Making Lady Liberty’s Torch

I cannot imagine what it must be like for immigrants to see the Statue of Liberty on their journey toward U.S. citizenship. To help my son understand all that Lady Liberty symbolizes, we read a few great books.

The first story, a fiction book by Eve Bunting, did an amazing job of talking about the symbolism of this great landmark. (It was hard for me to get through the book without choking up.) A family takes an annual ferry ride to Liberty Island at the request of the grandmother to commemorate the Statue of Liberty's birthday with a picnic.

When we were finished, I pulled out Marion Dane Bauer’s Ready-to-Read Level 1 Wonders of Americabook. Unlike the first book, this easy reader talked about the history and construction of the statue. My son was amazed to read that American schoolchildren donated dimes and nickels to buy the pedestal on which Lady Liberty stands!

After reading, we made our own version of the Statue of Liberty’s torch. I got this idea from Judy Press’ book Around-the-World Art & Activities.

What you need:

An empty paper towel tube

A small disposable cup

Aluminum foil

School glue and gluestick

Orange construction paper

2 toothpicks (optional)

1 flameless tealight

Cut a hole in the bottom of the disposable cup, the same diameter of the paper towel tube. Have your child slide it down the tube (1). Then, poke toothpicks in an X configuration through the top of the paper towel tube (2) about ½-inch down from the top of the tube (this will be what the tealight sits on). Clip off the ends of the toothpicks that are sticking out. Add school glue to the ends to secure them.

Tear pieces of orange construction paper. Glue the jagged paper to the inside of the top of the tube for the torch’s flame (3). Now, cover the tube and cup with glue, wrapping wide strips of aluminum foil over the entire torch (4). When the glue dries, add the flameless tealight to the top.

Telling Time Printable Card Game

Before my son’s last playdate with his best buddy, I must have answered “what time is it now, Mom?” and “how much time before he gets here?” a zillion times. (sigh) Finally, I reminded him that he could tell time, too. 

I had to jog his memory about which hand told the hour and minutes, but otherwise, he patiently counted by fives around the clock to tell the time in minutes.

To develop his time-telling skills even more, I made a time-telling card game based on Old Maid. I created 33 cards, 16 of which are analog and digital clocks with the same time and 1 dead battery card.

Download the game cards here.

After printing on cardstock and cutting them out, we were ready to play! ... Well, almost.

First, we read Telling Time by Jules Older, who did a MUCH better job of identifying digital and analog clocks and explaining each hands’ function on the analog clock than I did.

After we’d finished the book, I shuffled and dealt the entire deck to my son and I. (The cards won’t divide evenly; that’s okay.) When my son had all of his cards, I told him to lay them out so I could help him find the digital and analog clocks with the same times. I did the same thing with my hand and those matches were set aside.

Then we held our cards and picked one card from each other’s hand, alternating turns, matching the clocks and putting the pairs aside. The objective is not to get stuck with the dead battery card. The player left holding that card is the loser.

My son LOVED playing the “Time is Running Out” game I'd made and, with each game we play, seems to be getting better at reading the clocks.

Remove the dead battery card from the deck, and play these other fun children’s games:

Go Fish!

Memory

Give & Take

One of the things that yoga has taught me on so many levels is the lesson of balance. Not just in the poses, or the way I stand, sit and walk, but also in the way I contract and relax muscles as I work & move through my day. In my breathing. In my thoughts and  speech and in my every action. In my work and play and in my emotions. I've learned that there must be balance in all things.

The hardest thing I have had to learn over the years would have to be balance in my relationships, specifically in the area of  "Give and Take."

I am an oldest child. I grew up putting my needs aside to take care of my younger brother. I became a mother at 18 and again at 36 and put my needs aside to care for my children. My family raised me to be polite, compassionate & giving. They taught me to put myself in others shoes, understand and empathize with the needs of others and that the world did not revolve around only me. They taught me how to give the very best of myself at all times.

The thing they forgot to teach me though was how to take-how to receive. I've have a hard time with that, from not asking for help when I need it to not wanting to say 'no' to someone who really needs help. Its natural for me to just help whoever is asking me. Saying 'no' - and taking something instead of giving- has been one of the toughest, but most important lessons that I have learned through my life experiences. It is one that I have done my best to instill in my children.

