Sock Monkeys have added a fun twist to my OMazing Kids yoga classes & speech-language therapy sessions. Admit it….. you know you can’t help but smile when you see a Sock Monkey!
Here are a few pics from the last yoga class at Camp ClapHans this summer. After doing several rounds of “pirates” & “monkey mind pirates”, I was feeling a little sad that Monkey was getting his feelings hurt. You know it’s not Monkey’s fault that he has a “monkey mind”. He just needed a little yoga 
We used “I Love Monkey” by Suzanne Kaufman (from Live Inspired)
Live Inspired sent me the fabulous “I Love Monkey Discovery Kit” (book, plush & storage box). The kids at Camp ClapHans were fascinated by the Monkey. I had several other sock monkeys but this was the “fave” Just like the story, it doesn’t matter that Monkey looks a little different (check out the tiny feet & really big arms), “You are a star just the way you are!”
A peek inside the book:
Opportunities for Kids Yoga poses & breathing in this book: mountain, Hmm? breath and shoulder shrug, rabbit, bunny breaths, floppy rag-doll forward fold, elephant, tense/relax wrinkly face, squirrel toe-ga, sitali cool as a cucumber breath, bird, chicken dance, sushi mat roll-up, roll arms, big robot steps (Warrior I & Warrior II), monster (standing star with “claw” fingers curled + “Grrrr” breath), penguin freeze/melt, buzzing bee breath, seated owl twist + Whoooo breath, corny sequence (Mountain with arms up – squat to cut the corn off the cob – hold as we get ready to “pop” – 5,4,3,2,1 – jump up to “pop”), sun stretch & breath, mantra: “I love being me!”.
More on their website: http://www.live-inspired.com/ilovemonkeybook/index.html
A plethora of props. Didn’t end up using them all. The nature of doing a 1 x class with a group of kids at camp is that you have to be REALLY flexible & adapt in the moment. For example, I had planned to do “Toe-Ga” as part of the classes today. But when arrived, I quickly noticed one child was wearing full length leg braces & several others had sensory issues and would have lost it over taking shoes off. So we did a standing forward fold to pick up the pom-poms instead.
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Another view of the plethora of props. All in view here for the “photo opp” but then hidden out of site until each was needed. For most of the kids I work with, having this many props visible would be a sure road to chaos. As you can see I now collect Sock Monkeys (still love Moose more….. but Sock Monkey is coming in a close 2nd). As a side note, notice the pattern of the blue monkey & pink monkey….. all the “rage” this season. One question though….. when did “zig-zag” become “chevron”? When I was a kid it was “zig-zag”…. anyone else old enough to remember that? lol!
I’ve added a couple more sock monkey props to my collection since camp….. Sock Monkey says kids yoga is a ball!
The Where is Sock Monkey? game is a fun way to work on descriptive language & spatial concepts….
Found these cute mini sock monkey bendable figures at Mardel…..
Mardel also had a lot of cool colorful sock monkey supplies….. won’t have an issue with any coworkers walking off with these….
Playlist:
Monkeys – Movement Songs Children Love by Susan Marcus
Monkey See, Monkey Do – Musical Yoga Adventures: World Yoga Journey by Linda Lara
Crazy Monkeys – Namaste ‘n Play by Kidding Around Yoga
What I Am – Sesame Street & Will.i.am
Busy Mind by Sara Marlowe (http://www.mindfulfamilies.ca/index.php/mindful-kids-download-songs)
We did an affirmation craft at the end. As we learned in the story “I Love Monkey”, you are the best at being “you” and “You are a star just the way you are”. Each child drew or wrote what they liked or are good at in each star. We then embellished it by outlining portions of the pic with glitter glue and a light sprinkling of fine neon glitter. They came out great! After that, each child got a star stone to keep as a reminder of the “sparkle” inside them.
Get this free printable + several other sock monkey coloring pages in this 6-page PDF: Sock Monkey Coloring Sheets
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I had eye pillow covers made out of this Monkey Yoga fabric: http://www.kikiquilts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=68_199_380_855&products_id=1264
Yippee! It appears that another Monkey Book may be in the works! From the author’s blog: http://suzannekaufman.blogspot.com/2012/03/look-and-feel-for-new-monkey-book.html
“Monkey Mind” is a term frequently used in yoga to describe when your mind runs from thought to thought and is unsettled or restless. So if a monkey practices kids yoga & mindfulness, what happens to his mind? lol!
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Get updates as I add to my Sock Monkey collection by following this album on the OMazing Kids Facebook page:
Click here if you are looking for the Monkey Mind Pirates in OMazing Kids pirate-themed yoga.
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See more ideas for calming the “Monkey Mind” on this post from Betty at Be Yoga Be Love: http://beyogabelove.wordpress.com/2013/09/12/taming-the-monkey-mind/
Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities
Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2
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OMazing Kids LLC is an organization that promotes inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities. The blog and social media pages share information about books, DVD’s, CD’s, games and other products specifically designed for kids wellness, mindfulness and relaxation, product reviews & giveaways, lesson plan & activity ideas, research, kids wellness in the news and a connection corner with listings of individuals doing adapted yoga and those offering trainings.
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