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Yoga

Unplugged Options

List of Fun Walking Activities:

1. Use a Pedometer: Get your family and friends to get in on the fun by competing for the most steps. Guess how many steps it takes to walk a certain distance. Track your steps and provide rewards for accomplishments.
2. Take Pictures: Photograph interesting things you see while on a walk in the moment such as a beautiful sunset or ducks flying into a pond. Take pictures of as many types of animals as you can see while out walking. Then collect photos of tree leaves, flowers, or even clouds.
3. Do a Scavenger Hunt: Let someone come up with a list of things to look for and find those items while out walking. It's best to take a picture of the item to prove that it was found.
4. Talk to Friends or Family: Freeing up time to spend on the phone staying in touch with family and friends becomes easier when it is part of your walking routine. Use headphones if you have them so you don’t have to carry your phone the whole time.
5. Enjoy Your Environment: If it isn't enough to take in the beautiful scenery, whether urban or rural, buy a pocket guide to help you identify things in nature or in the city scape. You can study types of trees, birds, butterflies, clouds, etc if you are in a rural or suburban area. You can study architecture, historical landmarks, or other properties of the cityscape in urban areas.
6. Work on Gratitude or Your Spiritual Self: Because walking can be a solitary activity, it can be the least distracting time of the day to pray, meditate, work on gratitude, or whatever you do to connect to the world around you. As you focus your mind on spiritual and important positive things, your walking becomes something much more than just exercise. It's "me time."

Sports to Try...

Outdoor Challenge

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Go outside on a walk, run, bike ride, or hike once a day for a week with the purpose of just being outside in nature. Find one object that represents your day. Maybe it is prickly because your day felt harsh and uncomfortable. Maybe your object is soft dew on the grass in the morning because everyone you interacted with was gentle and kind. Record the date and the object in a journal, on a phone note, or somewhere else where you’ll remember it. At the end of the week, review all of your objects and see what patterns you notice in your objects.

Guided Breathing Videos

Unplugged Options

Simple Breath Awareness

Ocean Breath

Alternate Nostril Breathing

Cooling Breath

Simple Breath Awareness

Simple breath awareness is a gentle breathing technique that is a way to calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and enhance your awareness.

How to: Lay on your back, seated in a chair, or on the floor in a cross-legged position. Close your eyes, place your hands on your stomach and begin to breathe at a normal pace in and out of your nose. Do this for one minute and observe the quality of the breath. Try your best not to judge how you are breathing–just observe. If you find your breath is tense or shallow, relax your body and pause at the beginning and the end of each breath. Continue this technique for another 2–4 minutes.

Ocean Breath

If done correctly, this breathing technique sounds like the sound of ocean waves. If your mind wanders, this technique can help bring your attention back to the moment if you focus on how your breath feels and sounds. Another purpose of this technique is to sync your movement with your breath, so your breath determines the pace in which you move. Since this technique involves long, deep breathes it causes you to move more slowly and fluidly from one movement to the next.

How to: Sit or stand and take deep inhalations and exhalations through the nose. Bring your hand in front of your face, palm facing you, and exhale onto your palm through the mouth as if you are fogging up a mirror. Keep your hand in front of your face and again try to “fog up the mirror,” but this time with your lips closed so that the air exhales through your nose. You will feel a slight constricting sensation in the back of your throat and hear a subtle rushing sound, similar to an ocean wave.

Bring your hand down to your side, close your eyes and continue breathing in through the nose normally, and out through the nose with the rushing sound. This technique has also been nicknamed “Darth Vader” breath, so as you incorporate this breath into your yoga practice, you can feel “the Force” and flow with ease. Next up: Jedi mind tricks.

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Alternate Nostril Breathing

This breathing technique can be done when you need to center yourself.

How to: Sit comfortably on the floor or in a chair and place your left palm face down on your left knee. With your right hand on your right leg palm faced up, fold your index and middle fingers into your palm. Leave the thumb, ring and pinky fingers extended out. Take a couple deep inhalations and exhalations.

•Place your right thumb over your right nostril. Inhale slowly up through your left nostril.

•Hold your breath and place your ring finger over your left nostril. Release the thumb, then slowly exhale out your right nostril.

•Keep your fingers as they are and inhale through your right nostril, place your thumb over your right nostril and hold your breath for a couple seconds.

•Release your ring finger then exhale out the left nostril.

That is one full cycle. Repeat 5–10 cycles with your eyes closed as you slowly alternate the inhale and the exhale. At the end, release the right palm to your right knee and enjoy the feelings of balance and ease.

Cooling Breath

This technique helps to improve focus and reduce “fiery” emotions such as agitation, anger, and anxiety.

How to: Starting in a comfortable seated position, take a few deep breaths in and out of your nose, with an emphasis on slowing down the exhale. Then roll your tongue, curling the sides in towards the center to form a tube. If you can’t roll the sides of your tongue, purse your lips to create a small “o” shape with the mouth. Keeping your tongue or lips in this position, slowly inhale through your mouth and exhale through your nose. Repeat for 5–10 breaths.

