<![CDATA[PEANUT BUTTER & JELLYFISH - Blog]]>Tue, 25 Jun 2024 21:27:26 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Saves the Day!]]>Sun, 01 Mar 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://www.pbjellyfish.com/blog/saves-the-day
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March 2020: Pushing Limits. I Can Do This!!

Don your cape and use your super powers to climb higher and swim farther than you thought you could!  We'll use our breath to give us the courage and confidence to try our best even when it seems a bit scary.
You can download the superhero take home coloring page below:
pbj_superhero_jelly_to_go.pdf
File Size: 5036 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Need to get your super powers ready before class?  Here are some books you can read at home:
  • He Saves the Day by Marsha Hayles
  • Superhero ABC by Adam Rubin
  • The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man by Michael Chabon
  • Superhero School by Thierry Robberecht
  • Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero by Anne Cottringer
  • Traction Man is Here! by Mini Grey
  • Superhero Song by Milkshake Kids
  • ​What I Am Song by Will.i.am (video from Sesame Street)
  • Batman & Spiderman mindfulness activities for kids
Swim
We will be working on pushing limits and being brave this week.  Older swimmers will focus on endurance, and younger students will learn to swim longer distances independently.  There will definitely be super hero games involved :).​
  • Gain Independence swimming/ jumping to instructor
  • Independent Back Floats
  • Roll onto back independently
  • Swim longer Distances without help
  • Diving
  • Freestyle/Backstroke Endurance
​Climb
Climbers will learn to climb higher by utilizing the breath.  We'll learn how to tie in on top rope and talk about the belayer's very important job.
  • Recognize and climb on Vertical walls
  • Learn to tie a figure eight Knot
  • Identify or use Belay tools
  • Belay Commands & partner Check
  • Push past fear on Top Rope climbs
Yoga
I am strong.  I am brave.  I am focused.  I am a superhero.
We'll use positive affirmations to help us tackle scary times and tough spots.
]]><![CDATA[Rawr, Rawr, Dinosaur]]>Thu, 09 May 2019 19:50:05 GMThttp://www.pbjellyfish.com/blog/rawr-rawr-dinosaur
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May/June 2019: Diving, Belaying, Nasal Breathing
It's a prehistoric takeover at PBJ this May!
Are your kids ready to climb with T Rex?
​Sign up for a Taster or Drop In Class!
CLIMB
Climbers will focus on belaying.  From the very basics of "what is a belayer" to taking the belay test.  Everyone will learn age/level appropriate skills.  The majority of the class will be spent on top-rope climbs.  We will incorporate knot tying into our bouldering games.
Some of the skills we will work on in order of difficulty are:
  • Body position for lowering
  • Belay commands
  • Introduction to our gear: harness, belay device, and carabiner
  • How to tie a figure 8 knot & follow through​
  • Partner safety check
  • Mock belaying
  • Preparing for belay test​​
SWIM
Swimmers will learn to dive in head first and gain independence on feet first jumps.  We will encourage independent breathing and swimming longer distances by starting each turn with a jump/dive.  All students will work on age/level appropriate skills.
  • Jump in and swim Back to the Wall
  • Recognize when/where to dive Safely
  • Gain independence while Jumping
  • Assisted Head First entries
  • Create-a-Story swims
  • Jump/Dive in and swim 1-3 Breaths
  • Refine Diving technique
  • Racing Starts
  • Sprints
Yoga
Dino yogi's are learning everyday meditations and breathing through the nose.  
  • Walking meditation
  • Breathing through your nose
  • Hatching dino sequence
  • ​Flying pterodactyl pose
]]><![CDATA[Choose Your Own Adventure]]>Mon, 01 Apr 2019 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.pbjellyfish.com/blog/choose-your-own-adventure
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Summer Camp 2019: Personal Development

I wasn't feeling inspired by camp themes this year...which inspired a Choose Your Own Adventure summer. Day 1 will be filled with "Miss Becca's faves" and the kids will brainstorm activities they'd like to see later in the week. Watch out for dinosaurs, unicorns, doctors, and pirates at Camp PBJ this summer.

