We live in a fast-paced world and so do our children. How can we, as adults and teachers, help children connect with themselves and others and also enjoy the moments that we are in?
What we think about ourselves can often impact how we develop.
If we feel we are inadequate, then we’ll behave like that.
If we believe we are special and loved, we will most likely behave as if we are special and loved.
This is one reason why affirmations and mantras can be an important tool to help children develop positive foundations on which to grow. A positive self-belief system built in childhood will hopefully stay with a person throughout their life.
What are Mantras?
The word ‘mantra’ comes from Sanskrit, and is generally used to mean a special word or phrase that’s used in meditation. Some parents and teachers may be concerned that mantras conflict with their religious beliefs, but mantras don’t need to have a religious aspect or overtone.
You can think of mantras as a few positive words spoken to ourselves each day. This can make such a difference to our whole mind and heart.
Mantras are similar to affirmations, and over time they can help change the way we feel. Mantras are repeated over and over to ourselves out loud or silently. It’s a wonderful technique for kids to use to set themselves up for doing their best and feeling good about themselves and their efforts.
Providing different tools for children to practice mindfulness with mantras, breathingexercises, and yoga poses is one of my passions.
Each card shows a yoga pose and corresponding mantra. Each of the yoga poses involves a variety of muscles working and may make a person feel differently. The accompanying affirmation for each pose is short and memorable.
How to Use Mantras in Kids Yoga Classes
Try a few yoga poses with children. As they are holding each pose, ask them what muscles they feel working and also how does it make them feel.
This practice involves mindfulness since it is not only what they feel working in their body, but how the pose makes them feel, i.e. strong, brave, or peaceful. For example, Warrior 1 Pose may make them feel strong, but Child’s Pose may make them feel safe.
Then you can teach them a simple phrase, which they can remember in a stressful moment or a time of unease. Effective mantras for kids could be: “I am thankful,” “I am loved,” “I am safe,” or “Let it go,” which is also a great one for adults.
Conclusion: A Winning Combination
It is no secret that many children learn best when they are moving. As a school teacher and children’s yoga instructor, I understand that when movement and affirmations are tied together, it can be a powerful way to help children learn.
Combining mantras with yoga poses has several benefits:
It helps children focus and concentrate;
It helps them learn to respect their bodies and one another;
It helps them quiet their minds and connect with each other; and
Most importantly, mantras help them create inner confidence as children, which can help shape a person’s whole life.
Are you ready to learn more about teaching yoga to children? Our popular online Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training includes everything you need to know to successfully learn how to teach yoga to children online and in person. Perfect for home, school and studio.
Get ready for the winter holiday with these fun holiday yoga poses for kids. Become a snowball, hop in Santa’s sleigh, make Gingerbread cookies, decorate a tree with ornaments and much more.
Kids love this kids yoga lesson plan. It is filled with yoga poses, games and balance practice. As you watch the video, notice the gift box that I use. There is something about using a simple prop for holiday yoga that truly gets the kids’ attention every time.
Are you ready to learn how to teach yoga and mindfulness to children?
You are in the right place. Kids yoga lesson planning is my jam. After nearly 20 years of classroom teaching experience and preparing over a thousand kids yoga classes, I know a thing or two about creating engaging and effective lesson plans. Having a plan in place will help your class run seamlessly with a flow and a purpose.
I used to spend hours planning just one kids yoga class before I felt ready to teach it. For those of you who love going to adult yoga classes, you may be wondering, how hard can it be to plan a kids class? It seems like it should be easy enough. Teach the kids some poses, flow them together, and then everyone ends up on their backs in a peaceful bliss known as Savasana. That’s all you need to know, right?
Wrong. Well, not entirely wrong. Kids yoga and adult yoga are similar in that they both include breathing, practicing poses, and end with relaxation, but that is where the similarities stop.
Kids yoga is busy. We are moving, breathing, and interacting with one another pretty much the entire time. That’s why it would take me hours to plan a single kids yoga class. First, I needed an age-appropriate theme, creative breathing exercises (to make breathwork NOT boring), movement, games, challenges, and relevant mindfulness exercises. That was just the beginning!