Online Games

Unplugged Options

How to Make and Indoor or Outdoor Game

How to Make a Board Game

Games to Play Using Paper

Origami Ideas

1. Write down a summary that explains what your game is about. Writing down a summary will help you to form the game’s main purpose.
2. Establish the rules. Once you know generally what your game is about it’s time to create some rules that will flesh out the details.
1. Write your rules down to help you to explain the game and remember everything.
2. Establish how many people can play. Since you’re creating your own game you may allow as many people who want to play, or you may limit it to a certain number.
3. Create rules that help to form the structure of the game. Be specific with details. For example, if the game takes place outside, create boundaries.
3. Assemble any items you need. Gather up anything you need to play the game like balls, flashlights, pillows, etc.
• If you realize that you don’t have something for your game, that’s ok. You’re creating this game, so just change the structure or the rules to accommodate what you do have at your disposal.
4. Test your game out. Play a quick test round to see how well the game works and if everyone has an easy time understanding it.
• You want your game to be fun. But you also want it to be easy to play.
• After your test round, make the necessary adjustments.
• Talk with your friends and find out what everyone liked and didn’t like about the test round.
5. Make any adjustments and play again.

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How To Make An Indoor or Outdoor Game

1. Write down your ideas. Write out some ideas of what kind of board game you want to create and play. Write down genres you like such as strategy, trivia, or adventure.
2. Pick a game style. Once you have a bunch of ideas written down, look for ones that are similar and go together. Circle these winning ideas and begin to think about what kind of play style and game board will work best. Try to combine aspects of your favorite existing games!
3. Sketch out the design of the game. Once you have an idea in your mind of what kind of board game you want to make and what the setup will look like, it’s time to sketch it out on paper to get a sense of what the actual game will look like.
4. Establish the rules. Now that you know what the game looks like and the general purpose of it, it’s time to lay down some rules so people know how to play. It’s easiest to keep your rules short and simple.
5. Build your game board. With all the details down, now you just have to construct your physical board, cards, and anything else that you need to make your game. You can make your own materials, go online and find materials, or borrow pieces from other games.
6. Play the game. With everything set up and ready to go, it’s time to play your game with your family and friends. Make notes of what works well and what doesn’t. You’ll probably find that there are parts to your board game that need improvement. That’s ok! This is version one.

How To Make A Board Game

Paper Football.

Fold paper into three equal parts the long way. Fold the bottom edge of the paper up to a side edge forming a triangle. Continue folding triangles until a small flap is left. Fold the flap into the triangle. Done.

Paper football is played with two people on a long table. Each player gets four tries to slide the football across the table. A touchdown is score by getting the football to sit partially on and partially off the end of the table. If a player scores, they get one attempt to flick the football through their opponent’s finger made up-rights.

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Trash Basketball.

This is simple and fun. Wad a piece of paper into a tight ball and aim for your trashcan or other nearby target. Toss the paper. If it goes in, great! Pull it out and try again. If it doesn’t go in, grab the paper and try again. Of course the real fun is in running around cheering after you score.

Paper Airplane.

There are several ways to fold a paper airplane. You can start with one then experiment alternatives to see how they affect their flight.

Fold a piece of paper in half the long way then open it back up. Fold down both top corner of paper into the center fold line. Fold paper back in half and turn to the side with folded edge down. Fold down one flap of the paper from the top to form a wing. Flip the paper over and do the same with the other flap of paper. Open of the wings and gently throw the paper with point forward to see how far and how accurately your airplane flies.

Paper Games

Virtual Art

Unplugged Options

How-To Art/ASM(ART)

Create Your Own Bath Bombs

Nature Color Wheel

Drawing Ideas

Expressive Portrait

CREATE YOUR OWN BATH BOMBS

During stressful times, a little ritual like running a warm bubble bath can help to make a bad day feel slightly better. You might even find you already have some of the ingredients at home. Here’s what you’ll need:

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Ingredients

• 1 cup of baking soda (this, along with the citric acid is what creates the fizz)
• 3/4 cup of citric acid
• 3/4 cup of Epsom salts (for soothing achy muscles)
• 4 tablespoons of coconut oil (for keeping your skin moisturized)
• 1 tablespoon water
• 10-12 drops of your chosen essential oil (we suggest lavender for it’s anti-stress properties)
• Metal bath bomb molds
• Natural food coloring

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Directions

1. Combine the baking soda, citric acid, and Epsom salts in a mixing bowl.
2. If want to make bath bombs in multiple colors, separate the dry ingredients into equal parts in different bowls. Add a few drops of food coloring at a time, mix the color into the dry mixture using your hands. The more drops you use, the more saturated the color will become.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the coconut oil and the essential oil of your choice.
4. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the baking soda mixture. Use the spray bottle to add a bit of water, one spray at a time.
5. Use a spoon to slowly combine the ingredients. The mixture should resemble the texture of wet sand.
6. Fill both sides of the mold and press together firmly. Both pieces of the mold should close together tightly.
7. Drop in a warm tub and relax!

