Bumblebee Breath

Over the last month, our very own Lara Hocheiser, Founder of Flow and Grow Kids Yoga, had the pleasure of presenting to the Head Start program for three counties near Utica, New York. The workshops series are specifically designed for educators, parents, parents to be, and early childhood education administrators. Not only did she model and share self-care and professional development for educators, but she also shared a creative yoga tool that she found to resonate with children of all ages. Even 12-month-old babies are remembering it!

It’s called Bumblebee Breath, and here’s how easy it is to do:

1. Sit in a comfortable position (older kids may want to sit criss-cross applesauce).

2. Rub your hands together. Wait for everyone to copy you.

3. Then once they have, as you breathe in reach your arms up as high as they can go.

4. Then, as you audibly breathe out, lower your arms to your sides.

5. Finally start to bring your hands behind your back, elbows pointing out to the sides, as you say aloud, “Hide your hands behind your back! Now, you’re a bumblebee!”

6. Forming a stinger is optional. Do so by pointing out a finger or two.

7. Then, buzz-buzz-buzz as you move your torso in circles!

8. Repeat several times until children know what to say and do.

Notice how you feel. That humming is a soothing activity because vibrations feel soothing and calming to most people.

Tip: Repeat this from standing later. Have the bees practice this pose from standing by bending their knees deeply and taking big steps with their arms and hands in bumblebee variation as described above. They can visit the flowers near them, a pose from our spring yoga sequence!

Take this opportunity to enrich your child’s understanding of the world around us by discussing how the bees and the flowers need each other for cross-pollination.

Try practicing it every class and notice if your kids get pumped to finish the sentence for you. All Lara has to say is, “Hide your hands behind your back…” and the children scream with joy “...and now, you’re a bumblebee!”