American Indian Family Center
saint paul, mn
“Your music and puppets gave our family a way to talk more clearly about emotions with our children. You provide good, practical ideas to children and adults about how to transform and face emotions.”
In 2012, Z Puppets partnered with AIFC through a Partner In Arts Participation grant through the MN State Arts Board to produce a series of Arts and Mindfulness stress reduction workshops for Native youth and their families.
Based on Z Puppets' popular Monkey Mind Pirates curriculum, students at the American Indian Magnet School Youth Enrichment Summer Program learned yoga and mindfulness techniques while making puppets and singing songs.
Families connected with the AIFC then had the opportunity to participate in a series of evening workshops making puppets and writing a song for a public performance at the Dayton's Bluff Recreational Center in St. Paul.
Here are the lyrics the families wrote about their idea of Calm:
“ We have fallen for MMP BIG!”
Light as cotton candy,
Life is sweet & dandy:
Tropical fruit, juicy and tart,
Strawberries red, as my heart!
Lying flat on a beautiful mat
Inhale, exhale, just like that
Relax and let go of time
x: Listen to the peaceful chime!
Nii mi lapping against my lip,
water cooling as I sip.
Sailing on a silent bear,
Soft as a little wolf's hair
Lavender lilacs lifting lightly,
In the morning blooming brightly,
Quiet as a blue sky
Fluffy clouds floating by
Download the Evaluation Findings conducted by Blue Scarf Consulting