Giving can be a wonderful thing, unless you are giving until you have nothing left. Its like draining a battery-you have to allow it to recharge once and a while in order for it to work properly. Does that sound selfish? Well, maybe it is, but selfish is not always bad unless its in excess. How can we really give to and help others if we don't recognize and take care of our own needs first? Its what we are supposed to do. Ultimately, the only one we have to answer to on this plane is ourselves and If we don't do that, then we have nothing real or substantial to give to anyone else.  It is just as important to receive than it is to give.

The intention with which we give is also just as important as how much we give. Why do we give? Out of guilt? Out of expectations of someone else? Peer pressure or social status? Because someone gave to us? Or because we have something of value to an individual or group that we want to share with them? Each type of giving feels different and will either recharge your battery or drain it.

There are many ways to give and it does not always have to be something expensive, 'as seen on TV" and gift wrapped. For all the enjoyment we get out of giving, we know that ultimately, we get tired and bored with our 'stuff,' and so do others. Most of those gifts we give and receive will wind up in a drawer or closet within the next year or so. But when we give our attention, our time, our friendship, our unique talent & memorable experiences, these are the most priceless, useful and personal gifts that money can't buy!

As we come into this season of giving, talk with children about both giving, receiving and the etiquette for both. Teach them how to strike a balance between the two. Remind your children that gifts come in many shapes and sizes and the best gift you could ever give is to help around the house or to be a good friend to someone who may be having  hard time. Teach them the proper way to ask for something-whether that means asking for help or a new video game.
If they want new toys and games, have them go through the ones they already have and give away the ones they no longer use. This has been a fall ritual for my kids and myself for about 25 years. There are many schools and organizations that will gladly take gently used items: coats, sweaters, boots, etc. along with dolls and books and other toys that sit unused in the closet or basement. It helps to make room for the new things we want-materially and symbolically. When children do this regularly and as a habit, it allows them to maintain balance. It allows them to not only to appreciate the act of giving, but also to enjoy & understand the value of receiving much more.

Most of all, set an example and allow yourself  the pleasure of receiving. Put yourself on your holiday gift list.  Accept someone's offer to help you. Say 'no' to people who cross boundaries. Shut off your cellphone and electronics for a few hours so you can have some undisturbed quiet. Do something for you. When was the last time you took yourself to a movie, a cooking class or had a spa day to yourself?  This is the time for you to do that. Pretend its from Santa.

If you don't celebrate Christmas, pretend its from all of those, known and unknown people whom you have given to and helped over the years. Its a Thank You from the Universe for all the good work you have done here. Accept it and receive it graciously and enjoy!


*What are some of the best gifts that you have given or received for the holidays or a birthday? Please tell us about it in the comments below!



Below is an article link that I saw about a 69 year old woman who has taken Giving & Receiving to the next level. I find it both interesting and fascinating although I don't know that I would have the courage to try it!   “Gib und Nimm” (Give and Take).


Read more about the spirit of giving here:
La Befana


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From Phonics to Words with Slide Cards

Have you ever known you needed to do something that no one else knew about, but you still felt guilty? That’s how I’ve felt about posting this activity for months now. Literally months. This should have been my very first post ever. These slide cards are the most useful activity that I’ve ever created for my son.

He did a great job learning phonics in kindergarten. But blending those phonics into words was a little more challenging for him. At the kindergarten curriculum meeting, the teachers shared a nifty little trick to help early readers blend the sounds they learned. Thankfully, midway through the year, I hadn’t forgotten it.

First, I made a few of these … then a few more … and more and more, at my son’s request. I don’t know what the cards were called that the kindergarten teachers shared, but I’ve dubbed these amazingly simple things ‘slide cards.’

The basic principle is that by showing a child one letter at a time, they are able to concentrate on the sound it makes before they see the next letter/phonic. It’s easier for them to blend the sounds gradually rather than 1) feeling overwhelmed and giving up or 2) guessing the word.

Simply download and print the first 15 cards (5 pages) on cardstock, flip over and download and print the next 15 (5 pages) on the back. Then grab 15 regular-size security mailing envelopes and seal them all. Now cut one of the short ends off of each. Insert one card in all the envelopes and you’re ready to work with your son/daughter on blending sounds. Just pull the cards out slowly and make sure your child says the first sound before revealing the next letter. When they’ve blended all the letters/sounds together, reveal the picture and watch your child’s face light up with pride!

TIP: It works best to print the cards so that the type on the back is upside down. That way you can simply flip the card over and immediately practice the next word, without having to reposition the card in the envelope.

Now allow me to apologize for not sharing this activity sooner. Until I switched to new design software, I could not share the original cards I made for my son. I hope a few of you will find these PDFs (or just the idea) to be as helpful as we have.

OJ Carton Lantern & Paul Revere’s Ride

There’s something to be said for a legend … and a great poem … and transforming junk into a craft. The combination of these three things puts this activity among my favorites.

My son’s class of first graders is learning about early America, the Declaration of Independence, the flag, etc. So when I saw Phyllis’ postover at All Things Beautiful, I knew a lesson in Paul Revere’s ride would fit right in with the history my son was being exposed to at school.

It’s been ages since I read Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. I did remember the line “One if by land, two if by sea,” though. And I had a sneaking suspicion that my son would light up (pun intended) at the idea of using lanterns in a church tower as a signal.

I was right.

Before we got crafty, we read Longfellow’s poem. The book I chose has amazing illustrations that practically have readers holding their breath with suspense, feeling the damp night air, and hearing the whinny of Revere’s horse.

When reading, I stopped periodically to put the poem in layman’s terms for my son. Despite the complex language, he was engrossed.

                     

When we finished the poem, I gave him an empty orange juice carton and told him it was time to make a lantern similar to the ones used to signal Revere.

First he traced some rectangles on each side of the carton. Then he cut them out. Lastly, he covered the lantern in black duct tape.

I punched a few holes in the lantern on opposite sides.

To make the “glass,” he cut some pieces of vellum paper and I glued them into three of the windows with a few dots of low-temp glue. We left one window in the back open.

Then I had my son thread wire through the holes and twist it together on the inside of the lantern for a handle.

All that was left to do was add a flickering flameless tealight! 

Add and Subtract with Roman Numerals

My son’s class is working on telling time. His homework assignment one night was to find and count the number of clocks in our home. He also had to draw one of them. Of course, he chose the clock with roman numerals. This got me thinking. Maybe he’d enjoy learning about roman numerals. And thus, this activity was born.

Our library had an amazing book that was both fun to read and extremely helpful (I never learned roman numerals so I was totally clueless). 

From David Adler’s book, I made a cheat sheet for my son translating the values of each numeral.

I = 1

V = 5

X = 10

L = 50

C = 100

D = 500

M = 1,000

Then, I made a game board and playing cards. I laminated the board to use over and over with a dry-erase marker.

Download a PDF of the game board, playing cards, and cheat sheet here.

The game board has a reminder about three important rules:

When the same number is repeated one after the other, the numbers are added.

When a larger number is followed by a smaller number, the numbers are added.

When a smaller number is followed by a larger number, the smaller number is subtracted from the larger.

Since my son is only in first grade, we did not use the “D” (500) and “M” (1,000) cards I made; I’ll save those for when he’s ready to add and subtract larger numbers. After reading the first half of Fun with Roman Numerals (the more you read, the more complex the combination of numerals becomes), I placed three cards on the game board and asked my son to write their values underneath with a fine-tip dry-erase marker.

To start, I placed the cards in descending order by value so no roman numeral was followed by one that had a higher value. Doing this meant that the numbers would always be added. I gave my son a 1-100 numbers grid for help when he needed it. Once he had the answer, he wrote it at the bottom of the game board. We cleared the dry-erase marks on the board with a paper towel.

Gradually I added different cards, progressively making the addition harder. Eventually, I placed a numeral with a higher value in the middle or at the end, so my son would have some subtraction practice. This tripped him up at first, but eventually he caught on and began thinking about whether greater than/less than numerals should be added or subtracted.

Teaching a first-grader roman numerals was tough but my son loved it. Now he can not only read our kitchen clock, but also will be able to tell me what number Super Bowl it is this year!

This Family is a Bunch of Turkeys! [printable book]

Yep, you guessed it. That's me as a turkey. HA!

We’re a goofy family all right. My boys love to be tickled and my husband and I still love to act silly (despite our ages). So what could be more perfect than turning each of our family members into a turkey?

That’s precisely what my son did.

When he came home from school, we read 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving, a clever book about saving some lovable turkeys from their fate as Thanksgiving dinner. After a few laughs, we got down to business.

I gave my son pictures of each member of the family and some coloring pages I’d whipped up. He read the text on the cover page, “This family is a bunch of turkeys,” and immediately chuckled. (This was gonna be fun.)