Our character building jelly all summer will be finding our strengths, working on skills that need improvement, and embracing failure 🤗 #beautifuloops 

​Kids will be working on individual challenges and cruising through skill sheets.  We'll practice some difficult skills and focus on areas that need the most improvement for each athlete.  As a reward for working so hard, kids will get to choose their favorite skills to show off!  Older students will identify their strengths and weaknesses to help develop a class plan.
Personal Development & Uniqueness Books for Kids:
Download Today's Take Home & Coloring Pages:
choose_your_own_adventure_pbj_to-go.pdf
File Size: 2568 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
]]><![CDATA[Raining Cats 'n Dogs]]>Tue, 26 Feb 2019 08:00:00 GMThttp://www.pbjellyfish.com/blog/raining-cats-n-dogs

March 2019: Core Strength, Core Values, Butterfly

We're hanging out with our furry friends today.  We'll find homes for cute puppies, stretch out like cats, and track our progress with dog bones.  The 4 legged swimmer above is from Seth Casteel's book "Underwater Dogs-Kids Edition".  Pure awesomeness.  His "Underwater Babies" photos encourage families to get kids into swim lessons early.  I like it!
Are your kids dying to climb with Pete the Cat?  
​Sign up for a trial climbing or drop in yoga class!
Climb
Climbers will be building core strength and learning about conditioning.  Each class will cover age/level appropriate skills.  Class time will be split between top rope, bouldering, and floor exercises. ​
  • Identifying & using Pinch holds
  • Recognizing & climbing on Vertical walls
  • Identifying your Core
  • Climbing with a "Jelly Belly" vs "Tight Core"
  • Core Strengthening exercises 
  • Choosing Body Positions that push the hips into the wall
  • Perseverance
Yoga
  • Core Virtues Overview including: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, citizenship
  • Bendy Puppy Sequence
  • Sitting tall & strong
  • Core Strengthening Poses: boat, side plank, cobra, four-limbed staff, camel, chair, crescent lunge
Swim
Getting our wiggles out in the pool.  We'll be strengthening the core and playing with the wave-like movement of butterfly.  Some of the stigma of the "most difficult" stroke can be removed when introduced at a young age!!  Fins will be used to increase momentum. 

All students will work on age/level appropriate skills.  Some of the things we will learn in order of difficulty are:
  • Beginning dolphin kick (Wiggles)
  • Assisted Dolphin Dives
  • Butterfly Kick with streamlining
  • Treading with dolphin kick
  • Butterfly Arms
  • Full Butterfly Stroke with breathing
  • Butterfly Drills and Technique improvement
  • Incorporating the dolphin kick into Starts & Turns
]]><![CDATA[Let's Go...Start Our Day!!]]>Tue, 01 Jan 2019 08:00:00 GMThttp://www.pbjellyfish.com/blog/lets-gostart-our-day

January 2019: Breaststroke, Sun Salutations & Route Reading

Get your motor runnin' for climbing, yoga, and swimming this month.
Do your kids love to zoom?  
Come in for a Taste of PBJ!
Climb
Climbers will traverse through the sky and climb up the highway as they follow taped routes, learn about climbing grades and communicate with partners.
  • Identifying and using Sloper holds
  • Recognizing and climbing in a Dihedral
  • ​Stemming
  • Finding boulder Problems
  • Following Taped routes/problems
  • Choosing appropriate Grades
  • Sharing Beta with a partner
Yoga
Yogis will salute the sun, and learn short routines they can practice at home in the mornings.  On week 2, kids will take home a sticker chart to practice their sun salutations every morning.
  • Sun Salutation variations
  • Transportation Poses: car, boat, helicopter, airplane, train
  • Mindful Listening game (thanks to Owen for the great suggestion!)
  • 4 Wheeled Peer Massage
  • Following our friends' Breathing Cues
​Swim
Swimmers will be focusing on breaststroke and underwater swimming.  Classes will look very different for a 2 yr old and an 8 yr old, but everyone will learn age/level appropriate skills.
  • Underwater swimming with forward movement
  • Swimming down to retrieve toys with "breaststroke-like" arms
  • Concept of Gliding (forward movement while body stays still)
  • Elementary Backstroke Kick (similar to breaststroke kick)
  • Introduction to frog Kicks
  • Learning proper breast stroke Arms
  • Combining the pull (arms), breath, kick, and glide in the right order (Timing)
  • Breaststroke drills and perfecting technique
]]><![CDATA[Play with Your Food]]>Thu, 01 Nov 2018 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.pbjellyfish.com/blog/play-with-your-food
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November, December 2018 Safety & Friendship

PBJ will be closed on dates below:
11/9, 11/11, 11/12
11/22, 11/23, 11/25
12/19-1/12 (No Winter Break Camp this year)
Ongoing students will be pro-rated for these dates
Inspired by Peanut Butter & Cupcake by Terry Border, this month's Jelly is all about playing with your food.  The pool and gym will be filled with food themed games to keep the atmosphere light as we practice more difficult safety skills.  

