Last week I shared this class plan at a fundraiser I organized with several other female entrepreneurs here in Lexington. We each shared our style of creative, play-based learning with families for free and collected donations of diapers and feminine hygiene products for moms in recovery at Chrysalis House here in Lexington. I’m so proud of what we collected!
This event gave me the opportunity to share a brand new, winter theme class plan with kids and families. I’m passing it on here and now to you. Enjoy!
Opening Song: To the tune of “Let’s All Go to the Lobby”
Now’s the time for stories, now’s the time for songs, now’s the time for stretches, come and play along!
My daughter will turn two next month, and I am all about making the Christmas magic this year. Not really the “buy a whole bunch of stuff that will make my house a maze of toys I’ll inevitably step on late in the night” kind of magic, but the singing and baking and driving around looking at lights kind of magic. I’m not traveling anywhere until next year, so I’m taking advantage of the time to be with her and make the holidays sweet while she’s old enough to start to get it and little enough to actually enjoy it. This means a lot of Christmas music is being played in my house right now.
The thing is, I’m kind of an elitist about kids music. I want it to sound good. Like to me, the grownup in the house. I want it to be pleasing to my ears and enjoyable for me to belt out loud. And holiday music for kids, holiday music in general even, just so often isn’t that. So this sent me on a quest to find some Christmas music by kid-friendly musicians that I actually like.
Good news! I found lots of great stuff! And I’m sharing some of my favorites here with you.
Renee & Jeremy bring their quiet harmonies and indie vibe to traditional favorites like “Deck the Halls” and “Jingle Bells.” They also give us “Sunny Christmas,” an upbeat original chock full of positive vibes.
Big Don reimagines well-known Christmas tunes with a southern hip-hop style. It’s genuinely fun, with catchy hooks and good beats.
The genius of this album is that it reworks the lyrics of lots of traditional tunes to be secular rather than religious. I’m using “Frozen Penguin” as a new winter song for Stories, Songs, and Stretches! classes!
Yes, we talk about gratitude a lot this time of year, yet gratitude is actually a wonderful practice to incorporate into our lives and share with young children all year long. Cultivating gratitude is actually a way of building resilience, meaning that we have what we need internally to recover quickly and get back on our path when life deals us a blow. Break out this gratitude theme class plan with the kids you serve – tomorrow, or at New Year, or in July! Cultivating gratitude is timely all year long!
Start with your favorite opening song and warm-up sequence.
Thank You Bees by Toni Yuly offers lots of movement opportunities. Elongate your exhale as you buzz like bees, balance as you lift into flower, sit in hero and pat the sound of the rain down on your thighs, take a wide-leg stance and spread out into the dirt like roots. Get creative! One of my favorite things I saw a trainee do was have us all go outside and pat the ground to say thank you to the Earth.
Ramp up the energy with the song “Gratitude” by Mista Cookie Jar & the Chocolate Chips. It’s such a fun and positive song! I like to first talk about what gratitude means and ask the kiddos and families where they feel that feeling of gratitude in their bodies. Inevitably someone says, “heart.” So then I introduce some age-appropriate heart-openers that we feel in our bodies as we dance to the music, like bridge, snake, camel, bow, and dancer. This is definitely a great one to bring out shakers, instruments, or any other props you love!
Whew, we’ve moved a lot! Now’s a great time to snuggle up with our grownups and just listen to a wonderful story on our theme. I recommend Gracias / Thanks by Pat Mora and John Parra.
Before we rest, we can experiment with sharing a gratitude practice. Invite kiddos to think about something that they feel grateful for. Feel how good it feels to hold that gratitude in your heart. Now, imagine sending that wonderful feeling out to your family. Feel it again and imagine sending it out to your friends. Feel it again and imagine sending it out to your neighbors. Feel it one more time and imagine sending it out to everyone, everywhere.
As you rest, you may want to share this amazing rendition of “Give It Away” by Renee and Jeremy, a cover of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers song. Thanks Sarah Smitha for sharing this one!
Finally, here are some phenomenal resources for yourself and for parents on understanding the link between gratitude and resilience, and helping kids to build both.
