Children Inspired by Yoga with Tatty Bumpkin - Tunbridge Wells

Parent support groups starting soon in Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells - please do share with anyone you know who could do with some support with how to help their young person with their mental health.

West Kent Mind are excited to be running a new series of Parent and Carer Support Groups in Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Sevenoaks.

These support groups will offer a safe space for parents and carers to learn and share experiences, whilst being supported by a West Kent Mind wellbeing worker.

Participants will gain increased confidence in having difficult conversations with young people about mental health, learn how to support their young people, and where to reach out for support in times of crisis.

Find out more and sign up here:

💙westkentmind.org.uk/parents-supporting-parents

Yes another article about the importance of physical activity in the early years for under 5s, this time from Loughborough University.
One of the things that is great about Tatty Bumpkin classes is that the children don't even realise they're doing physical activity - it's non-competitive, uses their imagination and ignites their sense of adventure.
Why can't adult exercise be that much fun?!! 😂

Celebrate World Meditation Day with us today!

Benefits of mindfulness:

• Improves body awareness
• Enhances attention, decision making and learning
• Builds self-esteem and resilience
• Promotes social behaviour – kindness, empathy and compassion.

Through our sessions, Tatty Bumpkin lays the foundations for mindfulness through multi-sensory activities. Increased sensory awareness is enhanced and built on via mindful activities which introduce a ‘pause’ into a child’s stream of thought during their full day.

Today is World Bee 🐝Day!

We love meeting 🐝 on our adventures with Tatty Bumpkin as it gives us the opportunity to calm for a few moments with 🐝 Breath.
Even toddlers enjoy buzzing like a 🐝- try it and relish those few moments of calm

We love taking our classes outside whenever the good old British weather allows! ☔️🌦☀️
And festival season is almost with us. We'll be at Fields again this year for our wake up yoga sessions

Don't just take our word for it....

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week with the theme of Movement: Moving More for our Mental Health.

We are never too young (or old!) to learn simple life skills to help us become more resilient. Our sessions teach children how exercise, mindfulness, breathing and relaxation can help their bodies and minds feel good. These are skills they will take with them throughout life, giving them an understanding of how they can support both their mental and physical wellbeing.

This week's pose is one of my (and the children's) favourites: 🌋Volcano🌋

We precede the pose with banging on the floor or our legs for the rumbling, building anticipation, until WHOOSH! - lava spouts into the sky!

👏 Today marks the end of Teacher Appreciation week 👏
If you're a teacher - Early Years, Primary, Secondary or beyond - that you have felt appreciated this week for all that you do 🙏🙏

We are practising our Bee Breath this week 🐝

⭐ Breathe in deeply and as you
breathe out, hum softly, trying to make those hums last a little longer with each breath.

⭐ This is also called Brahmari breath!

⭐ It's great for increasing focus and concentration, relieving anxiety, and
lowering the heart rate. Give it a go and see how you feel!

🌎🌎This week we are celebrating our wonderful Earth 🌎🌎

We'll talk about what we are grateful for, what we need to preserve and how we can help with this.

Have a look at these ideas, talk to your children and see what changes you could make.

https://www.natgeokids.com/.../how-to-save-the-planet/

In our classes this week we’re practicing Cockerel pose 🐓

Cockerel pose stretches the chest and shoulder muscles, increases awareness of both sides of the body and enhances children’s ‘crossing the midline skills’ which are crucial for learning to write and dress themselves.

•Cockerel pose can be done it sitting, kneeling or standing.
•Encourage your child to put their hands on their waist so their elbows are pointing to the side, then move their elbows back and forth flapping their wings like a cockerel!
•Next show them how to stretch their arms above their head and back down, stretching their wings out!
• Finally encourage them to make a cockerel beak by bringing one hand to the opposite shoulder and the other hand across to the other shoulder. Take the elbows apart then back together like a cockerel opening its beak! 🐓

Gong Hei Fat Choy or San Nin Fai Lok or Happy Chinese New Year!

There are actually dozens of way to wish others well both in Mandarin and Cantonese as the the start of the Year of the Dragon begins today.

This week is Children's Mental Health Week, with a theme of Your Voice Matters.

We have visited lots of nurseries this week, recognising the importance of giving everybody the chance to be heard, through our story with Tatty Bumpkin and the sad dolphin who hadn't been able to find his voice.

Through help and support from Tatty Bumpkin and the friendly Octopus we gave the dolphin his 'squeak' back and talked about the importance of being kind.

Gloomy Cloud
Our adventure this week takes us under a gloomy cloud, we will explore how we feel in our bodies when we encounter different emotions. It's great to be aware of our feelings, be able to label our emotions and to learn tools and techniques to help us when we feel all of the different feelings so that when we are ready we can release them! How do you cheer yourself up when you’re unhappy?

That's it! Another year done!

And we want to say a massive THANK YOU to all the schools and nurseries who have invited us to join them this year for some bendy, giggly yoga and mindfulness.

We have shared our programme with babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers, and all year groups at primary schools, supporting their physical and mental health, teaching them skills for life.

We have had so much fun and we are incredibly grateful to have such an amazing job!

We wish everyone a wonderful, healthy and happy 2024! ❤️

-haywardsheath -nursery-preschool -Matthews-High-Brooms-Pre-School Rotherfield Preschool -school

🐦National Robin Day! 🐦

🎄✉️ Happy National Christmas Card Day! 💌

Let's celebrate the joy of sending and receiving Christmas cards.

In this digital age, are cards is there still a place for traditional cards, or is the shift to virtual wishes taking over? 📬 (personally I really hope not, as I still love receiving cards!)

Share your thoughts and memories of the cherished tradition of exchanging cards. Whether you're team snail mail or love the convenience of e-cards, let's embrace the spirit of connection and spread holiday cheer.

Tag your favourite card-sending buddy and let's keep the joy alive! 🎅🤶

Today we are thinking about 🌳Tree pose 🌳which is a great yoga pose for children.

It helps them develop balance, concentration, and confidence. It also strengthens their legs, core, and back muscles.

Here’s how to do it:

🌳Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands in front of your chest.
🌳Shift your weight to your right foot and lift your left foot off the floor.
🌳Place the sole of your left foot on your right shin or thigh, but not on your knee.
🌳Press your left foot and right leg firmly together. Keep your hips square and your chest lifted.
🌳Focus your gaze on a point that doesn’t move to help your balance
🌳Hold for a few breaths and then switch sides.

To make it harder, you can try these variations:

🌳Reach your arms up over your head and touch your palms together.
🌳Close your eyes and balance without looking.
🌳Twist your upper body to the left and right while keeping your lower body still like your tree is swaying in the breeze

Tree pose is a fun and easy way to introduce yoga to your kids. Try it today and see the benefits for yourself! 🌳

Today is the start of National Tree Week 🌳

The purpose of National Tree Week, which is held to kick off the annual winter tree-planting season, is to encourage the public to plant trees and appreciate the beauty and importance of trees in our environment and life.

And of course, Tree pose is one of our faves!

Celebrating World Children's Day today 💖