Download a PDF of the book pages here, cut vertically, and get ready for a whole heap of silliness!

Next he filled in the blanks on each page, telling why each of us is a turkey and why he’s thankful for us. Then he colored each turkey, cut heads out of each of the photos, and glued them on the turkeys.

It was up to him whether to add googly eyes, glasses, horns, etc. to the photos. At first my son was satisfied with the turkeys as is, but the next day, we all had glasses and earrings. (What will I look like tomorrow, I wonder?)

When all the pages were complete (starting with the cover and ending with my son’s turkey), I added a small folded scrap of construction paper over the pile of pages at the top and stapled it for a spine. Voilá!

This was super fun! (Silly activities always are.)

A blog post from And That’s Family was my inspiration. Stop by for a visit and have a laugh. I did!

Oceans, Continents, and Directions, Oh My!

When I purchased a subscription to National Geographic Kids magazine for my son, they sent us an inflatable globe. He has been fascinated with it ever since it was filled with my husband’s hot air.

All on his own he began asking me to name a country for him to find. Of course, I didn’t hesitate to honor his request, even writing some of their names down so he could find them easier. When he had trouble, I found myself saying things like, “Look in North America,” “It’s a country in Asia,” or “First find Africa.” Each time, all I got was a blank stare. My son didn’t know the seven continents!

This activity is meant to fix that.

To start, we read a great book that shared information about the terrain, location, peoples, and animals on the Earth’s seven different continents.

Afterwards, I gave my son a printed map of the earth with no labels. I had written the following on the bottom:

North America – green

South America – brown

Europe – purple

Africa - yellow

Asia – red

Australia/Oceania – orange

Antarctica – blue

I asked my son to identify the continents from memory and color each according to this key. He remembered North America, South America, and Antarctica but needed to review Bobbie Kalman’s book again for a refresher to label the others. (And all the little islands off the coast of the continents, which continent do those belong to? We definitely needed the book’s map to answer those questions!)

When my son had color-coded all seven continents, I added their names and had him draw a compass rose on his map. Then I gave him directional clues to help him label the oceans. I said things like “The Pacific Ocean is west of North America” and “The Indian Ocean is south of Asia.” (I helped him with the spelling until all five oceans were added.)

I could tell he was proud of himself. At bedtime, I told him he had five more minutes to look at books before it was ‘lights out.’ He asked to look at his new map instead!

Our continents activity was inspired by a blog postover at 2 Love Learning (if you haven’t stopped there, do!).

Introducing Yoga in the Classroom

My favorite classroom is definitely the outdoor one, but as the weather gets colder and damper, I take my yoga adventures inside to classrooms and living rooms across PA & NJ.

If you have ever watched children move and play, you will notice how different their activity is from an adult's. There are short bursts of energy, followed by a lull, followed by another burst, etc. Traditional classrooms are an unnatural environment for children to be in before a certain age because they need to move. Expecting them to sit still and be quiet for long periods of time is not only futile, but stressful. This is where a well thought out and cleverly implemented yoga program can help them stay engaged in learning and the adults engaged in teaching.

Yoga is a complete holistic health system that has been used for thousands of years. Although we tend to think of yoga as a mysterious exercise that only the flexible can do, this is not true! Yoga exercises are designed to regulate the nervous and glandular systems and is an activity for everyone. Most children take naturally to yoga. It can be adapted to any age or ability, making it accessible to any child (or adult) who wants to try it, even children with adaptive needs. No special skills or equipment is needed, and all participants will derive some benefit from the movement, the breathing, the relaxation as well as the sense of belonging to a part of a group and participating in a community.


By moving, 'posing' & making noises like animals, (or mountains, stars, trees & other natural objects), and by using creative stories, we make yoga fun and dynamic for children so they can better understand their own outer & inner natures, as well as the nature of the people and world around them. In addition, an opportunity is created to meet new friends & move & exercise, grow & build healthy bodies & minds. Yoga gives them the experience of having naturally integrated senses through play, imagination and movement. It calms them and re-focuses their attention on the activity at hand, allowing them to live in the moment.


Yoga is a versatile tool that can be used by children (and grownups) to release frustrated pent-up energy, to self-calm and reduce stress in the classroom (before a test) at home (before bedtime) or anytime & anywhere the need arises. Movement & Sensory games can help release tension, build physical strength, character and confidence & can be done indoors or outside. Yoga can infuse fun into rote or predictable learning.