You can download the Jelly To Go take home sheet to practice at home:
play_with_your_food_jelly_to_go.pdf
File Size: 577 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
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PicturePractice falls in the pool
Swim
Swimmers will be focusing on safety techniques in a controlled environment.  This will look different for each level, but every student will do at least one swim without goggles.  Since some of these skills are scary or difficult, we will include extra time for fun games.

Some of the skills we will learn in order of difficulty are:
  • Following directions and taking turns
  • Swimming without goggles
  • Falling into the pool (expected/unexpected)
  • Swimming back to the steps/wall
  • Remaining in back float even when face gets splashed
  • Recovering from a sinking back float
  • Treading Water
  • Finding back float rests in open water
  • Swimming long distances even when tired
PictureHow high should you climb?
Climb
Climbers will be practicing safety skills.  Everyone will learn age/level appropriate skills.  The majority of each class will be spent bouldering.  

Some of the skills we will work on are:
  • Climbing etiquette
  • Be Aware games
  • Down climbing
  • Gymnastic falling technique while bouldering
  • Spotting for bouldering
  • Choosing appropriate grades
PictureMaking a cupcake table in plank
Yoga
Yogis will be thinking about friendship while learning food related poses.  Each class will look different and incorporate age appropriate games and poses.

Some of the poses we will play with are:
  • Plank (Hot Dog)
  • Child's Pose (Cupcake)
  • Bow (Apple) 
  • Eagle (Wiggly Spaghetti)
]]><![CDATA[Let's Go...To Bed!]]>Mon, 01 Oct 2018 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.pbjellyfish.com/blog/lets-goto-bed

5/30-6/12/16: Bedtime Yoga, Belay Gear, Backstroke

Our transportation theme continues as we transition from wake up activities to goodnight games.
Do your kids climb everything in sight?
Come in for a trial class!
​Climb
Climbers will learn to climb higher by utilizing the breath.  We'll learn how to tie in on top rope and talk about the belayer's very important job.
  • Recognize and climb on Vertical walls
  • Learn to tie a figure eight Knot
  • Identify or use Belay tools
  • Belay Commands & partner Check
  • Push past fear on Top Rope climbs
Yoga
The second portion of our "take yoga home" session will focus on bedtime routines.  We'll get our energy out as zooming race cars, focus with balance poses, and get grounded with supine poses.
  • Goodnight Poses: Tree, Savasana, Legs Up the Wall, Forward Fold, Knees to the Chest
  • Mind Jar Meditations
  • Jungle Flower Breathing
Swim
Swimmers will be focusing on backstroke.  Classes will look very different for a 2 yr old and an 8 yr old, but everyone will learn age/level appropriate skills.  ​
  • Prolonging assisted back floats
  • Blast Off! Backstroke starts
  • Introduction to backstroke arms
  • Independent back floats
  • Longer distances while kicking on back
  • Perfecting smaller, straighter kicks
  • Using straight backstroke arms
  • Incorporating body roll
  • Increasing effectiveness of arm pull
]]><![CDATA[Shiver Me Timbers]]>Sat, 01 Sep 2018 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.pbjellyfish.com/blog/shiver-me-timbers
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September 2018: Butterfly, Core Strengthening & Core Values

We're off to sail the high seas with our pirate friends.  We'll learn about Butterfly in the pool, Core Strength on the wall, and Core Values on the mat.  You can download the take home page here.
Shiver Me Timbers Take Home Page.pdf
File Size: 437 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Swim
We'll be strengthening the core and playing with the wave-like movement of butterfly.  Some of the stigma of the "most difficult" stroke can be removed when introduced at a young age!!  Fins may be used to increase momentum. 

All students will work on age/level appropriate skills.  Some of the things we will learn in order of difficulty are:
  • Beginning mermaid kick (Wiggles)
  • Assisted Dolphin Dives
  • Butterfly Kick with streamlining
  • Treading with dolphin kick
  • Butterfly Arms
  • Full Butterfly Stroke with breathing
  • Butterfly Drills and Technique improvement
  • Incorporating the dolphin kick into Starts & Turns
Climb
Climbers will be building core strength and learning about conditioning.  Each class will cover age/level appropriate skills.  Class time will be split between top rope, bouldering, and floor exercises. 
  • Identifying & using Pinch holds
  • Recognizing & climbing on Vertical walls
  • Identifying your Core
  • Climbing with a "Jelly Belly" vs "Tight Core"
  • Core Strengthening exercises 
  • Choosing Body Positions that push the hips into the wall
  • Perseverance
    Yoga
      We will be discussing how our core values shape us as we shape our core muscles.  A strong core can make us more resilient physically and emotionally!
  • Core Virtues Overview including: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, citizenship
  • Buried treasure Breath
  • Sitting tall & strong
  • Core Strengthening Poses: ship, plank, cobra, parrot, camel, chair
]]><![CDATA[Goodnight Wild Ones]]>Fri, 01 Jun 2018 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.pbjellyfish.com/blog/goodnight-jungle
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Miss Becca is too lazy to update this Jelly :). 
This time around climbers are identifying the crux (most difficult part of a route) and making a plan to get through it. 
Swimmers are learning about Individual Medley's or IM's.  An IM is a race where a swimmer does all 4 competitive strokes in order (Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle). 
​The yoga portion below and the wild animals theme is actually still correct from 2015!  Woo Hoo!
We're off to the jungle today!  Kids will follow jungle vine routes on the climbing wall, practice alternating arms with zebras in the pool, and stretch like a giraffe on the mat.

