Adult Recess

Head Start children, families, and staff thrive when they are safe, healthy, and emotionally secure. Children’s well-being is closely connected to the well-being of the adults who care for them. Adults who can regulate their emotions and behaviors, especially in times of stress, are better able to meet social and emotional needs of the children they care for.

One of the most fun ways adults can practice and increase their own emotional regulation is through play. Adult Recess is a series of animated videos that support participants in moving their bodies in mindful ways to promote and practice regulation skills. Each video guides participants in a warm-up, a game, and an ending reflection. Play alone, in a group, or with children!

Night at the Museum

Download the video [MP4, 179MB] Download the transcript

A Night at the Museum

Narrator: Welcome to Adult Recess. Our bodies and our brains are connected. Moving our bodies in a mindful way helps stimulate our brains and regulate our emotions. And engaging in play is healthy for us at any age. Let's start with a little stretch to wake us up. You can do this seated or standing. Either way, make sure you can move your arms in a circle around you without bumping into anything.

First up, are wrist circles. Make a gentle fist with each hand and rotate your hands in a small circle at your wrists. Choose a direction and start making circles. Your palms are pointed at the ground. Your elbows are relaxed. Nice. Now reverse directions and make circles the other way. Again, your elbows are relaxed.

Good. Next up are ankle circles. You can sit for this one or balance on one foot. Did you know if you press your tongue to the roof of your mouth, you can hold your balance better? OK. Point your toe and rotate one direction.

Now rotate in the other direction.

And switch legs. Rotate in one direction.

And now rotate in the other direction.

Nice. Now we'll make some head circles. Try to imagine the point where your skull connects to your spine. Make small circles on top of that point. Now reverse directions. Again, these are small circles with your head. OK, last set of circles. Hands on your hips. Now try to rotate your hips forward to the side, to the back, to the other side, and back to the front. Try it again. A little smoother. Good. Keep going. For 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Now reverse direction and rotate those hips again. Try for a smooth rotation with the same distance in each direction.

And stop. Nice work. Today's game is called Night at the Museum. Imagine what it would be like. If all the statues in a museum had a secret dance party every night when no one was looking. Of course, they'd have to freeze again each time the security guard opened the door to the room.

You be the statues. I'll be the security guard. Now, when you hear the music, each of you should go ahead and dance in any style you want. The bigger the movements, the better. When I open the door, the music will stop, and you will each freeze where you are in whatever position you were in. OK, here we go.

Get ready to... Dance!

What's going on in there?

I could swear I heard music in here. Nice job freezing when the security guard came in. Try even bigger dance moves. Aha! I caught ya! That's weird. Just statues. Hello? I must be hearing things. OK, nice work.You can relax now. Aha! I knew it! The statues were moving! Just kidding. Now, grab a seat or lay down on the floor. It's time for reflection. Gently close your eyes and take three deep breaths.

Play is really important at all points in our lives. I want you to think back to the games you played as a child. Is there one that you really loved? Think about a time when you played that game. What were the sounds around you? What were the smells? Is there a moment that stands out to you? OK let's take three more deep breaths. Nice work playing. Have a great day.

Get ready to warm-up with gentle stretching before playing Night at the Museum, a game where you move and freeze like a statue. This video ends with an opportunity for reflection.