Category: Well Being

Yoga for Kids: Gettin’ Buggy With It

By Mariah Bruehl, 21st April 2014

Monique of Green Acorns is with us today with to share some inspiring spring yoga poses for the little yogis on our lives…

Nature is a source of wonder for our children and Yoga provides an engaging and fun means of expression and further exploration of that nature. Children can imagine taking on the qualities of the natural elements that exists around them and, in doing so, deepen their connection.

This month, taking inspiration from my children’s interest in the reawakening of life after a long winter, we will explore some of the smaller creatures found in our yards: insects! In this yoga sequence, we’ll be gettin’ buggy with it. If the weather permits, spend some time outside observing the insects you see. How do they move? Are they fast or slow? Do they make a sound? How do they position their bodies at rest? What are they busy doing? You and your child may also like to look at the beautiful book Step Gently Out by Helen Frost before you begin for further inspiration.

I hope you and your child enjoy and that it inspires a curiosity and appreciation for all life, big and small!

Children & Nutrition: Understanding Energy Balance

By Mariah Bruehl, 3rd March 2014

We all want our children to make healthy choices when it comes to taking care of themselves. I have always found that when they understand the reasons behind the choices we want them to make, they are more enthusiastic and empowered to do the right thing.

It is for this reason that I am thrilled to team up with Together Counts, which is a nationwide program inspiring active and healthy living. They have incredible resources, activities, and printables for helping to teach children about developing healthy habits.

Sometimes we assume that children understand the basic concepts of nutrition. Although we talk about healthy eating all the time at home, I realized that the girls didn’t have a solid grasp of the concept that the food we eat gives us energy that we use to live active lives.

So when I found the lesson on Energy Balance over at Together Counts, we dove right in. They provide a great printable that lists different types of foods and how many calories they contain, as well as a list of activities and how many calories our bodies burn—energy in, energy out.

The girls created a table on our chalkboard and started matching foods to how many activities one would have to do to create an energy balance. Once we got past bananas and carrots, they were surprised to find our that in order to balance out the energy they take in from eating a hot dog, they would need to walk, ride a bike, and ice skate for thirty minutes each!

They were so excited about the concept of energy balance that they started to read the labels on the back of their favorite snacks to see how many calories they contained. They discovered that to balance out the dried mango they were munching on during the activity, they would need to swim for 30 minutes and play the piano for 30 more—sounds like a lovely way to spend the afternoon…

I love that we now have a common language to refer back to when discussing the food choices that we make on a daily basis.

You can stay up to date on the great work that Together Counts is doing on Facebook , Twitter, Pinterest and their blog.

Yoga For Kids: Animals in Winter

By Mariah Bruehl, 29th January 2014

Monique of Green Acorns is with us today with to share a wonderful winter yoga sequence to share with the little yogis in our lives.

Here in the northeastern U.S. the January thaw has come and gone and temperatures have dipped once again. We bundle up in layers from head to toe to tolerate being outdoors and come in to warmed houses when we can bear it no longer. But what do wild animals do? How do they survive winter’s cold? This is often a point of curiosity for children and a wonderful source for playful learning activities.

Why not encourage your children to put themselves in the animals’ skins? Start by reading some books on the topic to help your child gain a better understanding of animals’ survival techniques. These are a few of our favorites:

Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft
Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
Not a Buzz to be Found by Linda Glaser
The Big Snow by Berta & Elmer Hader

After some exploration and discussion your child should be ready for some movement, imagination, and fun! Just follow the “Animals in Winter” yoga sequence to support your child pretending to be various animals preparing for their winter survival. As your child walks like a bear looking for a den, wraps up in a cocoon, and flies like a migrating bird, they will be having fun and doing their body good while reinforcing their learning.

Download Animals in Winter Yoga here.

Holiday Yoga: Journey to the Moon

By Mariah Bruehl, 12th December 2013

Monique of Green Acorns is with us today to share a lovely yoga routine that is perfectly suited for season…

This time of year can be a flurry of activities and preparations for many. While it may be enjoyable, it is added activity to an often already full schedule and can be a cause of stress. Our children can feel it too whether they are reacting to the stress of the adults around them or are experiencing their own. Perhaps they are getting less sleep due to excitement or later bedtimes to accommodate special events. Perhaps they are getting less time to play freely. In parts of the world that now have shortened daylight hours and cold weather, children often have less time outdoors and, as a result, less physical activity.

