The Shining Light Lesson Plans encourage children to radiate their best qualities. Children explore many different aspects of themselves. As children feel their inner worthiness and wholeness, they can express themselves more confidently and experience their unlimited potential. The Shining Light Lesson Plans (80 Pages) contain over 90 self discovery activities that reinforce the concepts conveyed through the verses of the Shining Light CD. Each Lesson Plan begins with the words of the story and includes a Learning Objective, several interactive Learning Activities and a Learning Summary.

The Shining Light Lesson Plans are designed to be used by parents and teachers with children aged three to eight years old. It is envisioned that these Lesson Plans can be used sequentially or easily included into an existing lesson portfolio.

Sandra is “getting it”: “I have read the stories and I have asked my daughter questions from the Shining Light Lesson Plans activity book. She loves to put on the CD and do her crafts. We chat about the words and she responds by usually wanting it to play the Shining Light CD longer.

I’ve learned the simplicity of the exercises and how to have fun with them. For two minutes of making bubbles I can connect with my child in a very loving way. I am excited about that.

I’ve learned how to “breathe” and what our breath can do. I was excited to talk and share this activity with my daughter. It was great to have the words, and understanding to openly and freely ask Isabel the questions. She responded well and we had a few conversations about breathing. We pretended to blow bubbles and balloons. We also went out a few days later and purchased more bubbles. That was fun to see how we did it all together. I was also able to talk with my son Thomas about how important it is for him, when we are upset, to take a deep breath, how it can calm us down and we can feel more in control of our emotions. He was intrigued and open to the idea. I really believe that I am “getting it”.

It is all tremendous, I am growing, my children are seeing me change for the better and they are learning positive, healthy ways to live as well. Also my husband is willing to learn along with us so that we can all feel better. I am very pleased to have the tools from the Shining Light lessons to guide me along a brighter, positive path in life.

The Shining Light CD and Lesson Plans continue to encourage me to reach out in many ways that are positive to our children.

I am learning to talk with them, play with them, listen to them and encourage them in very simple enjoyable ways. I look forward to starting the day off in a loving, positive, healthy way. I am so blessed to have this guide in our home.”

Kelly feels hopeful: “I feel very soothed and more hopeful at getting to points of calmness sooner with my son and myself. I found it very enjoyable to be reminded how fun it is to play with children. The bubble blowing was an awesome experience for some reason, to see how gentle, flowing and beautiful it can be to catch a bubble. The whole learning about breathing and to be able to teach my son how easy he can benefit himself is a real eye opener.

One of my goals or hopes was to never pass on my anger, impatience to my son so now I know we can grow in this area together with more laughter in the house.”

♥ If a child in your care is experiencing challenging emotional behavior, acknowledge and validate all their feelings and concentrate on the Stories and Lessons Plans for Breathing Free, Shining Light, Morning Sun, Flashing Light, Bubbles of Joy, and Journey’s End. These stories help children become empowered to recognize that the thoughts and feelings they choose “now” can determine their moment by moment experiences.

♥ Children will be encouraged to recognize their unlimited potential when they listen to the Sand Castle Dreams story. The Lesson Plans for this story encourage children to explore their wishes and dreams.

♥ If planning a field trip to a park, listen to the Birds and Butterfly story. This story will encourage the children to discover and enjoy the many gifts that nature has to offer everyone.

♥ If a child is experiencing friendship challenges, listen to the Loving Yourself and Shining Star stories. These will encourage the child to feel a sense of appreciation for their own and others’ differences.

♥ When listening to the Rainbow Delight story, children will explore the idea of feeling their perfect wholeness even when there may be unique challenges in their life or for someone very close to them.

The Breathing Free story was created as a relaxing exercise to prepare the children for the days’ journey ahead. The Lesson Plans encourage children to experience for themselves the benefit of taking a few deep breaths to relax. Whenever they feel frustrated, angry or stressed they can listen to the Breathing Free story to relax. It will become a skill they may choose to use when they need to think more clearly. As they do this regularly, they will have an opportunity to think clearly about any challenge they may be experiencing. Taking a deep breath will become an automatic response for them to use as they mature.

The Shining Light story begins with the child opening their imagination to see a beautiful Shining Light. The Shining Light talks to them and takes them on a days’ journey of self discovery and new adventure. Children will learn how they can create something physical from something they imagined through the use of art and stories they create. The children experience working as a team as they respect and cooperate with one another.

The Morning Sun story helps children start their day with a positive attitude. As children think of all the favorite things they love to do their hearts and imagination will open to the unlimited possibilities that await them. One of the discoveries within this journey is that the things they love to do may be different each time they listen to this story.

As children realize they always have a choice of what they focus on, it becomes a very empowering awareness. Underlying this is the concept that whatever we place our focus on grows. The more children think about the things that bring about happy feelings the more and more these feelings will appear in their life.

