4 Children's yoga teacher secrets for a great class

Children's yoga and mindfulness is a lot of fun to teach and is very needed in our homes, communities and schools in our modern busy time.

To offer an engaging and successful class it’s important to remember NAMES!

Hearing your name is the most wonderful thing! It is also key when getting a child’s attention and asking him or her to participate. I always do name games at the beginning of the first few classes!

Bring lots of PROPS and be creative! Everyone really tunes in when they see something new for the first time. Children (and adults!) are very visual so using yoga cards for example helps in demonstrating a pose. Objects and pictures also help in making abstract concepts more understandable.

Monkey see Monkey do! Get moving and the children will move! Have fun and they will have fun too! So do a yoga pose and they will follow. Children and adults are equipped with MIRROR NEURONS that helps them absorb, copy and learn about their environment. Depending on the age group, attention span will go from a few seconds to being able to hold a pose longer. Creativity is key!

MUSIC. Yes there’s so many great songs for kids yoga classes. Play them for warm-ups and during the class. Music works with all groups and can even help a chaotic group focus and participate.

Ok one more very humbling tip: be FLEXIBLE and attentive to children’s wants and needs. This makes class much more interesting! Offering choices and guiding (vs. controlling) keeps children listening since they feel more valued and empowered.

What other tips would you offer to guide a children’s yoga class?

See video from Young Yoga Masters below!

Thank you for reading :)

For information on children's yoga teacher training visit: https://youngyogamasters.com/

For classes in your community center, school or home contact: info@letitshineyoga.ca