You do not have to be an experienced yoga teacher to begin exploring movement with children in the classroom. Start slowly and build a sequence. Our Pose Page can help acquaint you with some of the movements and games that are played in a adaptive or non-adaptive yoga group class. Try some of these at home with your child or in the classroom with your students. Have fun with it and try making up your own poses & movements. If you are studying Egypt for example, ask the children: "What would my body look like as a sphinx?" or "Who can be the most strong, steady pyramid?"

If you are studying the Planets, get in your rocket ships (chairs) and blast off into space-go on a space walk-moving very slowly as you explore. See the constellations Leo, Orion, Ursa Major and ask "How would my body look if it was the constellation....." ? You can incorporate flashlights, music, puppets or any other prop as you teach each lesson.

By moving the body, the brain becomes more learning ready and integrates information more quickly and permanently. By making the lesson come alive with a fun story, movement or props, you have now taken learning to another level.
Here are some General Suggestions for introducing Yoga in The Classroom:

• Yoga in The Classroom can be of great benefit to all students & staff! Its best to set up a daily or weekly routine so the children know what to expect.
• In a Yoga studio shoes are off at the door, you get your mat, find your space and sit or lie quietly waiting for class to begin. You can designate a time, area & routine for yoga much in this same manner, using this same procedure as a template.
• Yoga sessions should be of a length to suit the age/ability/attention span you are working with. In general, the younger the children, or for children with sensory/cognitive challenges, the shorter the class.
  
• For an elementary class 20- 30 minutes is good. For a Middle school child 30-50 minutes and High school an hour is fine for a formal practice. Teaching in a conventional classroom may not allow this duration, so short 5- 15 minute intervals of movement & incorporation of various techniques such as storytelling, breathing & art & imagery can be used effectively to release excess or nervous energy, re-focus, relax and reduce overall stress. Highly effective prior to test-taking!

• Remember that yoga is called a "practice"... it is not called a "perfect" & it does not have to be! Encourage children to do their best! Just watch your students or children have fun & remind yourself to do the same!

*For more information click the links below.
 
Adaptive Yoga
 
Individualized Yoga Programming
 
E-Learning
 
 
 
*To contact us regarding program development or consulting, e-mail: barbara@bodylogique.com

Kente Cloth-inspired Pattern Practice

AB, AAB, ABC, ABB … if you’ve ever worked with a child on patterns you, no doubt, recognize these. Frankly, I think some of the traditional pattern-practice activities are a bore [yawn]. I wanted a fun way to keep my son engaged as we worked on creating and recognizing patterns. When I stumbled across a picture of Kente cloth (fabric woven by the peoples of Ghana, Africa), a light bulb went off.

To start our activity, I Googled Kente cloth and clicked on “images.” I showed my son all of the different pictures and told him we were going to replicate the look of Kente cloth with an art project. He was game.

Earlier in the week, I had my husband cut two rectangular blocks of wood the same size from a 2x4. (If you replicate this activity, don’t feel like you need to use wood. Anything that is hard, shaped like a rectangle, and could get paint on it would work.) I cut lots of cardstock rectangles from five colors of cardstock in the same shape as our blocks of wood.

Then, I had my son wrap the two blocks of wood in yarn. I tied the two ends together on the back of the blocks, he applied acrylic paint with a sponge brush, and stamped the yarn prints on two different colors of cardstock. My son was blown away at how cool these homemade stamps were. (Okay, who am I kidding? I was too!) I got the idea here.

When he had stamped eight blocks of each, we moved on and began making our patterned blocks in the following configurations:

AB

AAB

ABC

ABB

Each strip of our Kente cloth would have blocks with one of these patterns. I cut the cardstock rectangles into horizontal or vertical strips and my son glued them on. When he’d created two or three blocks with the pattern we were making, we glued our blocks onto a big piece of paper in an AB pattern, alternating with the stamped blocks.

This took a long time and a lot of thinking. My son, who isn’t normally the patient type, stuck with it until all four strips were done and glued onto our plain paper. He was captivated by how the patterns all came together!

When it was done, I had him explain the meaning, symbolism, or significance of his Kente cloth design by completing a custom-made handwriting sheet I created. I had to smile at his explanation: the cloth he made commemorates losing his second tooth!

