Pac-Man is a maze arcade game. The player controls Pac-Man, who must eat all the dots inside an enclosed maze while avoiding four colored ghosts. Pac-Man is always chomping dots and trying to avoid ghosts. In Pac-Man Pose, children’s legs become Pac-Man’s mouth, constantly chomping and looking for dots to eat.
Benefits
Pac-Man Pose is an easy pose that children ages 3 and up can do. This pose provides sensory input in the form of vestibular (movement), proprioception (deep pressure) and tactile (sense of touch). The calming movement of having the hammock wrapped around your legs as you move them together and apart is relaxing (chomping dots). When chomping dots, Pac-Man enhances body awareness and coordination.
What to Say
- Make your hammock skinny like a jump rope.
- Step one foot over the hammock, so the hammock is between your legs.
- Spread the hammock out behind you, making sure it is evenly spread on both sides.
- Sit in down in the hammock with a leg on each side.
- Cover one leg with the hammock.
- Repeat with the other leg.
- The covered legs become Pac-Man’s mouth
- To come out, take one leg out, then the next.
- Stand up and step over the hammock.
Mindful Variation
Chomping Dots. Pac-Man’s goal is to chomp all the dots in the maze. Grab a large exercise ball. Have children squeeze the dot (ball) with their feet and legs. Gently move the dot side-to-side or back- and-forth while the child keeps holding on.
In Summary…
Pac-Man’s pose is a relaxing pose that reduces visual input and provides sensory input such as proprioception, vestibular, and tactile. Pac-Man pose has been carefully crafted to include swinging, spinning, and stretching. This fun pose is great for young children and a favorite in our Mindful Child classes. Come hang out with us!
