Activity

Part A: Introduction

Step 1.

You could do this activity inside or outside. Begin by telling your kid/s that they are going to do an activity about the earth. If you have a little activity or action that you use with your kid/s to focus their attention (such as three claps, three big breaths, or a mantra/statement), you could do this now.

Firstly, sit on the ground with your palms facing down. Ask your kid/s to do the same. Then, pose the following I wonder statement:

I wonder what is under our hands.

Lead your kid/s to the idea that under your hands is the Earth!

If you are in an apartment and are not on the ground floor, tap into your creative thinking and imagine that you’re sitting in a park—what are you sitting on? Are there trees around you? Can you hear birds?

Step 2.

You can then ask your kid/s the following:

I wonder what we already know about the Earth.

Invite children to suggest responses.

The power of pauses - Pauses have been shown to be an effective tool for encouraging children to participate in conversations because they:

• slow down the interaction
• provide the children with time to think, process, and construct a response
• allow other children to to talk
• enable educators to plan their follow-up responses to the children's comments and questions
• acknowledge and praise the children’s thinking: 'I really like the way you thought about … '

For more evidence-based advice on developing oral language in children, click here.

Some concepts you could introduce or use to stimulate discussion with your kid/s include:

Earth is a planet floating in space.
Earth has many layers under the surface, including soil, rocks, and magma (the stuff that comes out of volcanoes).
Earth is the only place (that we know of) where people, animals, and plants live, the only place where you can find oceans filled with sea life, trees filled with birds and insects, and cities filled with traffic, buildings, streets, museums, art galleries, playgrounds, parks, and busy, busy people.
Earth is our home; there is nowhere else in the solar system where we could survive comfortably (as far as we know).
In the soil beneath our feet, there is so much more than dirt and rocks; there are all sorts of worms, insects, fossils, and other treasures—imagine what you might be sitting on right now!

Step 3.

If you haven’t already, lie down on the ground and spend some time feeling the ground underneath you. You could pose the following I wonder statements:

I wonder if the earth feels soft or hard.
I wonder if the earth feels warm or cool.
I wonder if the earth feels smooth or rough.
I wonder how it makes you feel to lie on the earth. Do you feel excited or calm? Does it make you feel worried or comforted?

The aim here is to begin connecting kids' experiences of the earth to their bodies and emotions. This can help kids recognise and communicate their feelings and emotions, and support them in working towards social and emotional regulation.

Part B: Breathing activity

Step 1.

Now explain to your kid/s that they will watch a clip that will help them connect to the earth, and make them feel calm and relaxed. Throughout this clip, kids will be asked to move their bodies gently, focus on their breath, and listen to the instructions.

Share the following clip with your kid/s:

Breath Circle - Earth (with captions) (https://vimeo.com/677898492)

Step 2.

Once you have watched the clip, spend some time talking with your kid/s about their experience of the breathing activity. For example:

I wonder what you liked about this activity.
I wonder if you feel different in your body now.
I wonder if you feel different in your mind.
I wonder if you would like to do this again.

Part C: Take it further

Your kid/s may have developed their own ideas about how to extend upon the themes presented in this activity. If not, choose one of the following ideas to explore with them:

Head outside and lie down on the grass. Flip onto your tummies and spend some time looking closely at what is happening in the grass—can you see any insects or other creepy crawlies? Can you see any little plants growing? Can you imagine being as tiny as an ant in this world? Can you take some little animal or people figures and set them up in the grass/on the ground to make a mini world?
Play with mud! Dress children in smocks, roll up their sleeves, and have a go at adding water to soil—what happens? Give your kid/s some old cups and spoons and let them mix, stir, and make a mess.
Dig it up. Some children really love to dig. Bury some ‘treasures’ (such as shells, painted stones, and old coins) in your garden, sandpit, or pot (you can even use rice or dried beans as soil if you don’t have access to dirt) and invite kids to dig them up. You could also head to a playground and use the sandpit there if you don’t have one at home.
Grow something! Find a pot (make sure it has a drainage hole), add a seed (beans, sunflowers, and grass are good), water, and wait. How long does it take for the first green shoots to appear?
Spend some time exploring the Zones of Emotional Regulation Chart with children. Social and emotional learning strategies seek to equip children with knowledge and skills that positively impact their ability to manage emotions and behaviours, as well as improve their interactions with peers, parents, or other adults. The chart can help children visualise their feelings and build their emotional vocabulary, shifting them away from rote responses like 'good' to more nuanced responses like 'curious', 'excited', or 'worried'. Find out more here.

Want more breathing activities? You can find some more here, or register to see if Beata can visit your childcare, kindy, or school in person.

Something for parents and carers!

You could use the breathing exercise from this activity throughout the day when you want to calm your kid/s down, or focus their attention. This activity could be helpful in transition moments at home, such as before and after meal times, or before nap time. And if you’re still having a daily ‘witching hour’, this activity could help both you and your kid/s get through it. If you need a shorter exercise, try taking just three or five breaths, keeping one hand on your heart, and the other on your belly.

This clip has some great suggestions to help you—as a parent or carer—get back to a calm place if you're feeling stressed, anxious, frustrated, or are just having a moment:

Breath Circle - Calm (with captions) (https://vimeo.com/677968977)

Breath Circle - Earth (home learning)

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Summary

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