Download a PDF of this handwriting paper here.

Write Like An Egyptian

When my son and I got to the sixth chapter of Mary Pope Osborne’s book Mummies in the Morning, a light bulb went off in my head.

The third book in the Magic Tree House series takes Jack and Annie back to ancient Egypt where a ghost-queen asks for their help translating some hieroglyphs.

With a big plastic tub of card-making stamps collecting dust in our basement, I seized an opportunity to put them to use. First I picked 26 small stamps, one for each letter of the alphabet and stamped a key.

Then I stamped a “hieroglyphic” message for my son. Just like in Pope’s book when the code led the two young children to the Book of the Dead, the message my son decoded would reveal a hidden treasure under his bed (an inexpensive toy concealed in a brown lunch sack). I also made a blank sheet so he could stamp his own “hieroglyphs” for his Dad to decode.

Before my son started to read and write like an Egyptian, though, we read the First Facts book Hieroglyphs by Kremena Spengler.

Making a Miniature Totem Pole

My favorite of all the Native American art is made by tribes in the Pacific Northwest. The transforming masks, button blankets, and totem poles are absolutely incredible! This activity is an effort to give my son his own appreciation for these peoples and their incredible crafts and legends.

Before my son began creating his own miniature totem pole, we read much of the “Carving the Pole” chapter from Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith’s book Totem Pole. This excerpt explained that totem poles are like signs that help pass on legends and stories from generation to generation.

The book is written in first person, from the perspective of a young boy in the Tsimshian tribe, whose father is a wood carver. David explains to readers how his father first makes a drawing, then transfers the drawing to the cedar log before he begins carving.

We looked at the drawing in Hoyt-Goldsmith’s book of the pole David's father planned and then read the meaning of the figures being carved.

Next I gave my son sets of totem pole figures printed from ScissorCraft.com onto brown craft paper (I cut postal mailing paper into 8 ½- by 11-inch rectangles and fed it through our printer to replicate the look of wood). My son selected six drawings, added color to some of the details and then we cut them out.

Now I asked him to look again at the picture in the book of the carver’s drawing and told him to move his cut figures around so they would stack vertically well. Next I cut several ½-inch vertical slits in the bottom of a paper towel tube and placed this end of the tube inside another tube, so they would look like one long pole. Next, he applied glue to the back of each figure and placed it on the pole until it was complete.

We looked at pictures of the pole raising in the totem pole book and raised our own pole. To secure in its upright position, I applied a bead of hot glue to the bottom of the pole and set it on a small piece of corrugated cardboard.

Download a PDF of this handwriting paper here.

Lastly, I gave my son a piece of custom-made handwriting paper and asked him to tell me the story of his pole. His story seemed to take inspiration from “The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.” It began, “The eagle went to catch the frog. The frog went to catch the fly …” Very clever, huh?

Not only is his pole pretty cool, but he learned about another culture’s art and got a little creative writing practice in at the same time! Fun!

Anatomy of Sensory Overload

A good majority of what I do in a typical group children's yoga class or adaptive individualized instruction is aimed at sensory integration. Yoga is the one very adaptable activity that naturally encompasses all of the senses at once, which makes it useful and effective for addressing the needs of both sensory seekers as well as sensory avoiders.

This time of year, as the busyness of the holidays approach, many of us have sensory overload on our minds. It affects everyone to some degree, but children, teens and adults with sensory regulation challenges are affected the most. Doing too much, eating too much and even excessive family visiting can cause stress on the senses and cause overload and shut down.

As educators, we may know what sensory overload looks like on the outside, but unless we have experienced it ourselves, we don't really know how it actually feels to the child or adult experiencing it.

I found this article in  the "Autism at Home" website that does an excellent job of describing sensory overload from the perspective of someone who experiences it. The author,  Thomas McKean, shares his personal experiences and offers some solutions for minimizing and regulating sensory overload. I hope both parents, educators and therapists find it useful. Read Thomas's article here:   Inside the Mind of Sensory Overload .


**What are some interventions you use to reduce or regulate sensory overload in your child or your students?  We welcome your comments and suggestions!


To contact Barbara e-mail: barbara@bodylogique.com

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Multiplication with Eric Carle’s Zoo

I like Eric Carle’s books. Way back when my son was a toddler I ordered 1, 2, 3 to the Zoo from a Scholastic book order, expecting to love it as much as Brown Bear, Brown Bear. Imagine my surprise when I opened it to find no words. Not a single one.

