Hold on to your hats, er boats! If you missed last week’s post, Belly Boat Float, I recommend taking a quick look because this week we’ll be exploring some more fun and beneficial uses for that neat little paper boat you made. For your convenience I’ve included a link to a refresher on folding those neat little paper boats below.
Once you’ve folded your boat, we’re going to turn that little piece of art into a multi-tasking tool. Yes, folks, your paper boat is now a paper hat and it’s ready for some Movement, Meditation and Mindfulness fun.
Pop it on your head and take a look in the mirror. You look fabulous!
Lisa Roberts xoxoxo
Origami: Fold Your Hat
Paper Hats
Paper Hats are fun to make and encourage children to feel invested in their mindfulness sessions. Folding the hat itself is a mindfulness practice, and once complete, you can use your Hat as a prop for some good old-fashioned Movement, Meditation and Mindfulness fun!
You will need:
Plain rectangular piece of paper
Craft items to decorate (optional) – paints, markers, stickers, glitter, tinsel, buttons, pom-poms
Simple steps:
Fold your paper hat (see instructional video above)
Decorate hats according to whatever theme you would like your Mindful Movement sessions based on. For example, jungle animals – decorate hats to represent different the jungle (trees for tree pose, vines for eagle pose, a lion for lion’s breath etc.)
Allow to dry prior to use
Make different hats to compliment different themes to build your sessions around.
Incorporate in your general sessions:
Children take turns trying on each hat and take on the identity of the animal or thing represented. Ask kids to recreate a mindful movement or breathing technique that you demonstrate or make up one of their own!
Play games:
The following game is inspired by Guess Who? and Hedbandz: One player wears a hat without seeing what is on it. The remaining players use mindful breathing and movement to act out what is represented on the hat. Continue playing until the first player correctly guesses what he/she is! Switch roles until everybody has had a turn.
Musical hats: Scatter yoga mats around the room and place a different paper hat on each one. Play music as children dance freely around the room. When the music stops each player must go to a yoga mat, place the hat on their head and create a movement or breathing technique that represents the animal on thing on their hat. It may help to teach a few yoga-based stretches, poses and breathing techniques prior to playing this game.
Story-time/theater time: Make a team effort to create a story or play based on the hats. Of course, encourage everybody to act it out with lots of mindful movement and breathing.
Ready to learn more? Check out the following webinars:
MMM 3-4 yr olds
MMM 5-8 yr olds