Research is showing us that more and more children are entering school with an excessive amount of stress, anxiety, anger, and fear. Although these are all fundamental emotions in our human experience, children now-a-days do not have the tools to deal with these.
It is through the self-regulatory tools of play-based yoga that our children can begin to turn their locus of control inward, trusting themselves in full confidence. Through play-based movement children are able to,
Now this may all seem unattainable or a slur of beautiful words that sounds like it may work. But how do we really apply this and achieve the traditional goals of yoga through “play-based movement?” I want to give you an example of the way play changed the experience of yoga for one 7 year old boy.
Hector is a phenomenal human being. He lives with his mother (30), his step-father (30), his brother (9), and his sister (15), and her newborn baby. I met Hector when he was in his second year of kindergarten and had been kicked out of two schools, all by the age of 7. Hector is passionate, Hector is curious, Hector is hilarious, Hector is a full-body learner, and Hector has never been seen or heard by the people that matter to him. For this reason, adults started becoming people to fear, avoid, and rebel against, as opposed to entities of safety, inspiration, and support. My first interactions with
Hector did have one passion, though: his peers’ Pokemon cards. Hector had a couple cards friends had let him have, but never had he been able to go to the store with his mother and purchase his own cards. Hector was proud of the two cards he had and would take care of them like I hadn’t seen him take care of anything before. It finally clicked! My duty was to somehow make Hector see the joy and fun in yoga just as he had in these Pokemon cards.
That is how I invented “YOGIMONS!”. If I had to sit and explain to you how my idea came to life, I cannot. What I can tell you, though, is that Hector was my true and core inspiration. If he hadn’t challenged me and hadn’t manifested so much of his internal struggle, never would I have taken it as my duty as a teacher and human, to help him find his passions manifest in health and happiness!
And if you want to take part in a great discussion about self-regulation and yoga tools for the whole family, listen to our podcast, Mindful Conversations with KAY! Plus, we have more blogs about SEL tools and practices:
Yoga and Emotional Intelligence: https://kiddingaroundyoga.com/blog/kids-yoga-social-emotional-learning-sel/
Boost Your EQ: https://kiddingaroundyoga.com/blog/eq-iq-yoga-compassion-emotional-intelligence/
Like what you read here? There’s so much MORE to explore and learn with Kidding Around Yoga. Check out our website for our live and online teacher trainings, Yoga Alliance-approved 95-hour RCYT trainings, specialty online courses, original music, merchandise, podcast, and beyond! KAY even offers a 6-hour workshop designed to teach school educators and homeschool families how to bring yoga and meditation right into their classrooms (EduKAY) and an online course specifically for families to incorporate these practices in their family’s routine (Mindful Parenting).