4/26-5/9/15: Backstroke, Bedtime Yoga & Route Reading

Swim
Swimmers will be focusing on backstroke.  Classes will look very different for a 2 yr old and an 8 yr old, but everyone will learn age/level appropriate skills.  
  • Prolonging assisted back floats
  • Blast Off! Backstroke starts
  • Introduction to backstroke arms
  • Independent back floats
  • Longer distances while kicking on back
  • Perfecting smaller, straighter kicks
  • Using straight backstroke arms
  • Incorporating body roll
  • Increasing effectiveness of arm pull
Picture
Beginning Backstroke Arms
Climb
Climbers will trek through the jungle as they follow taped routes, learn about climbing grades and communicate with partners.
  • Identifying and using Jug holds
  • Recognizing and climbing on Vertical walls
  • Finding boulder Problems
  • Following Taped routes/problems
  • Choosing appropriate Grades
  • Sharing Beta with a partner
Picture
Planning a Bouldering Problem
Yoga
The second portion of our "take yoga home" session will focus on bedtime routines.  We'll get our energy out as stomping-sleeping hippos, focus with balance poses, and get grounded with supine poses.
  • Goodnight Poses: Tree, Savasana, Legs Up the Wall, Forward Fold, Knees to the Chest
  • Mind Jar Meditations
  • Jungle Flower Breathing
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Relaxation Exercises
]]><![CDATA[Monkey Vs. Sloth]]>Tue, 01 May 2018 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.pbjellyfish.com/blog/monkey-vs-sloth
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May 2018: Dynamic & Static Movement, Sprints & Sculling.

I've always liked monkeys, but now I know that sloths are fantastic!  My procrastination hours were easily filled with baby sloths.  I also learned that they swim with a sculling motion that is much faster than movement on land.  Good to know!  
Summer Camps
You can download the Slothy Goodness Take Home Sheet here:
monkey_sloth_jelly_to_go-toddler.pdf
File Size: 1270 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
monkey_sloth_jelly_to_go-older.pdf
File Size: 1212 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Books & Songs:
"Slowly. Slowly. Slowly." Said the Sloth by Eric Carle
Snoozefest by Samantha Berger
Sparky by Jenny Offill & Chris Appelhans
Two Little Monkeys by Mem Fox
Hug by Jez Alborough
Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett
Fast & Slow song by the Laurie Berkner Band
​5 Little Sloths rhyme
5 Little Monkeys rhyme
No More Monkeys song by Asheba
Climb
Climbers will show off on overhanging walls and learn the difference between precise stretchy static movement & big swinging dynamic movement.
  • Identify and use Jug or Bucket holds
  • Recognize and climb on Overhanging walls
  • Start to understand Static movement
  • Start to understand Dynamic movement
  • Be Aware Rule #5: I Listen to directions
  • Be Aware Rule #6: I Think before I fall
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Thank you to Kara at ABC Kids Climbing for the "Stanley the Static Sloth" doll idea!
​
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I think she is doing breaststroke, but let's pretend she's treading
Swim
Swimmers will tread/scull like an energy-saving sloth and sprint like a monkey.
  • Sprint sets
  • Beginning Treading water
  • Experiment with different Sculling movements
  • Sloth (slowest doggy paddle) and monkey (big freestyle arms) goofball Races
Yoga
In yoga we'll hold our static poses like a sloth and jump into dynamic poses like a monkey.
  • Sloth crawl (Low lunge, right knee meets right elbow then right hand stretches out.)
  • Monkey walk (Squat like a frog, move both hands, then both feet.  Try it sideways!)
  • Sloth Poses: Triangle, Down Dog, Warrior II, Tree
  • Monkey Poses: Monkey Jumps, Donkey Kicks, Gorilla Swings
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Dynamic Monkey Jumps
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