Yoga is a wonderful way for children to expend some restless energy and exercise their bodies. It will also focus their energy and minds and bring a sense of calm and peace.

This month, I thought it would be fun to offer a Yoga sequence in which children really get to use their imaginations to transport themselves to another world… To take a journey to the moon.

Journey To The Moon Page 1
Journey To The Moon Page 2

If you would like to read a book first to help spark their imaginations or provide some imagery, here are a few recommendations:

Harry and Horsie by Katie Van Camp
The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers
If You Decide To Go To the Moon by Faith Mcnulty

Enjoy the voyage and have a very joyous holiday season!

Homemade Apple Pumpkin Fruit Roll-Ups

By Mariah Bruehl, 7th October 2013

Heather of Poppy Haus is with us today to share a delicious recipe for autumn inspired fruit roll-ups…

We recently started making our own all fruit roll-ups using summer berries and mango. My boys (and their friends) are crazy for them, and they’ve become a staple in their lunchbox. With the season changing and Halloween on it’s way, I mixed up an autumnal version using pumpkin, apple and a little cinnamon spice. Here’s the recipe…

Ingredients:

1 12.5 oz can pumpkin puree
2 cups unsweetened apple sauce
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Cooking tools:

2 sheet pans
2 silicone pan liners
A smoothing tool (I use a pie server)

Preheat oven to its lowest temperature (170 degrees). Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl, dividing mixture onto the sheet pans. Spread until about 1/4” thick, uniform at the edges. Place in the oven and allow to dehydrate over the course of 5-7 hours, until the center is set completely. Turn off the oven and cool to room temperature before peeling back. Trim the crispy edges, and cut the fruit leather into 6″ squares. Roll up in wax paper, securing with a piece of tape.

Enjoy!

Educating the Senses: Smelling Bottles

By Mariah Bruehl, 26th September 2013

“We cannot create observers by saying ‘observe,’ but by giving them the power and the means for this observation and these means are procured through education of the senses.”

– Maria Montessori

The other day I was perusing an inspiring, new-to-me, blog that I discovered, Small Potatoes, when my daughter snuggled up next to me to see what I was doing. When she saw this smelling game, she immediately wanted to “do that project.”

There is something about this activity that captivates children… They love the idea of isolating and exploring just one sense at a time. They also love the mystery of what smell they might encounter next.

Ella decided to create a smelling game for her older sister. I rounded up a collection of bottles, she got out our essential oil collection, and she got to work. I was even amused to see that she snapped some photos along the way (the apple does not fall too far from the tree)!

We had a lovely afternoon filled with soothing scents and fun conversation…

More sensorial inspiration:

Scent Bottles by Modern Parents Messy Kids
DIY Smelling Bottles by Counting Coconuts
Matching Scents Activity by Parents
Science Investigation: Smell by Playful Learning

‘Dem Bones Skeleton Yoga

By Mariah Bruehl, 20th September 2013

Monique of Green Acorns is with us today to share a great yoga sequence for the little ones in our lives who are getting geared up for Halloween.

There has been lots of talk about bones around my house lately as my children begin their anatomy studies with the skeletal system. As I was thinking about fun ways to reinforce the names of the bones, I realized that I have not created a new Yoga sequence in a while. My kids were very excited when I suggested doing some “skeleton Yoga”! I hope your children will enjoy it just as much. And with October fast approaching, it fits right in with that day that so many kids look forward to.

Reading a book together is always a great way to introduce a topic and Yoga sequence. If learning the names of bones is new for your child, this will be especially helpful. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

Dem Bones by Bob Barner
Bones by Steve Jenkins
The Bones You Own by Becky Baines
Bones by Seymour Simon

Make sure you give it a try too. Yoga is good for your bones! Click on the photo below to download and print.

Peaceable Home: Aromatherapy Pillow Spray

By Mariah Bruehl, 11th September 2013

After the expansion of summer, with it’s busyness, activity and action, it seems as natural as breathing that Fall should bring us to a state of looking inward once more. As I begin to contemplate darker nights and shorter days I naturally seek comfort in routines and familiar rhythms that harmonize our days and nights.

The first shift that I notice, as we transition from our free wheeling summer to a more structured back-to-school rhythm, is the return of our bedtime routine. As the nights draw in it feels natural to linger a little, take more time over our bedtime rituals and take pleasure in the snuggles and stories that we all crave and love.