The Flashing Light story offers a bit of mystery and feeling of wonderment as the children listen to the music. They are guided to a mirror where they see themselves shining brightly and where they feel and see their very best qualities. The Lesson Plans include several self-awareness exercises which encourage the children to see their positive qualities. They explore the idea of being patient and kind with themselves whenever they face a challenge and brainstorm ways their inner goodness can shine bright. The concept of this story is that the more love they feel within themselves, the more love they can extend to others.

The Birds and Butterflies story reminds children that it only takes a moment to share their beauty with everyone. It might be the way they tilt their head or their friendly smile. The Lesson Plans expand on this idea by asking the children to explore their many individual qualities. Children are encouraged to experience the gifts of nature. They talk about the ways they take care of their pets and how they also take care of themselves.

The Sand Castle Dreams story encourages children to experience the power of their imagination. The story and Lesson Plans set children up for success by encouraging them to explore the thoughts and feelings they experience while imagining their wishes and dreams. Children discover their wishes and dreams though songs, brainstorming and collage activities. They realize that wishes and dreams can come true as they read inspirational stories about real people who have experienced and discovered their inner qualities by reaching for their unlimited potential. Children practice goal setting strategies by initiating an activity and following through until the goal is accomplished.

The Bubbles of Joy story is a simple fun experience filled with the imagery of playing with bubbles. Children are encouraged to allow joy into their lives each moment of the day. The exercises offer children opportunities to be inspired even when a child is discouraged or having a so called boring day. Good feelings can pour in as children focus on the activities that bring them about.

The Rainbow Delight story was designed to allow children to totally experience the colors of a rainbow. This rainbow can help children feel their perfect wholeness even when there may be unique challenges in their life or for someone very close to them. The Lesson Plans touch upon the idea that we cannot always see the bigger picture of our lives. Why one child is in a wheelchair and another can walk is a life mystery. However, in both cases the children discover their beauty and perfect wholeness each time they laugh and open to their unlimited potential. The power of the human spirit is as great as we can imagine.

The Loving Yourself story reminds children to calm by breathing and relaxing and focuses upon encouraging the children to embrace diversity in others while appreciating and loving themselves. They talk about their own unique talents and abilities, explore being their own best friend and discuss ways to take care of themselves, while they look for good things to happen each day.

The Shining Star story ask children to give themselves one last hug before they fall asleep each night to appreciate all the journeys they have traveled during the day. The Lesson Plans encourage children to look at all the things they have accomplished in their life to see and appreciate success within themselves. They play games as a team, and practice cooperative activities. They are reminded that when they see their own sparkle, they can see it within their friends. Also, when they see the goodness in another, they are showing and sharing the goodness within themselves.

The Journey’s End story encourages every child to feel, hear and see the love that is constantly being expressed through them by their many daily activities such as art, song and group discussion. As they slip and slide through their many life adventures they experience different rhythm changes similar to a river. The Lesson Plans invoke dialogue about their experiences of making mistakes and the process of recognizing how children can learn from their mistakes. While they have fun they choose to love themselves, trusting that they will always be discovering something new. As the children listen to the stories often, they will constantly be offered new opportunities to discover their own lovable being.

The more children listen to the stories and talk about them, the more they will start to recognize the importance of treating themselves and others with respect. What they believe and feel within themselves is what they reflect out to the world.

♥ Parents/Teachers validate children’s feelings and model breathing deeply whenever they feel upsetting emotions rising. Encourage children to feel the natural relaxation response as they breathe deeply and calm themselves down. Each deep breath will help them to think more clearly, so they can see their situation differently and make new choices.

♥ Children will be encouraged to recognize their unlimited potential when they listen to the Sand Castle Dreams story. The Lesson Plans for this story encourage children to explore their wishes and dreams.

♥ Parents/Teachers teach children the power of their imagination. The mind does not know the difference between something real or imagined therefore when a child imagines something, the feelings they have are the same as if they had actually experienced it.

♥ Parents/Teachers also help children to realize that they can imagine something and create it physically. Look around at all the things others have created. Include in this list all the moments they create daily.

♥ Parents/Teachers teach children to think about the favorite things they love to do. As children focus on these positive experiences children create more and more positive feelings.

♥ Parents/Teachers learn what they focus upon grows. If they focus on positives, positive experiences grow. If they focus on negatives, more negative experiences come about.

♥ Parents/Teachers learn to use the language of encouragement with children. Inspiring children to see how respectful, capable, responsible, and cooperative they are.

♥ Parents/Teachers can do over 90 self-discovery exercises with children in order to expand their relationship skills. Children find many different ways in which to respect and appreciate themselves and others. They explore and discover how we each learn and like different things yet we all belong.

♥ Parents/Teachers encourage children to have an optimistic outlook on life.

♥ Parents/Teachers help children to think about their wishes and dreams. They help them believe in their dreams and set goals children can attain.

♥ Parents/Teachers help children to appreciate and respect nature.