It's a busy world out there! And for many of us, it's a busy world inside, too. Our minds are kept stimulated, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, all day and often through the night. We've been given many ways to find quiet moments, to find balance, in our lives:...
Yoga for Children May Improve Mental Health
Our children live in a very busy world. Long days at school, a myriad of after-school activities, constant social demands and expectations, pressure to be smart and talented, and physically flawless in their social media worlds creates an environment ripe for stress,...
Restorative Yoga for Kids
You know what I think kids today need? Not more lessons or learning opportunities. Not more toys, gadgets, or electronics. And certainly not more pressure and stress. Our children need time to unwind, all on their own. Just like us grown-ups, they need time to...
This is Your Brain on Meditation
Today's blog article was written by all-grown-up KAY kid, Whitney James, currently a Freshman at Elon University in North Carolina. If you are anything like me, meditation seems a little bit like “voodoo”. Sitting completely still and quiet? Clearing your brain of...
Moving Beyond “Me” with Meditation
Kids are naturally egocentric, and I say this as an educator without judgement and malice. The revolutionary child psychologist Jean Piaget described "Egocentrism" in 1951 as a natural part of a child's development. He said that until the age of about 7, children are...
Mini-Meditations for the Whole Family
Meditation is an ancient practice that provides many benefits for our modern brains. A 2010 study found that meditators' cognitive skills (sustain attention, visuospatial processing, working memory, executive function) improved after meditating just 20 minutes a day...
The Art of Mindfulness
Pay attention! You need to focus! Can't you just concentrate? Sound familiar? Have you heard or said these things before? Yeah, me too. We probably all have. It seems we all need help once in a while being mindful. Mindfulness is simply paying attention to what is...
Mindfulness Activities for the Family
Mindfulness is a meditation practice that trains the practitioner to be completely immersed in the moment, with all five senses. With practice, we learn to bring our scattered attention and energy back to what we are experiencing right now, without judgment, without...
Adaptive Yoga for Children
Kids worldwide need the same things to thrive: food, clothing, shelter, confidence, security, and a sense of calm. However, no two children are able to receive these necessities in the same way. Some children blossom in routine while others crave variety. One child...
Plant a Tree, Grow a Forest!
A lovely way to spend a lazy afternoon is to rest in the shade of a big tree - the branches and leaves rustling above you and the soft earth feeding its roots below you. Trees provide a sense of timelessness and patience, of strength with flexibility. That union...
R-E-S-P-E-C-T (Find Out What It Means to Me)
With a nod to the great Aretha Franklin, we all need a little respect ("just a little bit"): respect for others, for the earth, for ourselves. As a children's yoga teacher, I have found that teaching about respect in its various forms takes more than a quick...
Kids Yoga at the Beach
I love the beach! My favorite thing to do is to go to the beach. The ocean, the breezy air, the warm sand, and the bright sun in the sky… being at the beach is blissful. Now add some yoga to a beautiful beach day, and there is nothing better than that. Yoga at the...
The Importance of Learning Through Play
**Today's blog post was written by Whitney James, an all-grown-up KAY kid, currently a graduating senior at Elon University** All play is a significant action, according to John Huzinga, one of the top researchers of play in the 20th century. Meaningful play, however,...
Splish Splash Yoga
Want a new challenge for you and your young yogis? Try moving your Kids Yoga practice off the mat and into a swimming pool! Here are some easy ideas for games and activities to really make a splash! Cannonball: Assign a pose and have each child jump into the pool in...
Play Ball!
Leading a fun and focused Kids Yoga class can be an easy task if you simply use a ball! An old-school, readily-accessible, ever-popular ball. A collection of various-sized balls can create a collection of yoga-based games and activities ready to play in no time at...