The Do Good Movement is more than just yoga classes and events for adults. Since August of 2016, Erin has been introducing yoga to children starting as young as 2-years old and as old as 15. A true passion and calling for her, Erin enjoys providing a class experience that is more than just learning poses and breathwork.

By incorporating art projects, music and games every children’s yoga class are adaptable to the different needs of each child. Students will leave the Do Good Movement’s Children’s Yoga Class with a better understanding of what yoga is, how they can incorporate the different aspects of it into their daily life and how they have control of their own bodies and minds.

During a yoga session held at Begin Within Therapy, The Do Good Movement worked with students focusing on ways to take their yoga practice off of their mat. When asking the students of ideas of what we could do to help raise funds to provide a service dog to the local community, the students came up with the idea to put together a Children’s Resale Shop. By promoting, helping to collect gently used clothing, toys and books as well as volunteering the day of the fundraiser the students helped to raise over $4,000 in total for the service dog.

Teaching students about the eight limbs of yoga and the word “karma” (that of which you give out into the world is returned back to you at a later time), students in The Do Good Movement classes worked on creating kindness karma bracelets. The mentality of this project was to create one kindness karma bracelet for them to keep and then create another one to give away. The students were asked to give this bracelet to not a family member of a friend, but someone in their life that they feel may need some extra kindness or a reminder that someone out in the world cares about them.

Working on other ways to share their yoga practice with others, students created positivity rocks. They were asked to think of positive words or phrases to write on their rocks. They then were to decorate the rocks and were given to the task to place them at random spots within their communities. The intention here to share positive vibes and thoughts with others they may never meet or know.

To help students take control of their own minds and bodies we spent time in every class talking about and working on meditation. One way to help students calm themselves and reconnect is by focusing the mind on one thing or item. By creating these mindful meditation jars, when the students shake them up and watch the glitter slowly fall to the bottom of the jar it helps them settle their mind and body. A great and easy way for their students to take their yoga practice off of their mat and home with them.

Another great tool that students were able to take with them off of their mats were these calmness cutie catchers. We spent part of the class coloring and creating these which is a great way to help relax and calm the mind to begin with. When utilizing these calmness catchers, students are given different techniques to help relax their minds and bodies when playing with it (ex: “Imagine a peaceful place” or “Take a slow deep breath”.)

“In a nutshell, the teachers and students LOVE the Do Good program and they love working with Ms. Erin. There are many things that I value about the program, but what I especially love is that Erin is incredibly easy to work with and very flexible with the parameters of the movement. More specifically, the Lesson Plans are specific to the areas that the students need and, as a result of careful weekly planning by Erin (and not to mention her engaging teaching style), the students are engaged and truly see the value of the program and its impact. I am very appreciative of the way each plan is developed so comprehensively based on the developmental age and levels of the students. Most SEL programs that I have seen or worked with are scripted and have a pre-prepared and more general grade-level curriculum. The Do Good Movement is planned specifically around the specific school goals and student needs. This, along with many other reasons, make this program unique, effective, and successful.”

Principal Nessner Healy Elementary School CPS