I fell in love with essential oils a decade before we began our family, so it has been very natural for me to incorporate them into our hearth and home. Even when my boys were babies I noticed the benefits a drop of chamomile or lavender could bring, a seemingly tiny alternation that could have profound affects. Something I began to incorporate into our night time routine some years ago was an aromatherapy pillow spray, also known at our house as a ‘fairy spray’.

Being a lover of the magical wee folk my son was excited to spray his room and pillow each night with a scented mist that let the little people know he wanted them to visit his dreams. Of course it didn’t hurt that the oil combinations were those designed to help him nod gently off to sleep and, hopefully, stay that way all night.

Though essential oils are no magic bullet for any issue, they certainly can help to support health and well being. Our olfactory system is the greatest trigger for memory, so a scent can have a profound affect on our emotional state. I’m sure we’ve all experienced that intense pull back to the past, as a waft of perfume or even a cleaning product triggers vivid recollections of childhood.

My hope is that for my children the scent of chamomile and lavender, orange and frankincense or sweet rose tinted geranium, will conjure cozy nights of warm blankets, loving snuggles and magical tales that weave into their dreams. A simple spray, a scent that builds up a sense of place over time, can help to support a child in knowing they are truly safe and can rest peacefully.

Different combinations of oils will have different outcomes so choose a recipe that you think will be a good match for your child. If in doubt, allow them to smell two or three oils and choose the one they prefer, after all it’s their pillow! Here are a few recipes you might wish to try.

For each of these I use a 100ml (about 3.5 oz) spray bottle and I aim to use about 5-6 drops of essential oil in each mix. This gives a fragrance without it being pungent or distracting. As the oils sit in the water the scent will continue to build so you don’t need to worry about adding more oils as you go along.

Relaxation and Sleep Aid

Geranium 3 drops
Lavender 3 drops

Bad Dream Banisher

Lavender 2 drops
Chamomile 2 drops
Orange 1 drop

Anxiety Support

Bergamot 2 drops
Lavender 2 drops
Geranium 2 drops

Pillow sprays (or magical fairy sprays!) are a great way to introduce the benefits of aromatherapy to your child, bringing a sweet scent to bedtime and gentle support as they rest their heads each night.

If you are looking for more information on the benefits of aromatherapy for your child Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child, is a wonderful resource packed with information and ideas.

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Peaceable Home: Herbal Oat Bath

By Mariah Bruehl, 27th August 2013

Emma from 95 Acres of Sky is with us today to share a lovely way for families to transition in to a new season—nurturing ourselves and loved ones inside and out.

After a fun (and sometimes frenetic) summer I’m beginning to notice the subtle shift that indicates the season is changing. Perhaps it is a cool morning with a mist hanging over the pasture, or reaching for a blanket when I’m snuggled on the sofa for an hour of quiet after chores are done. I’m beginning to acknowledge that summer is shifting slowly into something else and making preparations for a new season.

Part of that preparation is to repair some of the neglect my body has undergone during the busy rush of summer! I notice that my skin and hair are feeling the effects of a season of sun, swimming and sweating, I’m ready for a little TLC and can’t help thinking the little people in my life would benefit too.

As the nights are drawing in we are beginning to trade brisk showers as the sun sets for more relaxing baths and a return to our bedtime routine. Though it will be a few weeks yet before we really notice the sun dipping low before bedtime, we can begin to enjoy some of the relaxing rituals that we are too busy for when the heat beats down. One of those is a soothing oat bath with scented herbs to uplift and relax.

Oats, though ubiquitous in the kitchen cupboards of the land, are a powerhouse of nutrition inside the body and out. As well as being a filling (and gluten free) food, they have equal power to soften and soothe the skin. I’ve used them for years as a replacement for bath products that invariably set my skin to itching, drying it out regardless of the promises on the bottle. Instead I mix oats and herbs together to make a milky ‘tea’ in my bath that replenishes and feeds my skin leaving it soft and supple without the need for a moisturizer.

Since I had my children I became even more concerned with what goes on their skin, after it is our largest organ and the one most likely to come in for abuse! Even products that purport to be for children can be filled with a host of chemicals that you’d worry about putting down your drain let alone on your child’s skin. Leave it to nature to have the perfect solution.

