CD Kids

Expressive Social Emotional Learning Group Program

Chakradance Kids™ is a Social and Emotional Learning program for Kinder aged children (3-5 years) and Primary school aged children (6-9 years), designed to assist them with lessons, tools and skills that will help them to navigate life’s challenges with greater understanding (of themselves and others), and greater resilience.

Using a carefully-structured mix of stories, music, movement and creative art the children are taught important life lessons in ways that they can understand, and find engaging. Relaxation and emotional self-management techniques such as belly-breathing and mindfulness are also taught in these classes.

The program comprises 9 x one-hour lessons, which follow the story of a friendly dragon called Nixie, for the kinder kids, and Naga, for the primary aged kids. Classes follow the same format each time, with each class offering a different theme and learning experience: trusting instincts; emotional expression; self-esteem; compassion; self-expression and communication; intuition and imagination; and self-awareness.

This programme will be facilitated by Sarah Stevenson; Social Worker, Play Therapist, Interplay Therapist and Certified Chakradance Kids™ Facilitator.

There are many benefits for your students from this program.

We recognise that it;

  • Decreases anxiety

  • Increases confidence for self-expression, both verbally and in writing

  • Stimulates brain function, related to reading, math and emotional development

  • Helps children connect to their emotions

  • Introduces valuable tools for social interaction

  • Develops fine motor skills / spatial awareness and coordination

  • Encourages a sense of community and a deeper respect for self and others

  • Builds self-confidence and self-esteem

  • Develops group communication abilities

  • Brings calm and relaxation into the mind and body

  • Promotes an overall sense of wellbeing

This program is designed for groups of between 3-8 participants based on an assessment of each student's individual needs and group dynamics, or can be facilitated for an entire class with the support of Education Staff.

Classes follow the same format each time, so children become familiar with it, and each class offers a different theme and learning experience. The children get to ‘feel’ their way into each story by embodying the characters in a music and movement session, before expressing their feelings about the story in a piece of creative art.

Overview

Class 1: Introduction to Nixie/Naga

Class 2: Learning to trust instincts

Class 3: Learning to manage emotions

Class 4: Self-confidence and self-esteem

Class 5: Compassion and kindness

Class 6: Speaking our truth

Class 7: Imagination and dreams

Class 8: Self-awareness

Class 9: Integration and celebration

Requirements for facilitation

  • An indoor space within the education facility, large enough for the participants to sit in a large circle and offer additional surrounding space for the movement component of the session would be required to facilitate the classes.

  • A brief, one page (tick box), Goodman’s Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire is required to be completed by the teacher for each participant to assist with understanding the child.

  • If any participants are supported by additional staff in the classroom they would be required to support the student/s in these classes.