Eurythmy / Yoga / dance dvd?

[mrsbonnet]

Following an enquiry from a parent whose child attends a Steiner school, I have become more interested in other childcare ideas and pholosophies and would like to include this in my setting.

It would be fun to do an excercise or dance dvd and I wonder if anyone could recommend a good one. I've looked at Yogabugs but not got a great review on Amazon.

I want something that will be visual enough to capture a 1yo attention and be fun enough for up to 8yo to want to join in with.

[Nature'sKids!]

I wouldn't use a DVD to be honest, id look for books on gymnastics or eurythmy for kids which will have lots of ideas and out your own lessons together.

I studied to be a kindergarten teacher in Austria and even mainstream kindergartens are often very influenced by Steiner and Montessori - especially where natural materials and exercise for kids is concerned.
For a simple eurythmy "lesson" you could use silk playcloths (silk becausethese float nicely!) and put on some rhythmical classical music and let the children dance and move to the music.

What is always loved by kids for moving / gymnastics are obstacle courses. (think jack in the box lessons)

Stories and songs can be told to incorporate movement, from the obvious ones like ring o roses to storys telling about different animals in the jingle where kids have to copy the animals movement (for eg snakes on the floor, giraffes stretching way up high elephants stomping onthe ground etc)

A firm favourite in kindergarten was the wizard who "transformed" the children into different things and they went whizzing round the room as all sorts of different things (animals, aeroplanes, riding bikes - laid on back peddling the air, tumbling gnomes doing somersaults,....)

You can have the kids try to do as Manu things as possible with a chair (would only do this with sturdy wooden toddler chairs) like jump off them, crawl underneath, lift them up etc.

Outdoors you can use te natural environment to encourage kids to move and discover balance and limits etc.

Search for "bewegungsübungen" on YouTube - it'll be german but will give you ideas. Also eurythmy will come up with waldorf stuff.

[Nature'sKids!]

As for yoga, I would probably ask around to see if there are any yoga teachers doing lessons for kids, ask her for advice or to do a lesson in yur home which will give you ideas :)