Pick It Up

 

Type of Practice: Yoga

 

Recommended Grade Levels: K-5

 

Individual/Partner/Group Practice: Individual

 

Time: 3 minutes

 

Materials:

• One yoga mat per student.
• Enough floor space that students can spread out.

 

Set Up:

• Arrange the yoga mats, ensuring that you have one per student.
• Ensure you have enough floor space so that students can spread out.

 

Script:

 

Imagine that you are standing in a magical pool. In this pool, you can find whatever you need.

 

As you breathe in, take a moment to check in with yourself. What are you needing? Curiosity? Patience? Imagine what might help you right now.

 

As you breathe out, bend your knees, fold forward, and reach your arms wide. Then swoop your arms down in a gathering motion. “Pick up” what you just imagined. Maybe you decide to pick up happiness or courage.

 

As you breathe in, slowly return to standing, bringing that new thing up over your head.

 

As you breathe out, bring your arms down all the way down to your toes and pretend it is filling up your whole body.

 

Wonderful.

 

(Repeat as many times as you’d like.)

 

As you breathe in, return to standing. Check in with yourself. Do you notice anything different? 

 

Tips:

• You do not need to read the included script verbatim. Adapt the language so that it is appropriate for your students in particular.

 

• It is perfectly appropriate to simplify the breathing cues, particularly when you first introduce the pose to your students. You might invite students to simply count several breaths in the pose, or you might opt to omit them altogether.

 

• It is not important for students to get the pose “exactly right.” Instead, focus on helping them build mind-body awareness each time you practice.

 

• Offer students positive reinforcements throughout each practice. Focus on qualities and behaviors they can control, like their focus, effort, or persistence. Be specific whenever possible. This will help your students develop a “growth mindset.”

 

• This is a great practice to use to help the class focus. If students are having trouble concentrating, invite them to do this practice, picking up “concentration” or “focus” each time.

 

Variations/Extensions:

• None

 

Authors: Megan Downey and Anna Basile

 

Adapted from: Compassionate Schools Project

 

Associated graphic: