I didn’t need any more dusty books on my shelf.
After 10 years of teaching in an elementary classroom, I had acquired more unused curriculums and “resources” than I knew what to do with!
When I joined the MoveMindfully team in 2016, I brought the perspective of a classroom teacher. My constant refrain was, “Keep it simple. Keep it easy. Keep it user-friendly.”
Over the past four years our team has collaborated to create the MoveMindfully Card Deck. I am proud to say, this is a resource that will not collect dust! Download a sample in our Free Resources.
Here is why I love the MoveMindfully Card Deck:
1. Based In Science
Our tagline isn’t just a sales pitch, it’s really what we do! “Integrating science into practice with mindfulness, movement, and social-emotional learning.” When developing the Card Deck, we started by looking at the latest research. We wanted to know what interventions were having an impact and producing desired outcomes. We determined Breathing, Movement, and Rest were the perfect ways to create an effective integrative practice.
2. Learning Styles
Next, we considered the wide variety of learning styles, for both youth and adults. The MoveMindfully Card Deck has simple visuals, which we have found helpful for accessible, inclusive instruction. The back of the card includes an easy-to-follow script that can be read out loud by youth or adults, used as a guide as you craft your own language, or projected in the classroom for all to follow. These scripts give users simple cues to access our Signature BREATHE-MOVE-REST practices. We also offer videos to support integrating these practices into your environment on our YouTube channel.
3. Scaffolded Learning
As a teacher, I know scaffolds are crucial to successfully access new content. The MoveMindfully Card Deck is organized into BREATHE-MOVE-REST categories. To start, we encourage you to choose one or two cards from each category. From here, you can begin to use our suggested sequences (included at the end of the deck) to meet youth’s needs throughout the day. These sequences use multiple cards to create a specific desired effect. We intentionally support social-emotional learning by providing suggested affirming language on each card, as well.
4. Diverse Application
While my background was elementary education, our team knew that this resource needed to be applicable to a wide variety of environments. Our MoveMindfully Therapeutic Instructors, teaching in crisis mental health, contributed their years of experience. We intentionally include instructional tips and language choices that are trauma-responsive and can be accessible to youth in all environments.
Once we launched the MoveMindfully Card Deck, we created our Early Childhood Card Deck to meet the needs of our youngest learners. Our Early Education materials have developmentally appropriate visuals, language and sequencing that have evolved out of our many years working with children as young as one year old!
5. Dynamic Manual
Our MoveMindfully Card Deck now serves as our “manual” for the MoveMindfully Foundation Training. At this all day training, participants experience each section of the card deck, then discuss and practice implementation. The Card Deck, along with the training, provides practical tools to create sustainability and fidelity in integration of mindfulness, movement and social-emotional learning.
We also offer Develop-approved workshops based on our Early Childhood Card Deck. These workshops provide Early Educators, daycare providers and parents all the tools they need to integrate these mind-body practices for teaching self-regulation and social-emotional learning.
The final wonderful benefit of our Card Decks – when we as adults integrate these simple mind-body practices throughout the day, we are managing our own stress and co-regulating with youth.
No dust on this Card Deck! Make sure you check out the sample in our Free Resources.
Have you used the MoveMindfully Card Deck? Leave a comment!
Stephanie Kennelly