Don’t forget that you also have to keep everyone engaged, on task, and having fun while practicing yoga and mindfulness. This was never an easy task.
I have cracked the code on the exact proven method of how to effectively teach yoga to children. With this step-by-step guide in place, your kids yoga classes will be fun, engaging, memorable, and effective.
It is the month of gratitude and thankfulness. Help kids learn and practice gratitude AND yoga with our “Let’s Give Thanks” FREE Kids Yoga Lesson Plan! Yoga poses, breathing exercises, yoga games, and our fun Planksgiving Challenge are all included!
Celebrate gratitude with children with all year long.
Get kids fit, flexible and focused with our complete step-by-step Kids Yoga Lesson Plan books. Themes, poses, breathing exercises, games, mindfulness, challenges for all ages and much more.
Thanksgiving Yoga Poses for Kids Fun
Thanksgiving is all about family, friends, food and being thankful. Go Go Yoga for Kids shows fun Thanksgiving yoga poses that can be done to prepare your mind and body for the holiday.
First is our fun Turkey Breathing that will help get your mind and breath connected. Next, we lead you into our Planksgiving Challenge. Enjoy!
Congratulations on taking the time to truly gain an understanding of why each part of a kids yoga class is important. By following our everything will easily fall into place for you and your students. A well-thought-out and organized lesson plan will create more opportunities for learning, engagement and create lasting memories.
The Welcome is the very first part of your kids yoga class and it is the first real class interaction you will have together. The Welcome helps set the tone for how your class will go and helps explain to your students what they will be doing and learning as well as what you expect of them.
When you establish and make a connection
with your students right from the start, it makes such a difference throughout
your class as you introduce and teach breathing exercises, yoga
poses, games, challenges, relaxation, and more.
I think about this in my school classroom as well. Children need to know that they are safe and cared for. When you have a connection and a trust established, then you can truly teach the content, relax, and have fun teaching.
In the beginning of my kids’ yoga classes, I like to gather the students in a circle and welcome them warmly while having them introduce themselves. This will help you get an overall sense of their mood and abilities from the start. It is also the ideal time to reinforce their names with their faces which comes in handy with the management of the class.
I like to have my students share their name
and answer a question.
For example:
Sharing something that they are good at
What do you already know about yoga?
Share why yoga is good for you
Demonstrate any yoga poses that they already know
Ask a theme-related question (in relation to the yoga theme of class) such as “Which superhero would you be and why?”
I also like to briefly go over my 3 No-Fail Rules at this time. You only need these three rules to keep your class running seamlessly which is a big deal for the success and involvement of your classes. These 3 No-Fail Rules and many classroom teaching videos are all included in our online Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher Training course. Enroll now and work through at your own pace and time with our support throughout.
Remember, you only get one chance to make that first impression. The Welcome does not need to be long, but it is the best opportunity to let kids know how excited you are that they are there and to introduce them to the theme and format for the class.
Fall is in the air! One of the things that I love about living in the Midwest is the change of seasons. I truly do appreciate the changing trees and landscape that each new season brings. As soon as you get tired of the heat, snow, or rain, then the season begins to magically transform into a new one.
I love incorporating the change of seasons with my kids yoga classes. Kids enjoy the seasonal themes with the poses, breathing exercises, and yoga games. By having a theme, it truly helps the children connect with and retain with what they are learning.
Get your free Kids Yoga Fall Fun Lesson Plan below. Learn many Fall themed yoga poses, play yoga games, practice mindfulness, complete group challenges and much more!
For this kids yoga lesson plan, I use the Kids Yoga Challenge Pose Cards. These pose cards provide a great visual for the yoga poses as well as the partner yoga poses.
Have you ever seen such a lovely Fall leaf? (Partner Pose)
It is much more fun to try to balance with a pumpkin on your head!
Interested in more kids yoga lesson plans? Our bestselling Go Go Yoga for Kids resources includes hundreds of kids yoga lesson plans, games, poses, mindfulness exercises and much more. Click to learn more.