​Inamojo™ is a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program, designed to assist children of primary-school age with lessons, tools and skills that will help them to navigate life’s challenges with greater understanding (of themselves and others), and greater resilience and it is supported by Beyond Blue.
Inamojo™ has a framework that children will be delighted to work within and you as parents, teachers and childcare practitioners can readily appreciate the journey they will experience.
The ever-accelerating pace of change in the world means that the children of today in some ways have more opportunities than ever before but they also face greater challenges. Over-stimulation, over-medication, family fragmentation and dietary issues are all contributing to dramatic increases in health-related disorders (physical, emotional and mental) among our children. Diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder are on the rise. Obesity and eating disorders are endemic. The negative impacts of bullying are amplified dramatically by new technologies such as social media platforms. Our children can too often be left feeling confused, anxious, isolated and fearful, with no real sense of how to navigate their way through life. The Inamojo™ wellbeing program has been created to help address these issues, giving children a set of helpful tools to deal with life's challenges as they grow. The program comprises 9 x one-hour lessons, each using a carefully-structured mix of stories, music, movement and creative art. Children absolutely love these classes!
The classes are playful, creative and full of magic, as this is how children best learn life-skills and life-tools. Yet Inamojo™ is not play alone; it is deeply grounded in childhood development theories, Eastern wellbeing philosophies, and Jungian Psychology. These foundations underpin the key developmental themes in each class. It turns out that play is a very serious business! Peek inside a class and you will see the children wiping away dragon sneeze with feathers or moving like wolves. They may be creating art in a magic circle or reaching up like trees. By weaving together stories, art, breath awareness meditation, expressive movement and dance to originally composed music, Inamojo™ nurtures children on an inner journey of self-inquiry, self-discovery, and self-awareness and it goes without saying whilst having lots of fun. Specially trained facilitators deliver the Inamojo™ and I am one of the first accredited Inamojo™ facilitators in Melbourne.
The stories have been written to teach important life-lessons in ways that children can understand and find engaging. They then get to ‘feel’ their way into each story by embodying the characters in a music and movement session, before expressing their feelings about the story in a piece of creative art.
Relaxation and emotional self-management techniques such as belly-breathing and mindfulness are also taught in these classes. Classes follow the same format each time, each focusing on a different theme and learning experience.
This first 9-class series is woven around the story of a friendly dragon called Naga, who unfortunately has forgotten who he is. Class by class, the children help him to remember, while learning important lessons about themselves along the way.
If you are interested in having your child join one of our community classes or you would like to discuss the possibility of bringing Inamojo™ to your school or community group I would be happy to chat with you.

What after school activities are your kids signed up for this term? Soccer, basketball, gymnastics? Have you thought about trying yoga?
 
Yoga and mindfulness are not just for grown-ups. Yoga is a fun and healthy activity for kids that comes with a host of benefits from building strength to reducing anxiety and aiding sleep, and best of all, Kids Yoga is FUN!
 
Here are 10 awesome ways yoga can benefit your kids:
 
Develops body awareness
Kids become familiar with their physical body as it moves through class. They learn about the skeletal and muscular systems and how they assist us to move in different ways. They also learn about bodily functions such as breathing and digestion. All of this results in increased body confidence, something often lacking in children, particularly girls, by the time they reach high school.
 
Grows strong, flexible bodies
Active games and flowing yoga sequences increase heart and breathing rates and stretch muscles. Poses that involve holding your own body weight help build strength. Core strength is developed alongside mental strength or resilience. This aids in the prevention of injuries during other sporting and play activities too. And we all know yoga increases flexibility, not just in body but also in mind.
 
Improves coordination and balance
During a class, many yoga poses are performed on one side of the body, then the other. This helps kids learn their right from left. They also work on balance skills and discover where their bodies are in space, whether twisted around or upside down. Cross body actions or crossing of the body mid-line aids in preparation for writing and developing sports skills.
 
Builds concentration
A well-designed kids yoga class moves between active, noisy games and still, quiet poses and mindfulness exercises. This offers an opportunity for junior yogis to refine their self-control and focus, as well as learning to follow instructions. First time little yogis often find it difficult to sit in stillness but within weeks they are asking for meditation and lying still and quite for extended periods.
 
Relieves stress and manages anxiety
Kids get ‘stressed-out’ too. Juggling school, friends, family and after-school activities can take a toll on their mental health. Many kids have trouble getting to sleep at night. Yoga shows them how to slow down and to recognise their stress triggers. It introduces simple techniques using body, breath and mind to move from stressed to calm. Kids develop the tools they need to better manage their stress and to assist them in relaxation.
 
Promotes imagination and creativity
Classes filled with storytelling, role-play and games, allow kids to use their imaginations during yoga. (Picture a room full of roaring lions, buzzing bees, graceful dancers or a forest scene!). Some classes may ask the kids to ponder ethical issues, or to come up with creative solutions to everyday scenarios, explore their emotions or their relationships with others and with the world around them.
 
Everybody wins
At a kids yoga class, everyone is on a level playing field - there are no scores to keep, no winners, losers, firsts or seconds. Yoga encourages them to simply be the best they can be. Everybody has a chance to lead and when winning is not the aim of the game, the value of simply doing your best becomes more important. Each child progresses and achieves at their own pace. This particularly gives kids who see themselves as less ‘sporty’ a wonderful opportunity to shine.
 
Fosters self-awareness
Yoga teaches kids how to use their bodies in healthy ways. It gives them an appreciation of what their amazing bodies can do and teaches them self-respect. Kids have the chance to work in pairs, in groups and individually. They all have the opportunity to lead, to follow and to be a valued member of the group. Kids learn to make Om-azing choices for themselves, others and our planet. 
 
Boosts self-esteem
The look of pride on a kid’s face when they can hold a tricky balance pose or a headstand is priceless! Even the accomplishment of finally touching their toes after weeks of practice. This wonderful sense of achievement can remain with them long after class has finished. Yoga builds confidence as they see that we are not all the same, that we all have our own strengths and weaknesses and that that’s ok.
 
It’s FUN!
With less rules than most sports activities, kids get to be kids – learning through story and song, playing, moving, and co-creating – all the while having FUN!

Bonus benefits (for you!)

• You don’t need any fancy or expensive equipment. Comfortable clothing like shorts, track pants or leggings and a t-shirt are all that’s needed. We supply everything else.

• Classes accommodate both boys and girls and are held in age groupings of 3-5, 5-7 and 8-12 year olds.

 
Ready to find a kids yoga class?
We offer after school kids yoga classes at the Beaumaris Yacht Club on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. And preschool yoga on Monday mornings in Highett.
 
If you are interested in bringing kids’ yoga to your school, pre-school or kindergarten contact us on 0414 191410 or at empoweryogamind@gmail.com to discuss availability.
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