Roar like a lion, sit like a frog

Music

This week you and your child will go to the zoo with your ears. You will need to listen carefully so it is best to find a quiet, calm time to tune in. (In fact, you may find that doing this week’s mindfulness exercise first may be very helpful.) Pay particular attention to the lion’s roar (created by runs on the piano) as I have found it to be most of my students’ favorite part. Small children especially like to pantomime playing the runs on the piano.

Mindfulness

Learning and practicing the art of sitting still and paying attention to our breathing is the foundation for a more engaged and mindful life experience. I am always amazed at how enthusiastic my students are about practicing sitting still and listening to their breathing. This week, I have taken an excerpt from the book Sitting Still Like a Frog, Mindfulness Exercises for Kids by Eline Snel. She uses the frog as an example of something that can sit very still and asks children to pretend to sit like a frog. Listen to this guided exercise and encourage your child to practice sitting like frogs at the park, before bed, at the dinner table or anytime things are feeling a bit chaotic.