25 kindergarten children ran around the gym like crazy tense cars with me after we made our paper plate INNER STEERING WHEELS to show Tension X’s and Calm smiley faces. When I signaled, we took deep belly button breaths to SWITCH GEARS from tense to calm. It is the foundation for self regulation. Earlier in the day a class of 4 year old preschoolers did the same. And, yes, I am always in costume when teaching children.
KNOWING the difference of the feeling inside from tense to calm and HOW to navigate from one GEAR TO ANOTHER inside us…is just like crazy driving cars and calm driving cars. So instead of just giving them a rule to follow, we BECAME what we were learning. They all successfully switched gears and immediately gained confidence having inner self control.
Artwork. Drumming, and other activities reinforced the lesson. Drumming to BREATHE, THINK AND MAKE A GOOD CHOICE proved to be quite fun. Coloring one’s own body – how it looks and feels when being in control and switching gears from tense to calm becomes a reinforcement mirror.
3D learning is what I do. Kids love it. Check out my first lesson on Tense Knots and Calm Socks that is free to download to show to kids AND there are free download handouts for parents/grandparents and teachers to reinforce it. Let’s get these skills into children’s lives. Let’s start working on plans to prevent ACES, prevent massacres, prevent ill mental health, prevent out of control behavior, prevent destructive relationships, prevent suicide and help children to know how to build resilience within their own minds, bodies, emotions and spirits….All children deserve to feel like SUPERKIDS using their skills!!!! www.superkidpower.org