Children's Stress Awareness Curriculum: Lessons, techniques and stories designed to decrease stress, anxiety and anger while increasing self-esteem and self-awareness (Indigo Dreams)

Lessons based on research-based, stress-management/relaxation techniques designed to decrease stress and anxiety while increasing self-esteem and self-awareness. Children learn the empowering techniques of progressive muscular relaxation, breathing, visualizations, and affirmations in a safe, fun and interactive environment. This turnkey curriculum creatively integrates lessons, stories, songs, movement and artwork to make it easy for any teacher or parent to implement. No prior teaching experience is needed! This curriculum is written with elementary age children in mind but can be adjusted to accommodate any age group. Each class is designed to be used with the included, Indigo Dreams CD/audio book, A Boy and a Bear, The Affirmation Web, A Boy and a Turtle, and The Goodnight Caterpillar. Each class is structured in the following format: Movement: Each class will open with a movement activity. Movement activity and song are provided. The opening activity gets the children interested and lets them see that there is a plan and they will have fun. Explanation: Children will be given an age appropriate explanation of the research-based technique they will be experiencing in the story. Basic explanations are provided in each lesson plan. Story time/Lesson: Indigo Dreams CD and the accompanying books make lesson time easy. The lessons and actual techniques are woven into each story. Discussion: Children will compare the way they felt before and after listening to the stories. Children will discuss how they should apply the techniques they have just learned to their own lives and real life situations. Conversation examples are provided. Art activity: Each lesson includes an art handout to support and reinforce the lesson. Exit: Affirmations will be introduced during the second class and will be used thereafter as an exit tool for the rest of the semester. Lesson one is based around and used with the story entitled A Boy and a Bear. This story demonstrates the stress management technique known as diaphragmatic breathing. The lesson discusses the proper mechanics of breathing and how it can be used to calm down when you are angry, stressed or afraid. Children have fun stomping their fears away! Lesson two is based around and used with the story entitled The Affirmation Web. This story demonstrates the power of positive statements. The lesson discusses how positive statements can be used to achieve a goal and feel good. Children have fun popping their troubles away! Lesson three is based around and used with the story entitled A Boy and a Turtle. This story demonstrates how to use your imagination to visualize or make pictures in you mind. The lesson discusses how stress and worry feel and how to counteract it. Children have fun shaking their worries away! Lesson four is based around and used with the story entitled The Goodnight Caterpillar. This story demonstrates how to use progressive muscular relaxation. The lesson discusses how stress can make it difficult to think clearly and fall asleep at night. Children have fun swinging their stress away! For Frequently Asked Questions visit StressFreeKids.com.