The Very Hungry Caterpillar can help be Very Calm

Breathing and mindfulness exercises help children in many ways.
They help a child pause and be present.
We read Calm with the Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Morah Katie: What do the circles remind you of?

Eli: Breathing.

Evan: Being calm.

Morah Katie: Why does it say "calm your monkey mind?"

Kenya:They jump on the bed.

Shoshi: Monkeys sometimes look angry.
Evan: They swing on things.
Moshe: They dance around and swing to get bananas.

Morah Katie: Why are there flowers on the “breathe” page?

Kenya:We can look at them.

Shoshi: We can smell flowers.
Morah Katie: The cobwebs, sometimes our minds can get cluttered.
Kenya: The spider is busy.
Evan: You can count 1 to 10 in your mind.

Morah Katie: Clouds, how are clouds like thoughts? 

Kenya: They go in the sky. 

Shoshi: They don't stay in the same place. They move.
Moshe: Because they go down.
Evan: Thoughts can floats in your mind.
Eli: Clouds go down if they need too.

As I read this book, each child took slow, deep breaths. They spotted familiar characters from Eric Carle books they know well. Watching their happy and peaceful faces, it looked like they were greeting good friends.

Being mindful assists in the development of a lengthened attention span, the ability to follow directions.

When we are singing our "Flutterby butterfly" song with our felt story items, our friends are calmed by the soothing song, yet engaged while waiting for their turn to participate with their felt item.

Mindfulness helps develop the flexibility to adapt to changing situations, as well as the regulation of emotions, and engagement in positive and cooperative behaviors.

Hugo needed help with craft tape.

Hugo: Please help me Evie.

Evie: Ok, I'll help you. You have to find the end. See here it is.

Hugo: OK! (finds it) I did it Evie!

Evie: Oh good job Hugo!

Hugo watched Evie cut the tape. He then went to get scissors. He cut his tape the way Evie was cutting hers.

When we are aware of our own feelings, we see others’ feelings more clearly.

To recognize shared feelings in others, we need to recognize shared attributes in others.
Morah Katie: Looking at our school family, how are we all similar, the same?
Moshe: We have hair.
Evan: We wear different clothes.
Morah Katie: We ALL wear clothes, the clothes are different.
Evie: We wear something to school.
Moshe: We have eyes.
Evan: We  wear shoes.
Moshe: Cheeks and mouths.
Morah Katie: We do. What do we use our mouths for?
Evan: Eating.
Kenya: Eating fruit.
Moshe: To talk and to whistle.
Morah Katie: People who can whistle are talented.  We do all talk.  How do we talk? OR hope to be talking when we are feeling our best?
Kenya: Calm.
Evan: With our hearts.

Evie: We have lips. We eat and talk.

Zoey: We both have hands and hair. I'm helping Evie.

Brexton: I have two ears and Moshe has two ears.  Two eyes to look at something special.

Moshe: We both have arms to stretch. And cheeks.

Evan: We both have hair. 

Gwen: We have eye brows and brains and a head.

Evan: We have eyes to look at the world and hands to help..

Shoshi: We have eyes and teeth.

Kenya: We have hair. 

Morah Katie: You have smiles.  How do smiles help you feel when you are grumpy? 

Kenya: Better, laughing.

It is easier to include others when our own minds and hearts are calm.