20th April 2020 - 4

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all have had a lovely Easter break and enjoyed time with your children. The weather has

been beautiful. Having spoken to some of your children today the Easter Bunny definitely visited

your homes. I’m very jealous, he didn’t visit my house. Apparently, I missed out because I don’t have

young children at home anymore!

Well, it’s Week Five the beginning of Summer Term 1. Where has that time gone! Back to home

school routine from Monday. You may find it a struggle to get your child back into a routine, don’t

worry this is natural. Keep persevering you are doing an amazing job in this surreal time. Remember,

if you need support, advice on school work and wellbeing or need someone to talk too, please

contact me via my email address or Mr Bessant on mrjsclosure@millrythe-jun.hants.sch.uk

Thrive Approach’s Week 5 timetable is attached and I have also included activities that you might be

interested in and the next Breathing Pose.

Be Safe, Take Care and Be Kind to yourselves.

Sarah Hodgson

Thrive Lead

Deep Breathing Exercises

Have you ever told a kid to take a deep breath, and then they start hyperventilating? Or they breathe in, but don’t breathe out?

Sometimes, kids may need a little more help to figure out how to properly take a deep breath.

First, let’s review why deep breathing matters.

When you are calm, your body is in what is known as “rest and digest” mode. Your breathing is normal, your muscles are relaxed, and your heart rate is normal. It's how you would be when you’re playing, relaxing or watching TV.

But then suddenly, a dinosaur is chasing you!!

When you experience a stressful event (like an unexpected dinosaur in your living room), your body automatically goes into what is known as “flight, fight or freeze” mode. Your heart rate increases, your stomach stops digestion, and your breathing becomes more shallow.

The goal of calming exercises is to get you from “flight, fight or freeze” mode back to “rest and digest” mode. Deep breathing helps get more oxygen into your bloodstream, opening up your capillaries. It has a physical effect on your body to help you calm down and lower stress.

So deep breathing does make a big difference for kids. But how can we teach them to take a deep breath properly?

The breathing we want kids to do is deep belly breaths, not shallow chest breaths. When they breathe in, their belly should expand, and when they breathe out, their belly should contract – remember Balloon Belly Breathing in Week 3.

DEEP BREATHING USING PROPS

U S E B UB B L E S

Blowing gently to create bubbles is a good way to be playful and breathe deeply. Kids have

to blow carefully and slowly to make the bubbles. At school when we do this we call them happy bubbles because we are getting rid of all our worries and anger when we blow out. I use this technique when a child is distressed it helps them calm and regulate.

U SE A STU FFED ANI MAL T O PRACTI CE DEEP BRE AT HI NG

Have your child lie down on their back and put a stuffed animal on their belly. Have them breathe in and move the stuffed animal up, then breathe out and bring the stuffed animal back down. This helps teach kids to use their belly to take big deep breaths. Another alternative is to use a weighted stuffed animal.

U SE A PI NWHEEL /CHI LD’S WI NDMILL

Kids can practice breathing out slowly or more quickly, using the speed of the pinwheel as a measure. Then they can figure out which way works and feels best for them.

U SE A FEAT HER

Get some coloured feathers and pick out one feather to use. It could be a colour that they love or one that makes them feel calm. Breathe in and hold it for a count of 3, then breathe out going up on one side of the feather and down the other side.

HOBERMAN SPHERE

Breathe in and expand the sphere, breathe out and push the sphere back in (this mirrors what should be happening to their belly). Google Hoberman Sphere Breathing – YouTube for a demonstration.

Thrive activities useful for parents of children up to 7 years old – week fiveThe role of the parent and carer is to support children to find out who they are and what they like to do. With this comes greater independence and responsibility, with children learning that they can still ask for help. We have put together some activities to support healthy social and emotional development through creativity, art and play. Here are some creative activities that you can use with your child, aged 3 to 7 years.

Monday How many shapes can you all make with your body?

Tuesday Watch the diary of a worm.

Wednesday Create your own worry worms.

Thursday Visit GoNoodle and learn some yoga moves.

Friday Create an imaginary world in old shoe box – we would love to see them!

Saturday Go on a sensory walk around your house or garden. What can you see, hear, smell and feel?

Sunday Make a junk model of your superhero!

Top Tips: Imagination can help manage big feelings for both children and adults.

It’s ok to feel frustrated as the adult when times get hard – take a deep breath and have a cuppa.

Remember – it’s ok to say no. Learning about boundaries is an important life skill

© Fronting the Challenge Projects LTD 2020. All Rights Reserved.

Easy Oreo Cupcakes

Prep: 10m minutes Cook: 25 minutes Skill Level: Easy

Serving: 12 cakes

Ingredients for the Cakes

200g Plain Flour

40g Cocoa Powder

280g Caster Sugar

3 tsp Baking Powder

Pinch of Salt

80g Unsalted Butter

240ml Whole Milk

2 Egg

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

12 Oreo Biscuits

12 Muffin Cases

For the Frosting

100g Unsalted Butter

160g Cream Cheese

350g Icing Sugar

6 Oreo Biscuits

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/160 fan. Line a muffin tray with paper muffin cases. twist 12 Oreos to separate them, and place half in each case, with the cream facing upwards. Put the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and butter in a large bowl and mix until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.

2. Whisk the milk, eggs, and vanilla extract together in a separate jug, then slowly add half into the flour mixture, and beat well to get rid of any lumps. Gradually add the rest of the milk mixture whilst mixing until smooth.

3. Add the mixture to the paper cases, making sure they are equally full (about two-thirds). Bake the cakes in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

4. Whilst the cakes are cooking, smash up 6 Oreos in a bag and set aside. Whisk the butter, cream cheese and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Then, gently fold in the Oreo Crumbs.

5. When the cakes have cooled, pipe the icing onto the cakes and use any leftover Oreos to decorate.

How to make a paper roll fish

You will need:

• one painted recycled cardboard tube per fish (you can use a paper towel roll cut down to size or a toilet roll, both will work) • more paint to decorate • googly eyes and glue • permanent marker • scissors

How to:

1. Flatten your cardboard tube 2. Cut a rounded end for the fish’s head and two slits at an approximate 45º angle

for the tail 3. Fold the angled cut inwards both forwards and backwards and then tuck it

inside the fish to create the tail (see video or photos if this sounds confusing) 4. Decorate your fish with paints and allow to dry 5. Glue a googly eye onto each side and draw on a mouth with a marker

Finger Knitting Snake

Materials: – Cardboard Roll (empty toilet paper or paper towel roll) – Red Heart Super Saver variegated yarn. – Popsicle sticks – Masking tape

Directions: 1. Tape 5 Popsicle sticks evenly around toilet paper roll. The sticks are supposed to be about a half inch or so over the tube. Make sure you loop the tape around several times in two spots so it’s secure.

2. Send end of yarn through tube. Now loop the yarn around the yarn around the top of Popsicle sticks. As seen in picture below.

3. To start second round, Take the yarn and just set it over the front of the first Popsicle stick above the first loop you made.

4. Take the first loop and pull it over the second strand of yarn and over the top of the Popsicle stick.

5.Continue just like that for as many rounds as you’d like! It should start to look like a spider web.

When finished, slip loops off of stick tops and weave yarn through the loops to secure.

Spell out your name in exercise