Cell Phones and Baby Yoga in Los Angeles, OTB MidCity 01/24/09

Gabriel was so pleased when we gave him one phone to play with, then a few minutes later when the phone downpour came it was too much and he needed to nurse for the rest of class :) Oliver loved to hear the remotes rubbed together button side, it made kind of a lousiana sound. yarden and oliver seemed to play together the whole time, trading phones and patting each other on the head. James lay on his back (though he is able to sit) in ecstacy playing with the phones and talking the whole time. Ricardo loved this activity but he too weaved in and out of nursing to manage the input.

Toddler Class OTB Beachwood 01/22/09

Sophia is catching up to Taylor in Wheels on the Bus! Noah did the elefante boom boom boom hands by herself. Taylor and Dashel did Hola together--on Lori's lap, nice job Lori! We will repeat the Dice activity, the tots enjoyed finding the colors, but definitely needed assistance. Everyone put on (and took off :) animal masks for OldMacdonald and we read the story, but the song proved to be more engaging for this group. Iola was the new girl on the bus, and she did great!

Silverlake Spaghetti Party OTB Class 01/17/08

Beachwood Toddlers Fingerpainting OTB Class 01/15/09

Great things come to those who wait, the tots fully enjoyed fingerpainting! Sophia and Diego kept coming back to me with empty trays, fill up please. Dashel was fixed on Taylor and after sampling each color in his mouth, decided to nurse, Mom was clever enough to wipe his mouth first :) Taylor covered herself in paint and perched herself on my lap, she used every paint brush. Noah and Nathan did a little painting and a lot of watching. Sasha kept neatest of all and painted with the brush and then delighted in everyone else's painting. We sang Happy and You Know it at the beginning of class, and it came on at the end of class accidentally, and everyone remembered and did a great job with the cues! When we sang Mr. Toe at the end of class in mom/nanny's laps Noah tugged her own toes!

Buttons in Beverlywood OTB 01/14

These babies were so ready for Buttons Bonanza, they spotted the box and it was on! Almost all of the babies in this class are walking. We learned Hola! today and London, our explorer, sat on my lap and demonstrated how-to :) The tots were completely enthralled in the phones. London preferred the phones with people on them. Olivia and her mom liked to make them bang together! Charley liked to feel the different buttons. Daniel liked to pick up a phone from the pile and give to mom. Abby liked to tell me what the phone was for, "call." Abigail liked to take the phones and put them on the furniture. Everyone did great. This group needed innovation when it came to the carwash, the swish swish did not last as long without some peekabo and chasing streamers as they passed along the floor.

http://www.otbee.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=90&func=view&id=7&catid=2

Cell Phones, Remotes and Cameras--Beachwood 01/13

Woo Hoo, this was the babies dream come true. Everyone of these babies could have played with the phones and remotes endlessly. There was even an occasion when Gaia and Lennon were eyeing the same remote and Lennon spread his fingers wide and gently covered the phone with his hand, saying I got this one babe. Gaia also figured out to pretend play and she held each phone to her ear and said dadadadada. Harper's dad also pretended with her and held up a phone and said I got to call you back I've got Gaia on the other line :) We warmed up with 5 little monkeys and it is a close call between Sofia, Lennon and Wolf who is the happiest jumping monkey--pure joy! The babies loved Carwash! Some liked it hot, some liked it cold, some liked it in the pot 9 days old. Isaac liked when the ribbons were immobile and then frenetic, some babies preferred the swish swish swish. Charlotte and Chloe were feeling the carwash vibe. All of the babies were ready for the cool down, lavender dreams foot massage peace.

Hope some pics to follow!

http://www.otbee.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=90&func=view&id=7&catid=2

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Beads Los Angeles! Mid City OTB Class 01/11/09

Beachwood Babies OTB Class 01/06/08

Everyone was so happy to be back in class--especially the moms who had their share of stimulation traveling with baby in tow :) Watson has been out of town for 2 months--he is so happy to be in class and he sat right next to me, yay! Desmond has grown so much, when he started coming to class focusing and tracking was developing, now he is a tracking master :)! Desmond had to cuddle with mom near the end of the tubes session (and later body scarves)--lots of sensory input!--but otherwise he was a shining star. Sophia now laughs! when she jumps during 5 little monkeys; even if you just say "monkeys" to her she laughs! So exciting, she started class when she was just 12 weeks and now she is 7 months! Kiran was out of town for a few weeks and used so much play energy that he had to nurse to sleep after the sensory tubes--he was enthralled with them! Emerson came to his first class, he really adjusted well, mom and dad came and they too did great!! Izzy was so happy to jump she was smiling! Mom did a great job with the sensory tubes! Wolf made friends with Sophia and they even had a momentary hand-holding session :) Lalita looked like such a big girl in her blue jeans, and she was 100% involved in class--especially for Old MacDonald's Farm!

Mardi Gras in Sherman Oaks YB OTB Class 01/02/08

What is Kids Yoga?

Children are natural yogis--depending on your idea of yoga.

For children, yoga is almost counter intuitive, which is why is it so beneficial. Children of all fabrics must find some form of discipline, organization and focus in order to practice yoga even if it looks like child's play from a distance.

Songs, stories, toys and projects help stimulate the right brain so that asanas make more sense, but the challenge of yoga for the young is not necessarily physical balance and stability.

It seems that many adult yogis find focus, balance, and quieting the mind more of a goal rather than a state of being in their own practice--what do we then expect of children? Yoga, unchanging, unflinching, is the union of focus, balance and breath: mind, body and spirit.

When children are on the mat, the energy, meaning or intention behind yoga itself does not turn into something it is not like heavy metal, karate or swimming. The class make look A LOT different from an adult class, but the unity of yoga does not change.

It is very normal for emotions to show themselves in a yoga class for kids of all ages. For the child who loves to slouch, sitting up straight may bring up negative feelings at first. Upon weekly repetition, those feelings may become more benign and then eventually transfer into very positive feelings. What a beautiful possibility to offer a child, not only the process of physical change but emotional transformation. The more we practice letting peace unfold naturally instead of demanding it be more imminent, the more are we in alignment not only with yoga but love and family.

Yoga is something new. How does your child react to something new and different, something he or she does not understand? It is very helpful for parents of child yogis to appreciate these ideas in comparison to those preconceived about children's yoga. Sometimes yoga will be joy and peace and sometimes yoga will be disappointment and frustration--both are opportunities for growth and development. The commitment is to wellness; if it is of value for your family, your child will know.

Shanti Shanti Shanti, Om Om Om, Peace Peace Peace

Yoga Baby Class Saturdays Los Angeles

Walk-ins welcome to join yoga baby group to stimulate growth & development, wellness, and trust through positive touch, ends with guided infant massage.

Hosted in Los Feliz at 12noon.