Distance Learning for Parents:
Thanks to education leaders and organizations across the United States, there are myriad resources for young people, parents, and educators to find grounding during this unprecedented moment and engage in rich distance learning experiences. Education Reimagined has put together a huge list of online resources for your child to continue learning while at home including literacy, science, math and even computer programming activities. Please visit this website to find something that will surely interest your scholar.
Self-Care for Parents
NYU Langone’s Child Study Center, offers suggestions for parents to help make the most of their child’s time off from school, while keeping in mind child development and children’s reactions to stressful and changing situations. In the article School’s Out: A Parents’ Guide for Meeting the Challenge During the COVID-19 Pandemic, you will find support in developing structures and routines for your scholars, ideas to support exercise and social contact and help in how to reduce anxiert and stress in your scholar during these challenging times.
Scholar SEL Activity: Three Collective Breaths
Objective:
Scholars will:
- Learn a mindfulness breathing technique that will support reducing anxiety and help enhance awareness and focus
Materials:
- None
The Big Idea:
Mindfulness is being aware of yourself and your environment in the present moment. It has been shown to be effective in improving emotional regulation, reducing anxiety, anger and stress, and increasing attention.
Instructions:
- Have scholars settle into a comfortable seated position
- Scholars will place one hand on their heart and the other hand on their belly
- Scholars will gently close their eyes or focus their eyes on the ground, whichever feels more comfortable
- Ask scholars to pay attention to their breath as they settle into a comfortable postion. Ask them to notice how each breath in and out feels and moves through their body
- Ask scholars to take 3 deep breaths in and out
- Ask scholars to open their eyes and take a moment to look around the room
- Have scholars close their eyes and repeat the breathing exercise 2 more times
After the activity debrief questions:
- How do you feel after taking three deep breaths?
- How do you feel different than before?
- When might it be helpful for us to take three deep breaths?
Suggestions for success:
- Model this practice for your scholar first and then invite them to practice the three deep breaths with you
- Have a conversation with your scholar about how we can use this practice to help calm ourselves down when we are feeling sad, angry or frustrated
Scholar Movement Activity: Yoga 4 Classrooms Warrior Series
Keep yourself and your scholar active, engaged, and stress-free during the school closure.
These mindfulness activities led by Lisa Flynn, founder of Yoga 4 Classrooms, are designed for parents to learn, share and/or practice the along with their scholar or children at home.
You can watch Mindful Activity of the Day: Warrior Series on YouTube or use the card below to learn the pose.
The Warrior Series is an engaging sequences of yoga poses designed to teach focus, strength and confidence.
