You Are Special by Max Lucado is an amazing book, one to be considered for sharing in yoga class. I believe it will resonate wildly with your little yogis. If you haven't read this book, here is a brief summary from Teaching Children Philosophy...In a village, there...
I've been teaching kids' yoga for about eight years now and at first I was surprised by how naturally children embraced and practiced yogic principles. If given the opportunity, kids organically stretch and challenge their bodies. Babies breathe with their entire...
Today's blog was written by Whitney James, a KAY kid who is now a freshman at Elon University. While we don't always use Sanskrit in our kids' classes, many of the asanas in modern yoga practice come from the backstories of Hindu deities. This doesn't mean that we...
I remember a group of kids I taught that loved to fall! They were 2-4 years old and whenever I asked them to balance on one foot, they’d go, “Wha-, woe, woe, whoa, whoaaaaa!” and come crashing down dramatically as if they were trying to balance on a bucking bronco....
Let's take an in-depth look at one of the most iconic yoga postures - Downward-Facing Dog! This is filled with potential for creativity and games! Pose: Downward-Facing Dog Sanskrit: Adho Mukha Svanasana (pronounced: AH-doh MOO-kah shvah-NAHS-anna) Sanskrit...
Turn down the lights and turn up the fun! With a little planning and a lot of creativity, you can create a memorable yoga experience for the whole family. • Decorations: Of course, this means glow sticks! You can get them at most dollar stores, so load up. Some can be...
I am a scavenger - I love to find the treasures within the junk. I think of myself as an educational MacGyver. Give me some random object and I'll figure out how to teach with it. This habit (gift?) started when I was a student-teacher, finishing up my Elementary...
“Miss Julie, did you bring those things that cover our eyes today?” This question is often the first thing asked from at least one of the kids when they see my “bag of tricks” at the start of our Yoga class. My “bag of tricks” is fully-stocked and contain my staples:...
There are many reasons to be thankful for yoga, such as increased health, decreased stress, and a chance to unwind. This also applies to kids too! There are much cooler reasons why kids (and adults) should be grateful for yoga. So, in honor of Thanksgiving, here are 5...
Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Get ready to eat, watch the parades on television, and eat some more. This year, why not start your festivities with a kid-led yoga session centered around the concept of thankfulness, or gratefulness? Directly tied to...
The yoga ideal of non-attachment... Can you even fathom how you would approach this concept in a kids’ yoga class? Non-attachment is called aparigraha in The Yoga Sutras (say that 3 times fast). It’s the fifth Yama, aka code of self-restraint. This code includes being...
What is the goal of Yoga? Why do people practice it? Why do YOU practice? To get a fit body? To fit in with the “cool” crowd? To relieve the stress of everyday life? Yoga at it's essence, is a practice in peace. By engaging in each of the eight limbs of Yoga, one can...
Yoga is a very individual practice, but who says you can not share this practice with lovely company, like your PET! Humans have the ability to create a deep connection with animals. Being in touch with them helps us feel happier, be more empathetic and become more...
You may have heard the quote, “Yoga is 1% inspiration and 99 % perspiration.” I like to do a spin off that and say kids yoga is 10% inspiration, 40% perspiration and 50% imagination! In looking for ways to stretch our conceptions of downward dog (literally and...
Our family took a quick camping trip to Mueller State Park near Colorado Springs, CO this July. We have a travel trailer, so it was more like glamping if I’m honest. About half way through our short trip, I noticed we were practicing some yoga concepts. Let me...
Watch at your leisure!
Watch at your leisure!