The joy of these oat bags is that they use something that you are likely to have already in your cupboard and with the addition of your favorite herb you are done!

Recipe

1 cup of rolled oats (not instant!)
1-2 tablespoons of dried herb
4 x 6 inch square of cheese cloth

Add the herbs to your oats and pop about 2 tablespoons in the middle of your cheesecloth spare, tie it up and that’s it! A cup of oats will make about 4 bags and I usually put two in each bath. For a baby or child under 2 just one bag will be enough. I like to pop it in as the bath is running then encourage the boys to squeeze out the ‘milk’ as the oats warm and soak. Rubbing the bag across the skin adds extra moisture and even helps to exfoliate dead cells.

Here are some of my favorite herbal bath additions:

Lavender & Chamomile – for soothing and relaxing, great before bedtime.
Rose buds/petals – to feel pampered and soothed, wonderful for relieving headaches.
Nettle (dried) – a great addition for anyone suffering from eczema or skin allergies.
Rosemary – but only if you don’t want to sleep for a few hours!
Lemon Balm – the perfect mood lifter after a tough day.

All of these herbs are readily available, you may even have some of them in your own garden. I hope you enjoy a gentle transition as we move into fall, remember to look after yourself!

Healthy Frozen Treats: Probiotic Popsicles

By Mariah Bruehl, 25th July 2013

Emma from 95 Acres of Sky is with us today with a delicious recipe for probiotic popsicles—a wonderful way to give your children a special treat that we as parents can feel good about.

During the busy, sometimes hectic and overheated, days of summer getting motivated to cook can be hard. I often find my food mojo goes on vacation as the temperatures rise (and rise). As my creativity and enthusiasm take a dip so does the family appetite, the children don’t want to sit for large meals when they could be running, swimming or playing with friends.

Rather than fight this phenomenon I prefer to go with a few ‘light days’, providing healthy snack type meals that are packed full of goodness but light on the stomach. These often revolve around tapas type meals with little bits of meat, cheese, salad, hummus, crackers and fruits that are easy to assemble and are handily portable if we find ourselves heading out for yet another round of summer fun.

But when the temperatures really soar I turn to a summer staple, fruit popsicles and homemade energy bars. These frozen treats are a hit with my boys, cooling them down and giving them a good dose of energy without the table time struggles of a full meal. They can function as a snack or a summer ‘mini meal’, just before we head out to the pool or a play date.

This year I’ve been more conscious than ever of trying to pack as much nutrition into every bite as possible. My growing lads are so full of energy, but liable to crash hard when their tummies feel suddenly empty. With increasingly busy schedules it is even more important for them to be eating nutritionally dense foods that support their growth and development.

Of course that doesn’t mean boring! The more delicious a food is the more likely they are to want to eat it, so good flavor is key. I’m also conscious of taking any opportunity I can to introduce probiotics and key nutrients into their systems; despite the massive range of foods available to us in these modern times, we are often consuming empty calories filled with sugar and additives, those foods marketed to children are particularly guilty.

So instead of reaching for the freezer section at my local store I reach for my blender and whip up a batch of probiotic popsicles, chased down with an energy bar packed with natural sweetness and a good dose of omegas. If making popsicles is a bit of a fuss these recipes make delicious smoothies too.

Probiotic Strawberry Popsicles

2 cups of chopped strawberries (a great way to use some softer or imperfect fruits)
½ cup of milk kefir (a probiotic drink thinner than yogurt)
1 tablespoon of raw honey

Blend all of the ingredients together and pour into molds or straight into a glass. The kefir helps build gut flora which builds immunity and health in the body. It has a tart taste so a little raw honey (which helps protect against seasonal allergies) is a great addition.

Fruits of the Forest Popsicles with Vanilla Yogurt

2 cups of mixed berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries etc)
½ cup of spinach
1 tablespoon of raw honey or 2 medjool dates

For yogurt topping:

½ cup of plain yogurt
½ – 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Blend the popsicle ingredients together and set aside. Mix the yoghurt and vanilla in a bowl and then add in layers with the fruit smoothie to your popsicle molds. This gives a visual interest as well as a delicious layer of probiotics to soothe and cool hot tummies. Alternatively serve as a smoothie with a delicious yogurt dollop on top.

I hope that you give these recipes a try, enjoy and stay cool!