DharmaDinos; Educational tools & curricula for teaching yoga & mindfulness
We're so glad you're here!
In a recent posting on the Harvard health blog, Marlynn Wei, MD, JD and contributing editor wrote:
" A growing body of research has already shown that yoga can improve focus, memory, self-esteem, academic performance, and classroom behavior, and can even reduce anxiety and stress in children. Emerging research studies also suggest that yoga can help children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)..."
There are decades of research to back up these claims, but the best evidence is the way you and your students will feel through practice. DharmaDinos helps you and your kids (or family, or classroom or clients) enjoy the playfulness - and myriad benefits- of yoga.
DharmaDino tools
Tini & Rhogi, Yogini & Yogi
In this book we meet Tini, Rhogi and their dino-buds. The book is not a story book so much as an introduction to basic yoga history, poses, breath techniques, philosophy and mindfulness. Ideal for teachers, parents or clinicians, the playful characters and poetry will engage & educate. As requested, a lesson plan book is in the works that coordinates with the book and utilizes our card deck. For a peek into the book, click the image above.
DharmaDino Deck 1
Our deck contains 46 cards (23 matched pairs) illustrating basic poses (asana), and their English and Sanskrit names . Cards also contain simple poems (offering cues to the poses) that are easy to remember. Cards are color coded (and labeled) to help kids learn the spinal directions for each asana. Deck comes with suggestions for games and these durable cards are perfect for favorites like "Fish" and "Memory". For a peek at the cards, click the image above.
For cyber cats
For folks with a taste for the cyberplatform, we've put both the book AND the cards online. Check them out !
Coming Soon
As requested, a Lesson Plan book is in the works! This book contains 12 plans, enough to teach one class a week for 3 months. The lessons parallel the book and contain games, activities, optional homework assignments and great information about yoga, mindfulness and social emotional intelligence.
About Us
Yoga for Everyone
DharmaDinos arose out of our studio's volunteer teaching at local homeless shelters. Parents noted (rightly) that good, quality yoga instruction was largely out of their price range. We believe yoga and mindfulness should be available to everyone.
Kid-centric
Yoga for youth is a relatively new field. Traditional training programs focus primarily on adult instruction. Children require very different curricula and care. Our founder is a retired Speech/Language Pathologist with 30+ years experience in youth education. The owner and lead instructor for Integrity Movement Studio, she is a certified teacher with both the American Viniyoga Institute and the Mindful Schools program.
Why Dinos?
Really?
Ok, Ok... a fair question deserves answers. Firstly, what kids aren't fascinated with these behemoths? Secondly, we love 'em too! Thirdly, we'd really like to shake the (mis) perception that yoga is a 'girl-thang' and dinos are for boys. SO not true! Finally - and more esoterically-they play into our origination story about bullies, and our social emotional education about reptilian brain (stay tuned for more on that!)