Outdoor Color Wheel

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1. Go outside and begin collecting small items of similar colors.
2. Put the items next to each other.
3. Once you’ve found several items of one color, add another color next to it.
4. You’ll know you’re done with your color wheel when you have several colors represented!

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1. Map your own galaxy! Choose a planet that represents yourself. Think about what surrounds you and what is far away. What moves in orbit within the galaxies you inhabit? What are the significant constellations of your solar system?

2. Lose control: move the drawing utensil in whatever way feels good to you. Maybe you draw dots, lines, shapes, scribbles- it could be anything! After you finish, stand back, and take a look at your creation from afar. Think about the connection it might have to your emotions.

3. Pie chart: make a pie chart or graph of something. It could be of your emotions throughout the day, likes and dislikes, ways you spend your time, etc.

4. Create a self-portrait. One self-portrait could be how you think you are viewed to the world. The other self-portrait could be how you view yourself. Compare the two portraits. Think about the positive aspects you would like to grow in your portrait.

5. Heart map: Draw a heart. Add things/people/places/etc. inside the heart that represent areas of your life that lift you up.

Here's What You'll Need:

For the Face...

• Paper for drawing portrait
• Pencil & eraser
• Black marker
• Coloring tools like markers, colored pencils, paint, etc. (use whatever you have)

The Process:

1. Draw your face and shoulders in any style you want. Rather than using realistic colors, choose colors that represent your emotions.
2. Color the background in a design and color that represents happiness to you.
3. Use color markers to write statements, quotes, letters and expressive thoughts on their portrait backgrounds.

Expressive Portrait

Community and Crisis Resources

This listing is provided as a public service only. PSD does not endorse or recommend one organization over another. Please visit their linked websites for information about specific hours, locations, complete services and contact information.

• SummitStone Health Partners and Community Crisis Center - Crisis, family mental health, substance abuse services and counseling available. Call 970-494-4200 for all services and for mobile crisis counselors in Larimer County (available 24/7/365).
• Mental Health Connections - Offers information and support on mental health and substance abuse issues. Call 970- 221-5551. Child, Adolescent and Young Adult Connections services also available.
• Healthinfosource.com - Lists mental health and substance use providers and resources in the community.
• UCHealth Crisis Assessment Center - Emergency Department of PVH/UCH, Lemay campus. Call 970-495-8090 with crisis concerns and for suicide assessments
• Alliance for Suicide Prevention of Larimer County - Offers information about suicide, including facts, warning signs, community resources, grief support groups and more. This is not a crisis service.
• Colorado Crisis Services - To talk with someone, call 1-844-493-8255 or text 'talk' to 38255.

Meditation Games

Unplugged Options

Meditation Videos

Outdoor Activities for Mindfulness

Mindful Body Scan

5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise

Loving Kindness Meditation

Mindful Body Scan

Benefits

Need a time out? Mindful body scans help to relax, focus on bodily sensations, and calm our minds. It is also one of the exercises that are perfect before bedtime.

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Duration

This exercise takes about 10 minutes.

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How to:

1. Lie on the floor, with your hands and arms placed slightly apart from your bodies. Close your eyes if you feel comfortable, or soften your gaze and look at the ceiling.
2. Pay attention to your feet for 5 to 10 seconds. What do they feel like? What’s the temperature? Where have they been today?
3. Move your focus on to your toes, then ankles, then calves and knees. Continue focusing on each body part until you reach the head.
4. If you feel any tightness or stress, imagine breathing the stress out of that part of the body with each exhale.

5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise

1. Look around the room and name five things that you can see around you. For instance, a painting on the wall or a car. Think about how that thing looks to you or what is it that you like or don't like about it.

2. Focus on four things that you can feel. Suppose that you notice how the wind is blowing through your hair or how the sun feels on your skin. It can be helpful to say these things out loud, such as 'I can feel the couch that I am sitting on"

3. Name three things that you can hear around you. For example, you may become aware of the traffic in the background or some birds chirping in a nearby tree.

4. Notice two things that you can smell around you right now. To illustrate, you may notice the smell of grass or perhaps the smell of perfume wafting around. If you can't smell anything around you, then it can be helpful to name two or three smells that you like such as fresh baked bread or a flower.

5. Focus on one thing that you can taste. If you can't taste anything, then instead you can choose to name a taste that you like.

Mindfulness Videos

Unplugged Options

Live Animal Cams

Mindfulness Bingo

One Day Mindfulness Challenge

Or tea, milk, or whatever else you drink! :)

Make Music

Listen

Unplugged

Find a comfortable, safe spot with lighting that is calming to you. Turn on music that makes you happy. Get into a comfortable position and enjoy the music.

Apps for Tablet or Phone