When covid hit, I had to pivot from leading group Pilates classes to teaching Pilates to kids and their families over Facebook live in Lockdown.
I had been a Pilates teacher specialising in pre & postnatal and in Breath coaching when I made up a story to entertain kids, whilst we were all homeschooling.
This story has been made into a first of its kind picture book, teaching Pilates & Breathwork to little ones. We're on track for an October release date - sign up on the website to be the first to hear when it's out for sale!
For years, I've wondered why there were SO many yoga books for kids but not one single, fun book for children to inspire them to play Pilates.
Pilates was the first ever form of exercise that I enjoyed. I didn't mind sport at school, but didnt choose to do any exercise once I'd left school.
I fell in love with Pilates, the time to focus on yourself and how it made your body and mind feel.
I wish children were taught that there's more to exercise than competitive team sports. Pilates really can be adapted so that it's suitable for everybody.
To accompany the book, I’ve developed a workshop designed specifically for children to teach them about the superpower they carry around with them - the ability to control their breathing.
Every learning point in the workshop is delivered through play. It makes for a high ENERGY, interactive, fun filled author visit, suitable for primary school children.
It's screenfre because we are too busy throwing, jumping, blowing, walking in funny shoes & rolling about and MOVING & DOING to sit still staring
We look at Susie’s Secret Code N.E.A.T. and learn about breathing using your Nose, Easy, Air & Time
We play target throwing games, we develop X-Ray vision, we have a parachute and throw organ shaped cushions everywhere, we avoid Snot and Poop, we give the teacher a headache blowing loud party blowers and then take it down to gentle light breathing using feathers.
Then we read the storybook and play Pilates & the kids all seem to love joining in, trying moves like “rolling like a beetle & roll down with your elephant trunk”.
We finish the afternoon with five breathing practices where we came up with a happy thought and breathe in a sunshine shape, we try to do square breathing to concentrate, we do our version of a physiological sigh but imagining our nose like an elephant’s trunk, we hold our nose past a stinky dungheap and then snooze like a sloth with lullaby sloth toys.
The kids are fully ENGAGED the whole time through and then we have time for questions and go over key points.
I'm happy to share that feedback from schools has been fantastic, so if you’d like your child to receive this workshop, do tell school!
If you’re a teacher who would like to schedule this workshop for your youngest KS1 pupils, please get in touch.
Charlotte’s business is providing 1:1 buteyko breath coaching, corporate Breathwork talks on a range of topics such as wellness days, women’s health, stress recovery etc and now these fantastic school visits to pass on these vital skills at a young age.
Buteyko Breathwork is scientifically based on balancing the biochemistry in your body to allow more oxygen to be delivered. It is backed by the NHS as a way of treating breathlessness, anxiety, sleep apnea and many other conditions.
Direct quotes:
Pupils feedback:
Q What was your favourite bit:
I liked it when we held our breath by the poo emoji
I liked the bit on the mats ~ Pilates
When we made loud noises with party blowers
I like it when I could hold the cuddly sloths
Q What did you learn about breathing:
You can use it to make people happy
I learnt I can calm myself doing breathing
To use my nose
Q When will you use “I can calm my breath”
When I’m angry
When I’m sad
When i need a happy thought
Teacher feedback:
- It was a fun and interactive workshop with a good pace and different approaches to engage with the children
- it linked with PSHE, Physical Education and Literacy
- charlotte held the pupils attention really well throughout the workshop. She had lots of fun and exciting props to engage and the children thought the funny clown shoes and poo cushion were really funny.
- I will definitely refer the children back to the Breathwork techniques in situations where they need to calm down or change their mood.
- I’d definitely invite Charlotte back and recommend to other teachers
More details and register your interest here: