What a heartwarming story of Daisy and the Rhino. Daisy’s mum and dad are always too busy to listen to a word that she says. And nobody listens to her when she tells them that there is a big purple rhino in the house. So, Daisy starts talking to the rhino instead. A rhinoceros makes the best kind of friend… Enjoy the story with twenty-one kids’ yoga poses.
Daisy’s mum and dad never listen. Daisy could tell them that their hair was on fire or that the dog had eaten the postman (Dog: Coming to all fours, tuck the toes, lift your knees. Send your hips up and back.), but they would just nod and say, “That’s nice dear,” or “Tell your gran,” or “Can’t you see I am on the phone?” So, when one day, Daisy had something really important to say, nobody listened!
Daisy was eating her breakfast when a big purple rhino strolled into the kitchen (Rhino: Lying down on your tummy, rise up placing the hands on the floor in front of you. Bring one arm over and above the other elbow and bring the palms to face each other (similar to Eagle pose). Lock the elbows and lift your chest off the floor a bit). It took a chomp of Daisy’s pancake and went upstairs (Stair Climbing: Standing tall, raise one leg slowly up and lift the opposite arm as if you are climbing up.). “Mum! Mum!” Daisy called. “There is a big…” “Tell your dad. He’ll catch it in a mug and throw it out of the window.” “Dad! Dad! There is a big…,” said Daisy. “The spider can wait” said Dad (Spider: Squat with the feet as wide as shoulders. Place your hands inside your feet, walking your fingers around the back of your feet. Lock the knees around your elbows as you bring the ankles in front of you.). “It is not a spider. It is a big, purple rhinoceros!” Daisy shouted. But as usual, nobody listened.
Meanwhile, the rhino made himself right at home (House: Open your legs wide but a comfortable distance apart. Lift your arms up over your head bringing your hands together). Daisy saw him in the hall, glimpsed him in the garden, and she spied him in the bathroom. But every time she tried to tell her parents, they’d say “Can’t you see we are busy?” Daisy’s parents were busy all week. So, Daisy began to talk to the rhino instead. Soon they became good friends. But Daisy’s parents did not notice. Until the pancakes ran out. “Who ate all the pancakes?” yelled Dad. “It was rhino” she said. “Rhinos don’t eat pancakes,” said Dad. “This one does! I saw him in the kitchen.” cried Daisy. Mum and Dad roared with laughter. “Whatever next? A shark in the toilet? (Shark: Lying down on your tummy with face down, place your arms close to your body to the sides. Raise both legs from the waist. Raising your chest off the floor, extend your arms behind your back and clasp your hands together.) A polar bear in the fridge?” (Polar Bear: Kneeling up, knees wide, bring your big toes together. Taking your hips back towards your heels, relax your body towards the floor. Make a cup over your nose with your hands.) “Come on, Rhino, I have had enough of this.” said Daisy. “Mum and Dad never listen. They are always a million miles away.” she sighed. The rhino sighed deeply through his big purple nostrils. “I am sorry, Rhino. Your family are a million miles away, too.” The rhino nodded and a lilac tear rolled down his cheek. They hugged each other (Hugging: Sitting on the floor and crossing your legs, wrap your arms around yourself and give a caring hug.). That night, Daisy sat up on her bed, thinking of ways to get the rhino back home to his family (Bed: Sitting on your bottoms, walk your hands behind you, fingers pointing towards your hips. Feet flat, bend your knees. Lift your hips up off the ground.). He was too big for Daisy’s rubber boat (Boat: Sit on your bottom, knees bent and the soles of your feet on the floor. Lift both legs, shins parallel to ground, arms stretch forward, moving the upper body slightly backwards). She thought about lending him her bike (Bicycle: Lying on your back, pretend you are on a bike. Raising your leg above the floor, bend your knee and bring it close to the chest. Begin a slow cycling movement of the legs. You can place your hands under your tailbone or behind your head.) but the helmet would never fit.
The next morning, Mum and Dad had a surprise. “We are taking you to the zoo! So you can see a real rhino.” said Mum. Daisy thought it was a stupid idea when there was already a real rhino sitting on the sofa. But she did not say so. Because nobody would listen. At the zoo, Daisy saw yellow giraffes (Giraffe: Standing tall, we reach our hands up tall, making a long giraffe neck and start walking with your long giraffe legs.), bright red parrots (Parrot: Open your legs wide. Come halfway up into a flat back. Lift your arms out at your side like wings floating up and down as you fly like a bird.), orange and black tigers (Tiger: Hands and knees on the floor, bring one arm out extending in front of you at shoulder level. Extend the opposite leg out behind you at hip level. Balance the body on one palm and knee.), grass green snakes (Snake: Lie on your tummy, bring the hands up by the side of the chest, push the hands into the floor and lift your chest up.). But she could not help thinking about her poor purple rhino. “Hurry up, Daisy. The rhinos are this way!” said Mum. But what was this? A big announcement was hanging on the rhino section: Missing Big Purple Rhino. Likes Pancakes. If Found Please Call The Zoo. “Well, that explains the pancakes!” gasped Dad. Mum, Dad and Daisy rushed back home (Running: Making a fist with your hands, bring them close to your chest. Start jogging/running on the spot.). Guess what they saw when they got there. The biggest, purplest rhinoceros was sitting on the sofa, eating pancakes (Chair: Stand with your feet together or hip-distance apart. Raising your arms above your head, bend your knees. Bring your thighs as parallel to the floor as they can get.).
“I am phoning to the zoo,” said Mum. “No!” said Daisy. “Not the zoo. He needs to get back to his family. They are million miles away.” “Well, we’d better get a move on. The next flight to a Million Miles Away leaves this afternoon,” said Dad. The rhino packed his suitcase (Suitcase: Seated on the mat with both legs stretched out in front, fold forward. Bring the chin as close as possible to your knees. You may hold your toes with your fingers and gently pull yourself forward.). Then they all pushed his big purple bottom into the back of the car (Push: Standing up, step one foot forward and bend into the front knee. Turning the back toes out, take your arms forward and lift your palms as if pushing something.) and drove to the airport. “I will miss you,” said Daisy as the rhino boarded the plane (Airplane: Coming to plank pose, slowly move your body sideways towards the right while you lift the left hand off the floor. Transferring your body weight on the right arm, bend your left knee and place your left foot in front of your right knee. Raising the left arm straight up, take the gaze at the left hand.). The rhino gave her a big purple hug (Hugging: Sitting on the floor and crossing your legs, wrap your arms around yourself and give a caring hug.). He would miss her too.
Back at home, Daisy began to feel lonely again. Who would listen to her now? But she realized that everything was about to change. “Tell us about the rhino, Daisy,” said Mum. “Yes, tell us about that big, purple, pancake-eating rhino,” said Dad. So, Daisy told them everything. They listened and listened until she had completely run out of words. It was brilliant.
Relaxation:
What a heartwarming story of Daisy and the Rhino. Daisy’s mum and dad are always too busy to listen to a word that she says. And nobody listens to her when she tells them that there is a big purple rhino in the house. So, Daisy starts talking to the rhino instead. A rhinoceros makes the best kind of friend…
When having a conversation, you listen and speak. Sometimes you may be speaking but the other person may be thinking about something else and not really listening. It is also possible that you do the same thing. If you fully listen, you hear more beyond their words. And you feel more connected with the person you are having a conversation. You also begin to notice people’s moods and feelings. It is important to practice mindful listening as it will change the interaction with the people in your life. Just try to listen fully before you respond.
When you feel ready, you can slowly start to move your fingers and toes. Pulling your knees to your chest, give them a big hug. Rolling over to one side, lift up to a comfortable sitting position. Bring your hands together in front of your chest. Thank you for doing yoga with me today. Namaste!