At that age, my son enjoyed identifying and counting the animals on each page. And let’s not forget about that adorable little mouse. What a joy it was to point him out!

As my son grew older, the book was ‘read’ less and less. Until last week, it was collecting dust on the shelf. I realized then that it was a perfect book to practice multiplication.

I whipped up a two-page worksheet to accompany the book. It asks questions like how many hippos do you see (2), how many teeth does each hippo have (8), and how many teeth do both hippos have (2 x 8 = 16).

Download this 2-page PDF here.

My son went page-by-page answering the questions, first counting the number of animals on the page, and then counting the particular body part (tail, legs, eyes, etc.) that each animal had. Then he answered each multiplication problem, using skip counting (by 2s, 5s, or 10s) when possible.

He had no trouble whipping through the 10 problems, and was SO proud to remember the rules when multiplying times 1 and 0.

He really enjoyed this activity. I really enjoyed reconnecting with Eric Carle’s charming book.

Living in Color

Photo by: B.Gini ©2006
(Tree at Cornwall Inn) 

I love taking walks in the woods this time of year. The colors of the foliage is absolutely beautiful and so restorative & healing to me. My daughter often refers to this time of year as "Living in Color". 

I remember once taking my daughter for a walk in the woods near our old home in NJ and helping her collect pine cones & leaves-of all different colors. We took her treasures home and made a colorful collage out of them. "The colors make me feel happy", she said to me when we hung it up on her wall. Was she referring to the activity we did or does color really have the power to affect our mood?

Everything around us is energy. If you have ever felt the vibrant energy of the colorful fall leaves-or that of a vegetable, herb or flower garden surrounding you, then you have felt that connection not only with your physical and emotional senses, but also with that part of yourself that we refer to as our spirit.

Color is a form of non-verbal communication. Colors say something to us when we look at them. What colors make you feel happy? Agitated? Color consists of many different energy patterns which vibrate at different frequencies. The reason we see color and the reason it makes us feel a certain way is because these vibrations are received by the color receptors (cones) of the eye, which then translates that pattern into a color & sends that data to the brain. The brain then begins the release of hormones and chemicals depending on the messages it receives & interprets. When the energy in one part of the body is out of balance, a chain reaction will begin leading to changes in all systems and organs as the body tries to restore balance. By surrounding ourselves with and looking at a particular color we may stimulate or suppress pituitary and pineal glands (located in the center of the cranium). These glands regulate the hormones for metabolism and growth of the body, sleep patterns and blood pressure functions, appetite and thirst sensations.

Since ancient times, every culture has used color for various art, customary rituals and clothing. It has long been known that light and color can have an effect on the body, the mind and the emotions. Colors on the walls, in art, in clothing and on furniture can energize calm, uplift, depress, irritate, anger and even heal. The use of light & color has been explored as its own form of holistic healing called Color Therapy or Chromotherapy. Although it has been deemed pseudoscience by its critics, citing the placebo effect, many therapists & educators feel that there is some use for color as a practical tool in daily living. It can provide a simple way to enhance the environment of adults & children, whether it be in a traditional classroom, and afterschool program or in a yoga class.

The origins of Color Therapy dates back to the Egyptians. The vibrant colors of nature were reflected in all aspects of their lives: floors of temples were green or blue (grass and water). They believed that red, yellow, and blue affected the body, soul, and spirit, respectively and used colored gemstones and crystals as remedies for many diseases. The cure was believed to come from the activated energy of the color of light reflected by sunlight.

Ayurveda refers to the Chakras as sources of subtle energy. Chakras represent the Life Force and energy of the entire body and are depicted as 7 circular areas that form a vertical line from the base of the spine to the top of the head. Each of the centers corresponds to a color and in turn an emotion as well as an organ, system or gland.

Color therapy is also applied in the practice of Feng Shui which uses the placement of furniture, plants & objects by shape, element and color encourage & ensure harmony & balance.

During the early 20th century, Rudolph Steiner, an Austrian philosopher, related color to form, shape, and sound suggesting that certain combinations of color and shape have either destructive or regenerative effects on living organisms. Steiner’s work was continued by many researchers all finding evidence that color preferences demonstrate states of mind and have measurable and predictable effects on the nervous system.

