Bike Adventure

Put on your helmet and hop on your bike for a ride around in your imagination! Today we'll focus on visualization and movement as we imagine our journey, ending with a head-to-toe relaxation exercise while we consider how we are all connected to each other and the earth.

A mindfulness story suitable for children aged 5 – 12 years old.

Transcript:

Hello everyone! I'm so glad you're here.

It's spring here so that means that we're outside almost every day afterschool because my kids love to ride their bikes around our neighbourhood. Do you like to ride bikes?

Today for our relaxation story we're going to head out on our bikes, off for some fun and adventure! Are you ready? Let's get our helmets on and get ready to cycle!

Have a seat on the floor, crossing your legs if that's comfortable. Sit up tall. Lift your chin so that it is parallel to the ground. Close your eyes. Breathe.

As I do the Calm Down Countdown, try to visualize the path we're going to cycle on. Some of you may imagine a dirt path through the green woods. Others may think of the sidewalk in a familiar neighbourhood. Maybe some of you will imagine a gravel trail through a park.

Ready?

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Let's keep our eyes closed. We're going to relax today but work our imaginations! So let's start by imagining our bicycle. You can think about your own bike, or maybe a different one. What colour is it? Does it have a horn? A basket? Or handlebar streamers?

We have our helmets on already, so let's hop on our bikes now. Pretend you're holding onto the handlebars and lift your arms out straight in front of you. Now let's imagine that we're on a trail that's twisting left and right. Move your hands backwards and forwards like you're steering. Take big breaths in through your nose and long breaths out from your mouth.

Put your arms down now, placing your hands on your knees. Make sure you're keeping your posture straight.

Let's imagine that we're going up a hill now. Do you see it there in front of you? What does it look like? It is a grassy hill with a thin flattened path carved in it by hundreds of bikes and footsteps before you? Is it up a steep sidewalk? Hold that picture in your head as you begin to lean backwards from the hips now, keeping your back straight. Lean as far back as you comfortably can without losing your balance. And come back to centre.

We've made it to the top of the hill! Take a moment here to look at the view, imagining what you can see from up here.

Alright, it's time to cycle down the hill. Sit up tall, take a deep breath in and let it out as you lean forward from the hips. Keep your back straight as you lean forward. Imagine the wind on your face as your bike speeds down the hill, faster and faster, until it begins to slow down as the ground levels. Now move back to the centre. Wonderful!

Now we're really moving along on the bike trail. We'll need to make a couple of turns up ahead. Do you know the hand signals to use when you want to make a turn? Knowing and using the hand signals are part of bike safety because it lets other cyclists and drivers know where you're going to move.

Let's take that next left up ahead. We'll let the people behind us know we mean to turn left by sticking out your left arm straight out to the left side. Let's hold it there for five seconds… Great! You can put your arm down now.

There's a right turn ahead now. There are two ways to signal that you're going to turn right. You can either stick out your right arm straight out to your right side. Let's give that a try now. The other way is to stick out your left arm, but this time bend your forearm at the elbow up towards the sky so that your arm is making an "L" shape. Give that a try.

Which did you prefer? Choose one right turn signal and do it again now. Hold it for five seconds… Very nice, you can put your arm down.

Hey, there's a perfect place to have a rest. We'll stop there so let's make the stop signal. Stick out your left arm straight out to the side again. Now bend your forearm down at the elbow, pointing it towards the ground. Your arm should look a bit like a number "7." Okay, you can put your arm down again.

We can't finish a relaxation story about bike riding without using our legs to cycle! Take the next couple of moments to lie down on the floor or on your bed. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in and out. Another breath in and out. One more time. Good.

Lift up your legs up so that you're ready to peddle. And start peddling! Peddle on your own for five breaths.

When you're done, pull your knees to your chest. Do you feel a little stretch in you back?

Gently lower your legs to the ground. Take a moment to make any adjustments to make sure you're comfortable.

Before we go, we're going to try to relax our bodies from head to toe. Close your eyes.

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