Bean Bag Balance

About:

It is important to know where we are in space and in alignment to gravity.
Balancing shakers on various parts of the body helps us bring attention to where we are and I believe helps with emotional control. This attention helps to quiet the default system and bring us into a senory motor experience of the world.

Purpose of this lesson:

Develop more body awareness / interoception- is a lesser-known sense that helps you understand and feel what's going on inside your body.
Learn that it is ok to make mistakes
Increase awareness and attention to prepare for bean bag passes and ultimately prepare for higher level music making skills

Prerequisites:

Ready
Asleep

Directions:

Set the Rules and Parameters - ( Have dragon and puppets orient.)

No bean bags in the mouth
No throwing bean bags; We update this rule as be learn 'Toss the beanbag two hands'
Define physical space boundaries. You have to stay in you chair or stay on your mat.

"Do what I do."
Balance bean bag on palm facing up; switch hands
Balance bean bag on back of hand; switch hands
Balance bean bag on bent elbow; ( you may have to guide some students); switch arms
Balance bean bag on shoulder; switch sides
Standing, balance bean bag on the foot; (it often helps to lift up the toes)
Level 2, lift your foot off the ground.
Level 3, lift your foot off the ground and lift your arms over your head.
Level 4, Standing, Lift up your knee. Balance bean bag on the knee;
Level 5, Standing, Lift up your knee. Balance bean bag on the knee and lift your arms over your head.
Balance bean bag on the head
Balance bean bag on the head and walk around
Pass the beanbag back and forth between the hands
Have dragon model dropping the bag and that it is ok to make mistakes, just pick up the bean bag and start over
Call attention to actions that were done well. Both the quality of movement and the quality of how students followed the lead.
Celebrate and anchor the life, fullness, participation that is happening.
"Celebration Rhythm"

Glitches:

Student can not get the bean bag to balance on a body part.
1. []
A student doesn't mirror others in the group- doesn't follow the leader Response-
1. Actively acknowledge the students who are following. Give no energy to the students who are not following.
2. "If you want your turn to lead, you need to follow". If students still doesn't follow don't let them lead.
3. Take over the problem with the puppets and then discuss the situation.
A student throws a bean bean bag

With as low energy as possible, take the beanbag away from the student for brief period.

Needs Met:

Safety and Connection by doing activity together.

Novelty by trying and learning new movements

Significance by creating new movements.

Neuroscience and Psycho-Physiology Basis:

importance of proprioception

Metaphor to Explore:

Extensions:

Pass a Bean Bag around the Circle

Toss a Bean Bag To self two hands

* Boom Chick

Do bean bag balance games while standing on a Balance Board

Shakers around the Body standing on a Balance Board.