While more controlled research needs to be done, early studies are encouraging. In one study, 98 percent (49 out of 50) of participants with migraine headaches reported relief after being treated with goggles that alternately illuminated the right and left eyes with red light. (The Journal Headache, July, 2008)

The most clinically supported use of Color and Light Therapy includes the use of light boxes in the treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) & other mood, sleep & stress-related disorders.

Using Color in daily life can involve exposure to colored lights, art, furniture, plants & using imagery. This can help calm disrupted energy within the body and bring it back into balance. (Practitioners use this for both physical and emotional challenges, treating the body as a whole, rather than just addressing symptoms.)

In traditional or yoga, education or therapy, (OT, PT, SLP) or even at home, using colors strategically can help enhance the learning environment & the effects of the activity, lesson or therapy you are administering. Since each color has a different effect or association, try to match this with your expected outcome of the lesson or session. For example, if your student is lethargic, surround him/her in red or violet to envigorate re-energize and shift the mood into a positive direction. If your student seems anxious, restless and can’t seem to find concentration, Blue, Green and Indigo will calm & ease physical, emotional and mental tension and bring improved awareness and better concentration. Try accenting the sensory room with soft colored lights, mats, shawls, gems, candles, paintings, tapestries, plants, table cloths, shades, etc. (See Color Meanings Below)

Another easy way to incorporate color is to use imagery. Ask your student to close their eyes & imagine for a minute that he/she is a tiny balloon. Each time he breathes in he gets bigger and floats higher and each time he breathes out he releases some of that beautiful color into the sky. You can assign each child a specific color based on the effect you want the imagery to have or let them imagine their own favorite color. (Always prepare them to be brought out of the imagery gently and gradually by suggesting they imagine they land gently on the ground, wiggle fingers, toes and on the count of three, they can open their eyes.)

The Meaning of Colors:
In each category, consider all degrees of color and shades in that group, from jewel tones to pastels. Experiment & see what works.

RED: is beleived to stimulate brain wave activity, increase heart rate, respirations, blood pressure, and adrenal glands. It warms us and awakens us physically and has been applied to improve circulation. It is a good color to wear when we have low energy due to colds and poor circulation. (CAUTION: Too much red can over stimulate, agitate and make the illness feel worse.)

ORANGE: is the color of joy, creative energy and internal connection. It is believed to stimulate appetite and it is a good color for improving creative problem solving, clearing the lungs & balancing hormones.

YELLOW: is the color of wisdom, personal power, intuition and emotions. It energizes, uplifts, relieves depression, improves memory, stimulates appetite and has been applied to help with digestive problems.

GREEN: has a calming, balancing effect on the nervous system. Green sooths and relaxes, eases depression, anxiety & nervousness. (Since green is associated with and said to stimulate growth, it is suggested to be avoided in cancers and other tumors.)

BLUE: is calming and cooling & is often used to counteract stress & hypertension. It is the color for overall health and connects us to our higher thought and make us open to learning new things. (Too much blue can overwhelm and depress the system.)

INDIGO: is the color for healing. It is said to enhance immunity and connect us to our unconscious self.

VIOLET: is cleansing, strengthening, and awakening. It has been used to suppress appetite & in restoring a peaceful environment. It is supposed to affect the bones and has been applied to improve auto-immune conditions, cancerous illnesses, and arthritis. It has proven to be an excellent color for relief of eye strain, headaches and migraines.

WHITE: The color of Spirituality, softness, purity and Peace. Has been used to neutralize negative thoughts/emotions. (Too much white can be over stimulating, blinding & cause headaches. Substitute more subdued crèmes, beige or ivory shades if this is the case.)

BLACK: Black is the absence of color. It conveys mystery, mourning & rebellion. It is also grounding and calming to some, especially sensory challenged children and teens. Incorporate or simulate black by using softer lighting. (Use sparingly! Be sure to balance the use of black with other uplifting & energizing colors.)


• Use for Calming:  Blue, Green, Turquoise, Silver

• Use for Alerting:  Red, Pink, Yellow, Gold, Orange

• Use for Maintaining Balance:  Purple, Lavender, Green, Turquoise

• Use to Neutralize or Unify:  Brown, Beige, Ivory, Gray, Black, White




*What are some of the creative ways that you "Live in Color" and have used at home or in the clasroom? We would love to hear about your experiences! Please leave a comment in the space below.
 

Contact Barbara at: www.bodylogique.com

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