your toes
(Forward fold, reaching down for your toes & sweeping away imaginary ribbons)
Feet jump back, into the bounce house
(Bend your knees, place your hands down and jump or step your feet back to plank)
Belly on the ground, bounce around
(Bending at the elbows, lower your body down to the ground)
Look up at the decorations
(Press the hands into the ground, to straighten the arms into cobra pose, looking at the decorations around you)
Now back at the presents
(Knees under hips, curl the toes under & shift into downward dog)
& breathe & breathe & breathe
(Take 3 big breaths in through the nose and out through the nose, filling the belly BIG like a balloon when you breathe in, letting all the air out when you breathe out)
Feet jump up, just like a clown
(Hop the feet up, into a frog squat, make a silly clown face)
Hang down low, sweep the ribbons away from your toes
(Straighten the legs, forward fold & reach down for your toes, sweeping those ribbons away again)
Stretch up high, wave to the balloons
(Coming to stand, reach both arms up over head & wave to the balloons)
Now Birthday time!
(Hands by your sides, standing in mountain & say Happy birthday!)

Wishing your kiddos all of the love on their birthdays, knowing that it is special because they get to spend it with you. <3

Much Love,

Robyn

Sun Dance Series - Christmas Dance

12/18/2017

How do you get into the Christmas spirit? Only 7 days until the BIG day! At this time of year, I think we are all feeling the pressure. Christmas is a magical time to enjoy, to love, to laugh, to cherish, to remember - it is a time filled with joy and gratitude and I think that's why it's "the most wonderful day of the year". However, leading up to the 25th, the hustle and bustle can be felt all around us. Our children especially pick up on this stress, and one way we can lessen that is through quality connection time, so that you can create your own magic Christmas moments. Give this Christmas Dance a go, you can stop & yoga anytime, anywhere!

If you missed the first post in this series, you'll want to have a look at it as it will give you the background you need to best use our newest addition to the Sun Dance Series.

Stretch up high, wave to the star on top of the tree
(Standing in mountain pose, reach arms up & wave)
Hang down low, sweep the tinsel from your toes
(Forward fold, reaching down for your toes & pretend to sweep tinsel from your toes)
Feet jump back, into a pile of presents
(Bend your knees, place your hands down and jump or step your feet back to plank)
Belly down, check under the tree to be sure you didn't leave any laying around
(Bending at the elbows, lower your body down to the ground)
Look up at the Christmas lights
(Press the hands into the ground, to straighten the arms into cobra pose)
Now back at the decorations
(Knees under hips, curl the toes under & shift into downward dog)
& breathe & breathe & breathe
(Take 3 big breaths in through the nose and out through the nose, filling the belly BIG like a balloon when you breathe in, letting all the air out when you breathe out)
Feet jump up, back into your pile of presents
(Hop the feet up, into a frog squat)
Hang down low, sweep the tinsel from your toes
(Straighten the legs, forward fold & pretend to sweep tinsel from your toes)
Stretch up high, wave to Santa as he flies by
(Coming to stand, reach both arms up over head & wave)
Now say thank you!
(Bring your hands together in front of your heart in prayer)

May the magic of the holidays be with you now and the whole year through. We hope that you make time for deep and meaningful connection, while sharing so much peace and love. From everyone at Glow Yoga Kids, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and the happiest New Year! Let's make 2018 the best year yet.

With love & gratitude,

Vanessa & the team Glow!